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ETHICS DOCUMENT
The purpose of this document is to establish a set of standards of conduct
for use by the members of HAES as guidelines for the ethical conduct of the
society's business.
In Addition to a generalized set of standards, this document provides
specific instructions to be followed by members regarding specific
situations including:
- Conflict of Interest
- Gifts, Gratuities or Bribes
- Use of confidential & Proprietary Information
- Reciprocal Dealings
It is the Board of Directors' responsibility to see that the contents of
this policy are understood by the members and that they formally acknowledge
that understanding by signing a statement to be included in the society's
archives.
PURPOSE
This policy establishes the guidelines to be used by HAES and its members
for ethical decision making in conducting the organization's business.
SCOPE
This procedure applies to all HAES members.
POLICY
It is HAES' policy that all of the business of the society be
conducted according to the highest ethical standards. In support
of this stated policy, a set of Business Ethics or Standards of
Conduct is essential for HAES to prosper and receive the desired
trust and respect of members, sponsors, other organizations, and
society at large. This policy statement sets forth guidelines so
that we may evaluate situations in a consistent manner and arrive
at uniform decisions. The underlying principles of these standards
are based on common sense, courtesy and moral codes that are
essential for us to govern our official conduct in a manner
designed to reflect HAES most favorably within the community at
large.
In furtherance of these principles, HAES subscribes to the following
Standards of Conduct:
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To be honest in our public statements, advertising and publicity;
to avoid misrepresentation in our business dealings, recognizing
that permanent business relations can be maintained only within
the context of honesty and fair dealing.
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To respect our obligations as individuals and as corporation and
neither express nor imply a promise of performance which we cannot
reasonably expect to fulfill.
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To be considerate of those with whom we deal, to treat them with
courtesy, to be prompt and businesslike in our appointments and
to carry on negotiations and business in a timely manner to avoid
trespassing on the rights of others as to the use of their time.
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To provide or accept no gifts or entertainment under guise of sales
expense or cost where the intent or effect is to prejudice the
recipient in favor of the donor.
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To receive no bribes in the form of money or otherwise in any
commercial transaction and prevent any unlawful or improper use
of society funds or assets; to expose commercial bribery, or
unlawful or improper use of funds or assets wherever encountered,
in order to preserve the highest standards of ethics.
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To make or authorize no false or artificial entry on the books or
records of the organization and to report to the Board of Directors
false or artificial entry or any failure to record accurately funds
or assets of the organization, wherever encountered.
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To avoid any real or potential conflict of interest; to disclose
any ownership or financial interest in any organization with which
the society does business or with which it is in competition which
might adversely, or appear adversely, to influence our judgements
in meeting our responsibilities.
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To ensure information received in confidence for the conduct of
business is not used for personal gain and to divulge no such
information with the intent of giving or receiving an unfair
advantage in a personal or competitive business transaction.
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to ensure information received in confidence for the conduct of
HAES business is not distributed to non-members or other
associations for the purpose of discrediting members
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To recognize the dignity of all people and to be fair and impartial
in our relationship with others; to pursue in good faith our
responsibilities to offer equal opportunity in business to all
people.
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To prevent personal political convictions or affiliations from
influencing our judgments and actions in meeting our responsibi-
lities, and causing us to diverge from the organization's goals
as stated in the HAES CHARTER and BYLAWS.
PRACTICE
In Amplification of the HAES Standards of Conducts, specific guidelines
and practices to be followed are provided in the succeeding paragraphs:
- Public statements, Advertising, Publicity
Any information issued to sponsors, customers, vendors, or the public at
large should not knowingly contain inaccuracies nor should information be
intentionally presented in a manner designed to misrepresent our products
when selling, our needs when buying or requesting funding, or any other
aspect of our business. Much of the information which we need to supply
is based on projections and estimates. We should make such estimates and
projections reasonably based on available facts and logical assumptions,
being careful neither to penalize the corporation through ultraconservatism
nor take undue advantage of those with whom we deal by excessive optimism.
- Obligations of the Individual and Corporation
As individuals we are required to make estimates of and commitments to
performance to our sponsors, customers, suppliers, and other business
partners or to our fellow members in support of our corporate commitments.
Such estimates and commitments should be made with the expectation that
they will be achieved. It is only through a high level of performance
against these commitments that we as individuals and HAES as a corporation
can maintain a successful image of accomplishment in the business community.
- Competitive Relationships
It is unethical and unlawful to collaborate with competitors or their
representatives for the purposes of establishing or maintaining prices at
any particular level or to collaborate in them in any way in the restraint
of trade.
We must earn the confidence of our customers that prices for our products
and services are determined internally on HAES' independent and fair
judgment. Further, it is HAES' intent to avoid marketing prices intended
to injure or discredit a legitimate competitor through the use of
misrepresentation.
It is also both unethical and illegal to lessen competition through the
discrimination in price between different purchasers of services or goods
of like grade, except where such differentials reflect actual demonstrable
differences in the cost of manufacture, sale or delivery. The customer must
be confident that they can purchase HAES services or goods at the same price
as others who purchase the same services or goods in like quantities under
similar conditions.
- Gifts and Gratuities - Bribery
HAES members shall not give or accept money, gifts or favors where the
intent or the effect might be the undue influence of a business decision.
Any such gift or favor offered or sent to HAES members or members of their
family must be declined or returned. Such refusal must be made discreetly
and courteously but firmly. Possible embarrassment resulting from refusal
is not a basis for acceptance. Under no circumstances shall HAES members
solicit or attempt to solicit any gift or favor or any amount of thing of
value from anyone doing or attempting to do business with HAES.
Any offers to HAES members or solicitation of offers from HAES members
which appear to be attempts at commercial bribery shall be reported
immediately to the HAES board of directors; in the case of a board
member, to the chairman.
It is HAES' policy that common sense and moderation prevail in enter-
taining, on behalf of HAES, any representative of an organization or
company with whom HAES does business or intends to do business, and that
entertainment accepted from others be on the same level of propriety and
integrity insofar as such can be controlled by the HAES member being
entertained.
- Conflicts of Interest
No HAES member shall, either directly or indirectly, maintain any outside
business or financial interest, or engage in any outside business or
financial activity, which conflicts or appears to be conflicting with
the interests of HAES or which interferes with his ability to discharge
fully his responsibilities and duties with HAES.
All members are required to disclose to the Board of Directors any
ownership or other financial interest they may have in any organization
with which the Society does business or with which it competes in order
that a determination may be made as to whether any conflict of interest
appears.
This policy shall not be construed to restrict investment or require
disclosure of any investment by a member in stock or any other security
of any corporation listed on a national or local securities exchange or
regularly traded by registered national or local securities dealers
provided that such investment does not exceed one (1) percent of the
market value of the outstanding securities of such corporation. In
addition, this policy shall not be construed to restrict outside
business or financial activity by a member to the extent not inconsistent
herewith.
- Confidential Information
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Insider information - In the normal course of business HAES members
receive information concerning the society that is confidential
in nature and not generally known to the public. If such information
becomes known to the member, then the member has a legal and ethical
responsibility not to use this information for personal gain.
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Proprietary Information - All HAES members have to one degree or
another access to proprietary information which, if disclosed to
outside business interests, would be detrimental to the society.
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Examples of these are business, research and new product plans;
sales, profits, and unpublished financial information; designs,
capacities of production facilities, methods and systems, member
and employee rosters; customer, sponsor and vendor lists and
detailed information regarding customer or sponsor requirements,
business practices and plans. Trade secrets include technical
information and data relating to the business of the society,
its customers and affiliates with which the company retains in
confidence and is not generally available outside the society.
- Reciprocal Dealing and Undue Influence
It is HAES' policy to buy and sell on the basis of value,
recognizing that value represents the combination of quality,
service and price which assures the greatest ultimate economy
to the user. Accordingly, HAES will refrain from reciprocal
purchase agreements and will not require its vendors to buy
from HAES under any kind of coercion, expressed or implied.
Conversely, in any instance where a supplier or potential
supplier exerts pressure to purchase by inferring that it
is the desire of a HAES Board Member, the buyer so coerced
will immediately notify the chairman so that corrective
action can be taken quickly.
- Sanctions
Failure to comply with the said rules may result in disciplinary actions such as :
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letter of reprimand
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temporary suspension ( from one to two months)
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dismissal from the Board
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loss of Board eligibility for non-compliance with the By-laws and the Code of Ethics.
IMPLEMENTATION
To ensure the achievement of proper dissemination and understanding of
this policy the following implementation action will be taken:
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A copy of this policy will be provided to each HAES member and
to such others as may be specified by the HAES Board of Directors.
- The HAES Secretary will obtain a signed statement of understanding
from all HAES members. It is the Secretary's responsibility to
file the executed forms in the HAES archives in a timely manner.
Attachments:
- Statement of understanding should be written in the space provided below
and signed by the HAES member.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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Print HAES member name:___________________________
HAES member signature:____________________________
Date Signed: ____________________
This document was prepared and approved by the undersigned HAES board
members on July 15, 1989: Yves Pierre, Max Massac, Bernard Etheart,
Alex Gaspard, Anthony Polycape, Jean Augustin and Noe Dorestant.
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