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WSCAI Business Partners’ Model Code of Ethics

[ Code of Ethics Preamble ]

The WSCAI Business Partners’ Model Code of Ethics (“Code”) was adopted by WSCAI’s Business Partners Committee to provide guidance and standards for Business Partners in conducting Business with community associations.

The Code is intended to help WSCAI’s Business Partners distinguish themselves from non-WSCAI competitors by virtue of their high ethical standards and assist association members by providing standards that they may expect from WSCAI Business Partners with whom they deal.

The Code is not mandatory. Rather, it is entirely voluntary for those Business Partners who agree to subscribe to its tenets. Nor are there any penalties for failure to adhere to the Code.

[ Code Of Ethics Tenants ]

 

1A Business Partner shall at all times conduct him/her/itself in a professional and competent manner, acting truthfully, fairly, diligently, promptly, and for a fair price.

2A Business Partner shall only take on as much business as he/she/it can reasonably expect to perform with professional competence and diligence.

3A Business Partner shall refrain from criticizing competitors or their business practices and shall refrain from making any untrue statements about the goods or services provided by competitors.

4A Business Partner shall not engage in any form of price-fixing, anti-trust, or anticompetitive behavior. This includes “pay-to-play” arrangements whereby a Business Partner provides valuable consideration of any kind to obtain Business or a favorable position as against another Business Partner. Client or prospective client requests for such consideration shall be politely declined with reference to this Code.

5A Business Partner may accept from or give de minimus gifts to a client so long as such gifts are not given or accepted for the primary purpose of influencing that client’s decision to renew a contract with a Business Partner, to do business with the Business Partner, or to win business over a competing Business Partner. Business Partners should honor any limits on gift giving set by their employer or by clients to whom any gifts are given. Money should never be accepted or given as a gift.

6A Business Partner may pay or accept a referral fee so long as the referral fee is ethical under the standards applicable to that Business Partner’s business or profession and is disclosed to the client and the client does not object.

7A Business Partner shall timely disclose all actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest to prospective clients.

8A Business Partner shall not use the work of competitors that is considered proprietary without the express, written permission of the owner.

*Code of Ethics Approved by the WSCAI Business Partners Committee October 2012.