Code of Conduct

 

The Code of Conduct (The Code) of IGS establishes the ethical standards for members and volunteers of our Society. The purposes of The Code are to provide evidence of our Society’s commitment to the lawful and ethical conduct of our Society, to promote lawful and ethical behavior by its members, and to protect those who report violations of the Code. The Code is intended to supplement, but not replace, any federal, state, or local laws governing ethical conduct applicable to non-profit organizations.

 

The Code is built on our Society’s core values of integrity, compassion, courage, determination, and diversity. These core values are at the heart of what our Society does and should inform and guide the actions that each member should take in his or her words, actions, and decisions. It is every member’s responsibility to discharge his or her duties in a manner that promotes and preserves public trust, proper stewardship, and confidence in the integrity of our Society. Members must respect and comply with our Society’s rules and regulations, observe high standards of conduct, and participate in establishing and maintaining such high standards. Adverse consequences, including removal of a volunteer or member can result from failure to comply with The Code.

 

It is the duty of all members to review and assess their conduct in light of the provisions of The Code. Each member shall seek, either in writing or in person, the advice of our President or our Society’s Executive Committee when a reasonable doubt regarding an ethical or legal consideration arises.

 

1. Members shall act honestly and ethically.

2. Members shall protect all our Society’s resources and assets.

3. Members will conduct themselves properly, diligently, and with an appropriately courteous attitude and mannerism. Members and guests should not experience drama and gossip while at our Society.

4. Members with reporting responsibilities shall provide full, fair, accurate, timely, and understandable disclosure in all reports.

5. Members shall not discriminate based on race, color, religious creed, gender, national origin, age, physical ability, sexual orientation, marital status, or veteran status in the conduct of services for our Society.

6. Members shall comply with all our Society’s conduct and behavior policies, including those prohibiting sexual or other unlawful harassment (for example, bullying).

7. Members who are attorneys, medical clinicians, certified public accountants, or members of other professional groups are bound by the appropriate professional duties and code of conduct of those roles.

8. Members shall comply with all federal, state, and local laws, statutes and ordinances.

9. Members shall not access or use confidential or proprietary information for reasons unrelated to our Society’s business, including in the area of social media.

10. Members shall seek assistance if they have questions about The Code or face ethical dilemmas.

11. Members shall deter wrongdoing and ensure accountability for adherence to The Code.

12. Members shall report violations or suspected violations of The Code.

13. Members shall cooperate with all audits and investigations.

14. Members shall not promise, offer, pay, ask for, or accept anything of value to improperly influence decisions or actions and shall comply with all applicable anti-bribery and anticorruption laws.

15. Members shall comply with all applicable anti-money laundering, anti-terrorist financing, and economic sanction laws. No Member shall have any dealings with any entities, organizations, or individuals that are listed on the Specifically Designated Nationals and Blocked Person List maintained by the Office of Foreign Asset Control, Department of Treasury.

16. No member should falsify, destroy, mutilate, conceal, or fail to make required entries on any record within our Society’s control, including the destruction of documents that are subject of an investigation or a civil or criminal action to which our Society is a party. 

 

1. Each member shall immediately report to our Society’s President or member of the Executive Committee any suspected violations of The Code, any federal, state, or local law, or the attempt to induce a staff member or volunteer to violate The Code or any federal, state, or local law. Failure to report a suspected violation is itself a violation of The Code. If anonymity is requested, our Society will not disclose the identity of the reporting individual except as needed to properly investigate the allegation, or unless legally required to do so.

 

Our Society will establish the protections against retaliatory actions for any reports of actions or suspected actions taken by or within the Society that are illegal, fraudulent, or in violation of any adopted policies adopted by our Society. Members may ensure complete anonymity when reporting a concern by simply not giving their names.

 

2. A member found to be in violation of The Code shall be subject to corrective actions taken by the President or the Executive Committee. Such action may include further training and instruction regarding the provisions of The Code, taking steps to remediate any harm to our Society and fellow members. Each violation will be assessed on an individual basis and the corrective action tailored to the specifics of that violation. When deciding what action is appropriate, consideration will be given to the flagrancy of the violation, the harm caused, whether the violation was intentional or unintentional, whether the member voluntarily disclosed the violation, prior misconduct, the likelihood of future misconduct, the general circumstances surrounding the violation, and other considerations as appropriate.

 

The Code will be provided to each member and to each new member as they join IGS.

 

Dated: January 2024