Code of ethics

I. Personal and Professional Integrity

All staff, board members and volunteers of the organization act with honesty, integrity and transparency in all their dealings with each other and as representatives of the organization. The organization promotes a working environment that values respect, fairness, integrity and collaboration.

II. Support of Mission

The organization has a clearly stated mission and purpose, approved by the board of directors, in pursuit of the public good. All of its programs support that mission and all who work for or on behalf of the organization understand and are loyal to that mission and purpose. The mission is responsive to the constituency and communities served by the organization and are of value to the society at large.

III. Governance and Accountability

The organization has an active board of directors that is responsible for setting the mission and strategic direction of the organization and oversight of the finances, operations, and policies of the organization. The board of directors:

▪ Exercises reasonable care, good faith, loyalty and due diligence in organizational affairs;▪ Has a conflict of interest policy that ensures that any conflicts of interest or the appearance thereof are avoided or appropriately managed for the protection and benefit of the organization; ▪ Ensures that the organization conducts all transactions and dealings with integrity and honesty;▪ Ensures that the organization promotes working relationships with board members, staff, volunteers, and program beneficiaries that are based on mutual respect, fairness and openness; ▪ Ensures that the organization is fair and inclusive in its hiring and promotion policies and practices for all board, staff and volunteer positions; ▪ Ensures that the resources of the organization are responsibly and prudently managed; and, ▪ Ensures that the organization has the capacity to carry out its programs effectively. 

IV. Legal Compliance

The organization is knowledgeable of and complies with all applicable laws, regulations and international conventions.

V. Financial Stewardship 

The organization manages its funds responsibly and prudently. This includes the following considerations: It spends a reasonable percentage of its annual budget on programs in pursuit of its mission; ▪ It spends an adequate amount on administrative expenses to ensure effective accounting systems, internal controls, competent staff, and other expenditures critical to professional management; ▪ It compensates staff, and any others who may receive compensation, reasonably and appropriately; ▪ It has reasonable fundraising costs, recognizing the variety of factors that affect such costs; ▪ It ensures that all spending practices and policies are fair, reasonable and appropriate to fulfill the mission of the organization; and, ▪ It ensures that financial reports are complete and accurate in all material respects.   

VI. Transparency and Disclosure The organization provides comprehensive and timely information to the public and all stakeholders and is responsive in a timely manner to reasonable requests for information. All information about the organization will fully and honestly reflect the policies and practices of the organization. Basic informational data about the organization, such as the Form 990, reviews and compilations, and audited financial statements will be posted on the organization’s website or otherwise made available to the public. All financial, organizational, and program reports will be complete and accurate in all material respects.   

VII. Program Evaluation The organization regularly reviews program effectiveness and has mechanisms to incorporate lessons learned into future programs. The organization is committed to improving program and organizational effectiveness and develops mechanisms to promote learning from its activities in the field. The organization is responsive to changes in its field of activity and is responsive to the needs of its constituencies.   

VIII. Inclusiveness and Diversity The organization has a policy of promoting inclusiveness and diversity in its staff, board and volunteers in order to enrich its programmatic effectiveness. The organization takes meaningful steps to promote inclusiveness and diversity in its hiring, retention, promotion, board recruitment and constituencies served.   

IX. Fundraising In raising funds from the public, organizations will respect the rights of donors, as follows: ▪ To be informed of the mission of the organization, the way the resources will be used and its capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes; ▪ To be informed of the identity of those serving on the organization’s board of directors and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities; ▪ To have access to the organization’s most recent financial reports; ▪ To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given; ▪ To receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition; ▪ To be assured that information about their donations is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by the law; ▪ To expect that all interactions with individuals representing the organization will be professional in nature; ▪ To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that the organization may intend to share; and ▪ To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers.