CODE OF ETHICS AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
of the
National Association of Solution Providers and Channel Partners.
Effective January 1, 2013
Every FULL Member (hereafter referred to as Member) of the National Association of Solution Providers and Channel Partners agrees to uphold the Articles and corresponding Standards of the Code of Ethics as a condition of membership. The Preamble to the Code of Ethics is deemed aspirational in nature, and as such, does not impose any specific ethical requirement on Members. Members are, however, strongly encouraged to join in the common purpose of advancing the ideals set forth in the Preamble. Members do formally agree to conduct themselves in strict accordance with all Articles and Standards that follow the Preamble.
By definition, a code is a collection of detailed information pertaining to a particular subject. Ethical principles govern that which is deemed morally appropriate. In a broad sense, morality can be viewed as the standard by which humans judge behaviors as either right or wrong. To properly address the full spectrum between right and wrong, a Code of Ethics must be comprehensive and consist of more than a short list of corporate vision statements or brief statements of policy.
Effective ethical canons elevate individual conduct to levels that exceed the minimum standards for acceptable behavior established under federal, state, municipal, or common law. Nevertheless, it is important to note that any conflict between this Code of Ethics and applicable federal, state or municipal law must be resolved in favor of the law. This shall not be construed to diminish the importance and value of the Code of Ethics, but rather, to foster an appreciation for the role the Code plays in first supporting, and then enhancing standards set forth by a legislature, municipality, or court of law.
Preamble
The evolution of digital technology has dramatically advanced the way in which individuals conduct their personal and professional affairs. From ever-expanding communication pathways, to new business efficiencies and meaningful lifestyle enhancements, the exponents and proponents of modern technology are continually challenged to forge even greater advancements. This creates a confluence of opportunity and responsibility.
Creativity has long been the cornerstone of technological advancement. This creativity actually flourishes in an open marketplace where healthy competition is encouraged. While the quest for profit typically drives competition, ethical behaviors should never be subordinated to this quest. Embracing the importance of free enterprise, Members further understand that no ethical provision or enforcement mechanism can be employed that has an anticompetitive affect on the marketplace.
Appreciating the critical function that new and emerging technologies play in a rapidly evolving society, Members maintain high levels of knowledge, education, skill, and competency relative to their specific field of endeavor. Combined with strong ideals of integrity, responsibility, fairness, honesty, truth, and objectivity, Members set the highest example of professionalism. This example is then ingrained in the culture of each Member’s organization through the exercise of policies and procedures that adhere to these principles.
A larger system of accountability envisions Members remaining alert to the actions of their fellow Members, and to assist them in a deeper understanding of ethical principles through enforcement of the Code. When one Member bears witness to another Member violating the Code, it is recommended that the light of education be cast on the behavior by bringing the alleged violation to the attention of the disciplinary arm of the National Association of Solution Providers and Channel Partners. A violation of the Code of Ethics by one Member is considered to be an offense against all Members. When a consumer has an unfavorable encounter with one Member, the memory of the incident can be projected upon future Members with whom the consumer interacts.
The Code of Ethics strengthens the multiple facets of the technology profession that are served by the National Association of Solution Providers and Channel Partners, builds respect for its Members in the minds of consumers, and creates an environment within which consumers and other Members feel they can safely rely on a Member to fulfill their technology needs. Since Membership is a privilege, not a right, the best way to protect the integrity of the Code is through its vigorous enforcement.
Enforcement of the Code of Ethics is designed to meet two important goals: First, education of the Member who breached the Code; and second, vindication of the Member who was impacted by the violation. Discipline should always be commensurate with the violation and consider its severity, impact on a consumer or Member, and whether it resulted from intentional conduct or true lack of awareness of the Code. Discipline may result in a simple written warning designed to educate the Member or, for more serious or repetitive violations, suspension or termination of membership.
In conclusion, Members strive to set a positive example for both Members and non-Members alike. Perhaps no better example can be demonstrated than that established by the ethics of reciprocity. According to the principle of ethical reciprocity, otherwise known as the Golden Rule, Members seek to treat everyone, regardless of their membership affiliation or lack thereof, in a manner consistent with the level of respect they elect to be afforded. It is from this responsible perspective that Members of the National Association of Solution Providers and Channel Partners uniquely distinguish themselves.
Definitions
For purposes of the Code of Ethics, the following definitions apply to all Articles and Standards:
Member refers to a FULL Member of the National Association of Solution Providers and Channel Partners (unless a distinction is drawn in a particular Article or Standard for a specific purpose).
Principal Member is any Member who is the one person primarily responsible for the control or direction of his or her company or organization.
Business transaction refers to any type of personal, commercial, or professional relationship in which a product and/or service is delivered by a Member to a consumer (offers, solicitations, or attempts to conduct a business transaction shall be treated as if a business transaction has actually been established).
Consumer is anyone with whom a Member conducts or contemplates a business transaction, including, but not limited to, customers and clients (consumer may also refer to any other Member with whom a Member conducts or contemplates a cooperative business transaction).
Deliver refers to the sale, transfer, exchange, trade, and/or provision of a product and/or service.
The controlling authority for all other definitions shall be the current, unabridged edition of Black’s Law Dictionary.
Article 1
When executing any business transaction, Members shall always act in the best interests of the consumer.
Standard 1-1: Act in good faith
The duty that a Member has to act in a consumer’s best interests includes the duty to act in good faith regardless of the nature of the relationship a Member has with the consumer. For purposes of the Code of Ethics, good faith is measured by honesty-in-fact.
Standard 1-2: Place a consumer’s interests above all else
When working with consumers in a business transaction, Members faithfully pledge themselves to always place the best interests of the consumer above all else, and to represent those interests in an earnest manner. A Member shall not intentionally or recklessly engage in any action that diminishes the value, effectiveness, or efficiency of a consumer’s property.
Standard 1-3: Be responsive to consumer’s needs
Recognizing that technology needs may be time-sensitive, Members shall respond in a timely fashion to a consumer’s request to enter into a business transaction. This includes timely acknowledgment that the requested product or service cannot actually be delivered, cannot be delivered at the requested price, or cannot be delivered within the requested time frame. Timely shall be determined by what is considered commercially practicable under the circumstances.
Standard 1-4: Be honest and competent
Members shall deliver products and services to consumers in a manner that is honest and consistent with recognized industry standards of competence. Members shall not engage in exaggeration, nor shall Members take advantage of a consumer’s lack of knowledge, sophistication, or experience.
Standard 1-5: Disclose conflicts of interest
Unless stated otherwise in another Article or Standard, all actual and perceived conflicts of interest between Members and consumers of which the Member is reasonably aware, shall be disclosed as soon as practicable, but at no time later than the actual delivery of products, services, or advice pursuant to a business transaction.
Standard 1-6: Disclosure of security risks
When it comes to the attention of a Member that a business transaction with a consumer involves an actual or potential data security issue, the Member shall review standard security protocols for addressing the risk with the consumer. A Member shall not provide advice pertaining to such security issue unless the Member is qualified to do so or adequately researches the issue. If a consumer wishes to seek the advice of a third-party security consultant, the Member shall provide a reasonable time to do so before fulfilling a business transaction.
Standard 1-7: Data backup disclosure
When it comes to the attention of a Member that a business transaction with a consumer involves a need for data backup, storage, and/or recovery, the Member shall review standard protocols for addressing the issue with the consumer. A Member shall not provide advice pertaining to the need unless the Member is qualified to do so or adequately researches the need. If the Member assists the consumer by creating a backup and recovery solution, the solution shall be demonstrated for the consumer, and written instructions provided, prior to the end of the business transaction.
Standard 1-8: Code of Ethics applies to all Member activities
All duties set forth in the Code of Ethics, including the duty to act in good faith, apply any time a Member holds him or herself out to the public as a Member. This duty continues even in circumstances when a Member is acting in the capacity of a consumer.
Standard 1-9: All forms of business transactions are covered by the Code
The Code of Ethics applies to all Member business transactions regardless whether the product or service is delivered personally, by proxy, electronically, or by any other commercially recognized means.
Standard 1-10: Do no intentional harm
Members shall not knowingly enter into a business transaction or engage in an activity, the design or outcome of which, negatively affects the health, safety, or welfare of any person, entity, organization, or the environment.
Standard 1-11: Members abide by all laws
In addition to the Articles and Standards of this Code of Ethics, Members shall abide by all federal, state, and local laws and ordinances relating to their business practices.
Article 2
Proposals, quotations, and bids for products and services which are provided to consumers by Members shall be accurate, clear, and fully disclose all fees and terms. All material facts, findings, professional opinions, and estimates resulting from diagnostic services shall be fully disclosed in any resulting proposal, quotation, bid, or report. For purposes of Article 2, proposals, quotations, and bids shall be referred to as “submissions.”
Standard 2-1: Diagnostic services must be competent
When providing any professional advice or opinion for the purpose of diagnosing needs, problems and/or solutions, or recommending products or services of any kind, Members shall provide competent expert information to a consumer which is accurate, complete, and objective. To the extent possible, all such advice must be clear and understandable. This provision applies equally to the preparation of submissions.
Standard 2-2: Do not deceive to induce business
A Member shall not deliberately mislead a consumer for the purpose of inducing a business transaction. Accordingly, a Member shall not provide deceptive information or advice pertaining to product or service needs of a consumer, whether it is provided verbally or via written submissions.
Standard 2-3: Make written and timely submissions
All submissions which are intended to serve as the basis for a business transaction shall be provided in written form and within the time frame promised by the Member or reasonable deadline established by the consumer.
Standard 2-4: Clearly state and honor fees
All fees for the products and/or services offered by Members shall be clearly stated in submissions and honored. If a fee cannot be provided because a submission depends, in part or in whole, on diagnostics that cannot be reasonably provided at the time of the request, a Member shall disclose this fact to the consumer. In such case, the Member shall not seek or obtain a contractual commitment from the consumer until such time as a fee can reasonably be determined and provided to the consumer.
Standard 2-5: Submissions may include price variance
Standard 2-4 does not prevent a Member from entering into a contract for products and services that includes a provision for a reasonable price variance within a stated percentage of a submission.
Standard 2-6: Submissions may be mutually modified
Standard 2-4 does not prevent a Member and a consumer from entering into a mutual agreement to change a submission or contract fee based upon unforseen or unexpected circumstances that arise.
Standard 2-7: Submissions must be complete
In addition to the requirements set forth in other Standards, submissions shall include: The name and contact information of both the consumer requesting the submission and the Member who provides it; Sufficient identification of the products or services to be delivered; Service pledges, warranties, and return policies, if offered; A recitation of any applicable limitations, exclusions, or conditions pertaining to the submission and resulting contract; and, The estimated time to complete the business transaction. In the case of business transaction involving the service, repair, or purchase of an item to be retrofit, a submission shall include a sufficient identification of any property given to a Member by a consumer to fulfill the business transaction.
Standard 2-8: Submissions may depend on onsite analysis
If a submission is dependent on an onsite analysis, the consumer shall be immediately informed of such fact. The customer shall also be informed if the Member intends to assess a diagnostic, consulting, or travel charge for the onsite analysis, regardless of whether or not said charge is to be applied to the total business transaction fee due in the event the submission is accepted.
Standard 2-9: Disclose if submission cannot be fulfilled
If, at any time during the preparation of a submission, a Member determines that he or she is unable to fulfill a consumer’s needs in a timely fashion, or cannot provide a submission for any reason, the Member shall promptly inform the consumer of such fact. This is designed to properly assist a consumer whose needs for products or services are time-sensitive, and to prevent unnecessary losses that may result from an intentional or neglectful delay in providing a requested submission.
Standard 2-10: Disclose submission deviations
If, during the actual provision of products and/or services pursuant to a submission, additional products or services not specified in the submission are deemed necessary to complete the business transaction, a Member shall timely communicate the change, addition, or deviation to the consumer and shall not undertake to provide such change, addition, or deviation without proper authorization from the consumer.
Standard 2-11: Release from obligation to fulfill submission
A Member may be released from the obligation to fulfill the price and terms quoted in a submission if unforseen circumstances arise that reasonably make the fulfillment practically or financially impossible, the consumer is notified as soon as practicable, and the Member has not contributed to the circumstances in order to avoid the business transaction or take unfair advantage of the consumer. In the event that a legally enforceable contract has been entered into between a Member and a consumer, the terms of the contract shall control the rights of the parties.
Standard 2-12: Standards apply to cross-member submissions
The Standards set forth in Article 2 apply to submissions provided by Members to other Members who are working cooperatively on a business transaction that either Member has with a consumer.
Standard 2-13: Fees and terms are always negotiable
The National Association of Solution Providers and Channel Partners does not establish, recommend, or suggest any pricing or term components that Members use when negotiating business transactions or other contractual relationships. The fee that any Member charges consumers, and the contractual terms under which he or she is willing to conduct a business transaction, are always negotiable between the parties to the agreement. Members shall meticulously avoid any discussion of price, terms, or business practices with other Members that could pose an antitrust violation.
Standard 2-14: May exercise independent business judgment
Standard 2-13 does not prevent an individual Member, in the appropriate exercise of independent business judgement, from establishing his or her own individual price and terms threshold for the products and services he or she makes available to consumers.
Article 3
Members shall not undertake to deliver specialized products, or provide specialized services outside of their field of professional knowledge, experience, or competence without either disclosing such fact to a consumer or engaging the assistance of a third party who is so knowledgeable, experienced, or competent.
Standard 3-1: Abide by limits on specialized services
When a Member intends to engage the services of a third party expert pursuant to Article 3, he or she must disclose such fact to a consumer prior to the execution of a business transaction.
Standard 3-2: Disclose contribution of outside experts
If a Member engages a third party expert who is solely responsible for any warranty or call-back servicing resulting from the provision of specialized products or services, such fact shall be disclosed to the consumer along with the identity and contact information of the third party expert. The disclosures required in this Standard do not apply if the Member is fully responsible for the contribution of the third party, including resulting warranty or call-back servicing.
Article 4
Subject to the Standards set forth in this Article, Members may provide services which are strictly consultative in nature.
Standard 4-1: Deliver consultative services objectively
A Member who is hired, for a fee, to provide services which are strictly consultative in nature shall deliver such services in an objective manner.
Standard 4-2: Consultative fees must be independent of advice
Where possible, the fee assessed by a Member who has been hired to provide strictly consultative services shall be determined by a formula which is independent of the advice or consultation provided. For example, a consultative fee should not be based on the value of products or services which are recommended.
Standard 4-3: Disclose personal benefits
If a Member who provides consultative services benefits from the advice or consultation provided, in any way other than the consultation fee charged, he or she shall fully disclose the existence of such benefit to the consumer, in writing, including all details of the actual or potential benefit to be derived by the Member.
Article 5
Unless stated otherwise in a specific Standard, Members shall treat the information, data, and intellectual property of a consumer as proprietary to the consumer and confidential.
Standard 5-1: Protect data from unauthorized access
The data of a consumer that comes into a Member’s possession during the course of an actual or anticipated business transaction shall be treated as confidential, unless the consumer acknowledges to a Member, in writing, that the information is not to be treated as such. A Member shall ensure that a consumer’s data is accessible only to those who have been authorized.
Standard 5-2: Confidentiality survives a business transaction
The duty to preserve confidential data continues after the consummation or termination of a business transaction unless the consumer releases the Member, the Member is ordered by a court to divulge the data, or the Member reasonably believes that disclosure to a law enforcement agency is necessary to prevent or halt the commission of a crime.
Standard 5-3: Do not copy or transmit data without consent
A Member shall not copy, reproduce, store, and/or transmit in any form or by any means whatsoever (including but not limited to electronic storage and retrieval systems, photocopy, facsimile, or recording) the data of a consumer without obtaining the consumer’s prior written consent. Consent must be secured prior to the commencement of a business transaction, or as soon as it comes to the attention of the Member that he or she should copy, reproduce, store, and/or transmit a consumer’s data for purposes of protecting or safeguarding it.
Standard 5-4: Delete data upon termination
Upon completion of a business transaction and restoration of a consumer’s data to its proper location, all secondary copied and/or stored data by the Member shall be completely, securely, and permanently deleted, and the consumer shall be provided with a written confirmation of its deletion. This provision pertaining to deletion does not apply to a relationship in which a consumer requests that data be copied and/or stored pursuant to a data backup and recovery (or similar) service.
Standard 5-5: Use remanufactured materials only with consent
A Member shall disclose to a consumer if remanufactured or refurbished parts, materials, or equipment will be used in connection with the fulfillment of a business transaction in lieu of new parts, materials, or equipment. No Member shall switch, trade, or swap the property, or any portion thereof, of one customer for that of another or the Member without fully disclosing such fact and seeking prior written permission from all parties concerned.
Standard 5-6: Honor the intellectual property rights of others
Members shall treat the intellectual property of others in accordance with the appropriate laws governing copyrights, trademarks, service marks, and patents. Included in this Standard is the full and faithful observance by Members of all software copyrights, licensing agreements, authorized distribution terms, and certificates of authenticity. A Member shall not knowingly acquire, copy, distribute, or use the following in an unauthorized manner: Academic software; Beta software; Counterfeit and other illegally-produced software; Evaluation and Not for Resale software; Multiple license software; OEM software; Promotional software; and Upgrade software. A Member shall not act as a contributory infringer by assisting another in violating a copyright. Nor shall a Member contribute, facilitate, or aid another in any violation of a right protected by this Standard.
Article 6
A Member, in the course of a business transaction with a consumer, shall disclose to the consumer all material facts pertaining to the business transaction.
Standard 6-1: Definition of “material”
A fact is deemed material if its disclosure would impact the decision of a reasonable consumer who is acting under like or similar circumstances to enter into a business transaction with a Member, or the price and terms the consumer may be willing to accept (or as may otherwise be defined by state law).
Standard 6-2: No duty to discover latent facts
Members shall not be obligated to disclose latent facts or facts not reasonably discoverable in the exercise of ordinary prudence by an individual with expertise in the specific field in which the Member conducts his or her business.
Standard 6-3: Nonmaterial facts not subject to disclosure
Facts which are considered to be “not material” under state law are not subject to the disclosure requirements of Article 6.
Article 7
When advertising or making representations of any kind, whether electronic or otherwise, Members must always depict themselves, their products, and their services accurately and with current information, whether such advertising or representations are targeted to consumers, other Members, or the public. Members shall not engage in any form of false or deceptive advertising.
Standard 7-1: Qualifying representations
For purposes of this Article, representations include information about a Member’s products, services, capabilities, expertise, resources, or professional experience whether expressed in advertising, online directories and information resources, auctions, classified advertising sites, blogs, social networking sites, or on resumes.
Standard 7-2: Advertising may be appropriately modified
Standard 7-1 does not prevent a Member from modifying his or her advertising or marketing program as warranted by business need or the cost of conducting business. However, once a submission is provided to a consumer based upon advertised terms, a Member shall honor the price and terms quoted in the submission (subject to the requirements of Article 2).
Standard 7-3: Details of special offers must be disclosed
A Member may employ the terms “free,” “discount,” “no charge,” or “rebate,” or any similar term in his or her advertising or representations providing that all associated terms and conditions are clearly noted in the advertisement or disclosed in the representation.
Standard 7-4: Accurately represent professional certifications and designations
Members shall only use or display those professional certifications and designations to which they are rightfully entitled. Rightful entitlement is measured by the rules of the credentialing organization or individual who officially confers the professional certification or designation. Only FULL Members of the National Association of Solution Providers and Channel Partners who are in good standing may use the Designated Solution Pro (DSP) membership mark and shall not attempt to sublicense the designation or authorize any other person to use it regardless of that person’s employment affiliation with the Member.
Standard 7-5: Use of personal information from business transaction
A Member shall not sell, transfer, or share personal information pertaining to a consumer which is gathered in the course of a business transaction, with any other person or entity, without first disclosing such fact and obtaining the prior written consent of the consumer. This Standard shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with the requirements of Article 5 pertaining to the confidential data of a consumer.
Standard 7-6: Use of personal information from Internet
Members who gather, collect, or otherwise harvest personal information pertaining to an actual or prospective consumer via the Internet, with the intent to sell or otherwise share the information with third parties, shall conspicuously disclose this fact to consumers on the Member’s website.
Standard 7-7: Appropriate use of Association database
Members shall not target consumers listed on any database or in any compilation maintained by the National Association of Solution Providers and Channel Partners for the purposes of soliciting business of any type (unless a particular database or compilation is openly maintained for the express purpose of consumers soliciting business from Members).
Standard 7-8: Application to Internet practices
Members shall not use deceptive URL’s, domain names, or practices, including but not limited to acts of cybersquatting, domain parking, and typosquatting, that present less than an accurate depiction of the Member or his or her business practices.
Standard 7-9: Application to Internet fraud
Members shall not use the Internet to engage in any representation, omission, or practice that is designed to, or is likely to, mislead or deceive a consumer. This prohibition includes acts such as phishing, pharming, spoofing attacks, spam, DNS cache poisoning, hacking, as well as identify theft fraud, credit card fraud, and Internet auction fraud.
Article 8
Members shall not enter into or fulfill a business transaction in any manner that violates, compromises, or abridges the civil rights of another person. Additionally, Members shall not discriminate in their employment practices.
Standard 8-1: Do not deny equal professional service
A Member shall not deny equal professional services to any person or entity for reasons of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, familial status, or disability. This list of protected classifications is deemed expanded in accordance with applicable state law or municipal code.
Standard 8-2: Meaning of “employment practices”
The term “employment practices,” as used in Article 8, refers to employees, independent contractors, and laborers of any type, without regard to the capacity in which the employed individual is hired, the length of time so employed, or the job description of the hired individual.
Article 9
Members agree to fully cooperate in any ethics investigation or hearing, and to do so in a manner that furthers the principles of the Code of Ethics. Principal Members agree to submit all contractually-based business disputes to alternative dispute resolution (ADR) rather than litigate, and to participate in ADR with consumers who invoke it, agree to participate in the process, and abide by its outcome. However, if litigation has been initiated, no complaint involving an ethics violation or request for ADR shall be considered.
Standard 9-1: Participate in ethics investigations and hearings
In the event a written allegation of unethical practices is properly filed, whether by a consumer or another Member, the Member against whom the allegation has been lodged shall participate in any investigative or hearing process by providing a full and accurate accounting of all appropriate facts. This Standard also applies to a Member who is asked to participate in an investigation or hearing involving another Member who is charged with an unethical practice.
Standard 9-2: Do not obstruct the process
A Member shall take no action that obstructs or impedes an ethics investigation or hearing, including filing or threatening to file a legal action in an attempt to quash a hearing or intimidate a person from filing, continuing, or testifying in a hearing. This Standard applies equally to other forms of ADR.
Standard 9-3: No unauthorized disclosure of process
A Member who initiates, responds to, or in any way participates in an ethics hearing shall refrain from making unauthorized disclosures of information pertaining to allegations, investigations, the hearing, findings, or decisions. This Standard applies equally to other forms of ADR.
Standard 9-4: Use ADR for qualifying business disputes
If a contractually-based dispute arises between Members of different companies, who are also the principals of their respective companies, over a business transaction, the Members agree to submit the dispute to mediation. In the event that the mediation process fails to result in a mutually agreeable and executed settlement, the Members shall submit the dispute to binding arbitration for a final resolution.
Standard 9-5: ADR may be superceded or mutually waived
Standard 9-4 is deemed subject to and superceded by any existing and legally-enforceable contract between Members (who are the principles of their respective companies) that governs the same issue. The duty to submit a contractually-based dispute over a business transaction to mediation or arbitration pursuant to Standard 9-4 may be subsequently waived if both Members agree, in writing, to waive it. This waiver provision does not apply to an ethics hearing.
Standard 9-6: Member must participate with consumer
If a contractually-based dispute arises between a customer and a Member (who is the principle of his or her company) over a business transaction, and the customer wishes to invoke mediation, the Member shall participate. In the event that the mediation process fails to result in a mutually agreeable and executed settlement, and the customer wishes to invoke arbitration and agrees to be bound by the decision, the Member shall participate in the arbitration. Standard 9-6 is deemed subject to and superceded by any existing and legally-enforceable contract between the consumer and Member that governs the same issue.
Standard 9-6: Form for submission of ethics complaint
An alleged violation of the Code of Ethics must be expressed in terms of one or more specific Articles, along with the specific supporting Standard or Standards alleged to have been violated, if applicable.
Article 10
Member shall not intentionally, or with willful disregard for the outcome, engage in any practice designed to take advantage of another Member in a way that is deceptive or inconsistent with an exclusive contractual relationship that the other Member has with a consumer.
Standard 10-1: Do not disparage the business of other Members
Members shall not intentionally, or with willful disregard for truth or validity, make false or misleading statements about other Members, their businesses, or business practices. This Standard applies to all forms of utterance, written statement, or Internet posting. This Standard does not prevent a Member from engaging in comparative advertising that is factually-based, true, and not actually deceptive or misleading.
Standard 10-2: Business reviews must be honest and not for purposes of deception
Members shall only post business reviews that are honest, factually accurate, and based upon actual experience with another Member’s business. A Member shall not post a review for the sole purpose of casting an artificially negative or positive light on any Member’s business. This Standard shall not be interpreted to prevent a Member who is a consumer of another Member from posting a review which is honest, factually accurate, and based upon actual experience.
Standard 10-3: Give best efforts when cooperating with other Members
When a Member engages the services of another Member to cooperatively assist in the fulfillment of a business transaction with a consumer, the cooperating Member shall give his or her best efforts and participate in a full and honest manner with the engaging Member.
Standard 10-4: Respect the exclusive, contractual relationships of other Members
When a Member engages the services of another Member to cooperatively assist in the fulfillment of a business transaction with a consumer that is contractual and exclusive to the engaging Member, the cooperating Member shall not take any action or employ any practice that is inconsistent with the terms of the exclusive contract that the engaging Member has with the consumer.
This Standard does not prevent a Member from: (1) Contacting a consumer with whom another Member has an exclusive, contractual relationship in order to offer different products or services not currently offered or provided by the other Member; (2) Contacting a consumer with whom another Member has a nonexclusive relationship to offer any type of product or service; or (3) Discussing a future or different type of business transaction with a consumer with whom another Member has an exclusive, contractual relationship, providing the consumer contacted the Member and the Member did not directly or indirectly initiate or induce the contact.
Further, this Standard does not prevent an engaging Member from entering into a written agreement with a cooperating Member to provide products or services on a cooperative basis in which the cooperating Member agrees not to work directly with a specified consumer for a reasonable period of time (providing such agreement is otherwise legal in the jurisdiction in which it is created).
Standard 10-5: Affiliate Member shall not induce cancellation of contracts
In the event that an affiliated Member’s employment relationship with his or her employing Principal Member is terminated by either party, for any purpose, the affiliated Member shall not encourage or induce customers of the employing Principal Member to cancel their contractual relationships with the employing Principal Member while the affiliated Member is still employed. This Standard is deemed subject to and superceded by any legally enforceable employment contract, provision, or agreement between the employing Member and the Associate Member that governs the same issue.
Standard 10-6: Limitations on application of Code
No Article or Standard shall be interpreted as: (1) Prohibiting good faith disagreements over otherwise ethical practices; (2) Prohibiting Members from engaging in competitive, aggressive, or innovative practices which are otherwise ethical; (3) Prohibiting Members from engaging in any marketing, advertising, or business solicitation practice which is otherwise ethical; or, (4) Prohibiting Members from negotiating or entering into any form of business relationship with a consumer which is otherwise legal and ethical.
The Code of Ethics was first adopted by the National Association of Solution Providers and Channel Partners in 2012.
Note
The Articles and supporting Standards are subject to periodic additions, deletions, and modifications. Members are, therefore, strongly recommended to stay abreast of and observe the most current version of the Code. In the event of an alleged violation of the Code, the version in existence at the time the act or business transaction giving rise to the alleged violation transpired shall be used in any subsequent hearing.