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INTELLENET-LIMITED
CODE OF ETHICAL STANDARDS AND CONDUCT
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In order for each member of INTELLENET- LIMITED (INTELLENET) to feel secure in the business relationships he or she accepts as a member of the association, a Code of Ethical Standards and Conduct (the code) is required as set forth in the By-laws of INTELLENET. This code and any amendments thereto must be adopted by the vote of two-thirds of the members of the board of directors (the board) and thereafter, published by the association.
Following is the INTELLENET Code of Ethical Standards and Conduct adopted March 19, 1994 and amended April 24, 2002:
I
No member shall transact business affairs in a manner which will bring discredit upon the association or individual members thereof. Conduct and activity inimical to the good order and reputation of INTELLENET is unacceptable and will subject any member so engaged, to termination.
II
No member shall request of another, the undertaking of an assignment which the requesting member knows to be unlawful, immoral or which might hold the assignee up to ridicule. Nor shall the assignor request a potentially dangerous undertaking without notifying the assignee of the possible danger. Nothing in this paragraph shall preclude the members from agreeing to undertake any investigation wherein both (or all) parties to the agreement are fully aware of the possible results as to their reputation and deem it ethical and necessary that the assignment be completed.
III
The scope of a requested investigation shall be agreed upon prior to any undertaking. That agreement shall be considered inviolable and every effort to comply with the request without alteration or supplemental activity, will be expended (specific performance). Billing for unauthorized additions or substitutions is a violation of this section. Necessary alternative actions for the purpose of preserving life, property or evidence needed to complete this assignment, constitute exceptions to this rule. Disputes as to the existence of such a necessity at the time of performance may be submitted for resolution to the arbitration board of the association, through the executive director. See Section X, infra. (Amended 4/24/02)
IV
The charges for an assignment and payment schedule shall be agreed upon prior to any undertaking by the members. In the absence of such an agreement, payment upon receipt of invoice is the accepted schedule. It is expected that all members will extend professional courtesy, as is the case in most professions, by reducing charges and that unforeseen financial reverses suffered by the assignor will be met with adjusted time payments, whenever possible. However, no member shall rely upon these expectations when assigning an investigation but rather will enter all agreements in good faith.
V
A client of an INTELLENET member remains the member's client until that agency releases the client for solicitation by another member. No member shall knowingly solicit the business of another member's client. No contact with the client during the course of an assigned investigation shall be made by an assignee, without the instructions or consent of the assignor, and the assignee shall not discuss charges with or directly bill the client in either case without the express permission of the assignor. No contact subsequent to the assignment for the purpose of soliciting further business from the client shall be made without the knowledge and consent of the assignor. So important is this canon of the code, that proof of violation must result in the immediate dismissal from the association of the offending member. Contact of the assignee by the client shall not be deemed a violation of this section, but it is to the benefit of all, that a courtesy notification of that contact be given to the original assignor.
VI
All assignments accepted shall be conducted in a professional, competent, accurate and timely manner. Such a performance by each member enhances the reputation of all members.
VII
No member of INTELLENET shall initiate or undertake an investigation of another member except as follows: Any member may investigate another member when requested to do so by the established government of a country with a legitimate interest in such an inquiry, after notification to the executive director of INTELLENET of the undertaking or when requested to do so by the executive director of INTELLENET, Any member may request that an investigation of another member be allowed or undertaken following the presentation of justification to the executive director. Such requests will be handled in strict confidence and as set forth in Section X, infra. (Amended 4/24/02). Nothing in this section shall preclude the investigation which may be required prior to final acceptance for membership in INTELLENET.
VIII
It shall be deemed a clear violation of the code for any member to offer disparaging remarks, orally or in writing, concerning the character, professionalism or intelligence of another member. Such remarks are construed as a violation of this section, whether directed to the offended member, to other INTELLENET members, or to the general population. Nothing in this section shall preclude complaints of low standards of ethics, professionalism, investigative knowledge or other offenses forwarded to the executive director or the member being criticized for the purposes of education or correction. The "lively exchange" of conflicting ideas between members shall not be considered a violation of this section. Name calling, however, is non-productive and must not be tolerated.
IX
Membership in INTELLENET is a privilege to an individual, not a right. Any member may be suspended or expelled from the association by the board of directors for unethical or unlawful behavior or for conduct that injures the interest, welfare and character of INTELLENET or violates association by-laws or this code.
X
Disputes between members, which cannot be resolved between them, complaints concerning conduct or other charges of violation of the code should be reported to the Executive Director of the Association (ED). The ED will appoint a “Special Investigator” in each instance, who will review the dispute, complaint or charges and report the findings to the ED. In those instances where further review is required, the matter will be referred to Arbitration Board of the association, which is established and constituted as set forth in ARTICLE V-BOARDS, Section 2. Arbitration Board, of the association by-laws. Although no member of the board of directors (BOD) of this association can be a member of the Arbitration Board, over which the BOD has appellate review when requested, the special investigator may or may not be a member of the BOD. (This section added 4/24/02)
XI
It is not the intention of INTELLENET or the purpose of the code to impose upon the members, strict rules concerning the conduct of each member's business. Further, INTELLENET is not a secret brotherhood and ingenuity, spontaneity and the courage to explore new solutions to investigations problems is encouraged among the members. This code is offered as a guide for all of us, so that our business relationships might be pursued in an atmosphere of mutual trust and understanding and so that clients may deal with each and all of us, secure in the knowledge that we demand high standards of each other and ourselves.
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© 1996 - 2008
INTELLENET
Updated: 5/2008
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