Those who choose to serve Maine Swimming Inc. whether as volunteers or paid professionals, are held to a high standard of conduct. Those who serve must do so without personal gain in order to avoid any institutional loss or embarrassment and to behave in such a way that the organization’s trust and public confidence are enhanced. It is important to avoid any real or perceived conflict of interest.
While no set of guidelines can completely define acceptable behavior, the principles that guide behavior in this area, are disclosure, non-participation in the decision making process where personal or family gain is a possibility, and a commitment to honor the confidentiality of organizational information. All conduct is founded on the individual’s own sense of integrity. Any individual accepting the honor of serving Maine Swimming must accept the burdens of public disclosure and public scrutiny.
The following guidelines reflect Maine Swimming’s minimum expectations of people signing this agreement. These items cannot and do not completely define what is acceptable. Each individual must find his own internal sense of fairness, honesty and integrity within the scope of this guidance.
1. A good faith effort must be exercised by those signing this statement to conduct the business of Maine Swimming in observance of both the spirit and letter of applicable federal and state laws.
2. In the event that any office, or member of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee, or any other Committee has a financial interest in any contract or transaction involving the LSC, such individual shall not participate in the LSC’s evaluation or approval of such contract or transaction unless the material facts of the relationship or interest are disclosed to the Directors or Committee, and the conflict of interest is waived by same.
3. Maine Swimming properties, services, opportunities, authority and influence are not to be used for personal benefit.
4. Gifts, cash, travel, hotel accommodations, entertainment, or favors are neither to be given (except with full approval of the Board of Directors) nor received, except those of nominal value exchanged in the normal course of business. Gifts and favors of more than one hundred dollars ($100.00) value should not ordinarily be accepted. If circumstances render it awkward to refuse such a gift, the donor should be thanked and told the gift is being accepted on behalf of, and will be delivered to, Maine Swimming.
5. All are expected to exhibit honesty, loyalty, candor and professional competence in their relationships with Maine Swimming and with each other.
6. Each individual has the responsibility to maintain the confidentiality of the organization. This includes both proprietary and sensitive information.
7. Each Officer, member of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee, other Committees and each key employee or contractor of Maine Swimming, will execute a Statement of Principles on Ethical Behavior and Conflict of Interest each year.
8. Any member of the Board, any Committee, Staff, and certain Consultants shall refrain from obtaining any list of clients for personal or private solicitation purposes, at any time during the term of their affiliation.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT AND UNDERSTANDING
I acknowledge receipt and understanding of Maine Swimming’s Statement of Principles on Ethical Behavior and Conflict of Interest, and I pledge my full support of the spirit and the letter of the requirements contained therein.