Code of Ethics

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Code of Ethics

1.    Description

Statements concerning behaviours, perceptions, and actions of all members that relate to ethical compliance while acting within all areas of IFMA & SIFMA. This document is a guideline and does not represent the entire breadth of what constitutes good conduct and ethical behaviour.


2.    Purpose

To clearly set expectations so individuals will know how to act ethically at all times. The code is designed to foster trust and mutual respect among those working in IFMA & SIFMA and the facility management profession.


3.    Scope

a. This policy covers all volunteer leaders within IFMA & SIFMA. It also covers individual member’s behaviours when acting in any capacity of IFMA & SIFMA membership. Individuals applying for and being accepted for membership in IFMA & SIFMA expressly agree to abide by the rules and regulations that govern the Association, which include these Code of Ethics statements.

b. Members are expected to comply with any and all similar standards and ethical guidelines that are prescribed by their employer.

c. These statements work in concert with the IFMA Standards of Business Conduct that are focused on the business operation functions within IFMA.

d. Member expulsion from IFMA & SIFMA can only be approved by the relevant Board of Directors.

e. When in doubt, members have the responsibility to seek clarification from IFMA & SIFMA.


4.    Confidentiality

a. IFMA & SIFMA members shall not disclose, directly or indirectly, any confidential information relating to IFMA & SIFMA business, staff, or other IFMA & SIFMA members.

b. IFMA & SIFMA members shall be encouraged to share (within bounds of confidentiality and proprietary) educational and professional development information to the membership.

c. IFMA & SIFMA members shall maintain the highest professional standards and ethical behaviour in their Association relationships. This includes, but is not limited to, the use of mail lists, membership information and membership resources, or any calls, contacts or working relationships outside of IFMA & SIFMA.


5.    Conflicts of Interest

Promptly disclose any known conflict of interest to related parties, and use any reasonable means to resolve such conflicts.


6.    Compliance with laws

a. IFMA & SIFMA members will comply with all civil and criminal laws that may apply to them.

b. IFMA & SIFMA members will not engage in unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, sex, creed, age, disability, national origin, or any other category protected by law in their dealings with fellow IFMA & SIFMA members.


7.     Responsibility to the profession

a. IFMA & SIFMA members shall abide by the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association and shall support the objectives of its strategic plan and show respect in interactions with the interests of the Association.

b. IFMA & SIFMA members shall not engage in professional malfeasance, nor shall they make any misrepresentation concerning professional designations authorized by IFMA & SIFMA, nor shall any member misrepresent their educational qualifications, credentials, or working experience.

c. IFMA & SIFMA members shall treat each other with respect when dealing with matters that could affect their professional reputations. All members shall recognize that the profession will be judged by the conduct of individual members.

d. IFMA & SIFMA members shall use IFMA & SIFMA membership as a means of professional development for themselves and not personal aggrandizement.


8.    Protection of assets

Individuals who oversee Association assets shall apply the best available knowledge and techniques to preserve asset value and integrity.


9.     Fair dealing

a. IFMA & SIFMA members shall endeavour to deal fairly with other members, competitors, vendors, and employees. No member shall take unfair advantage of anyone through manipulation, concealment, misrepresentation or material facts, or any other unfair dealing practice.

b. IFMA & SIFMA members will abide by policies which may restrict or forbid commercial transactions at certain times or certain events (e.g., a meeting at which an entity is the sole or exclusive sponsor of the event, in an educational presentation which forbids commercial references or endorsements).


10.   Reporting of any illegal or unethical behavior

a. IFMA & SIFMA members are responsible to report the actions of individuals or companies considered contrary to the Code of Ethics to IFMA & SIFMA.

b. IFMA & SIFMA shall follow standard procedures for the enforcement of this Code as approved by the IFMA & SIFMA Board of Directors.


11.    Accredited FM Individuals (FMI) & FM Companies (FMC) behavior

a. This section of SIFMA Code of Ethics specifically applies to Accredited FMI & FMC under the SIFMA Accreditation Scheme. Accredited FMI & FMC who may or may not be members of IFMA or SIFMA are expected to comply with any and all similar standards and ethical guidelines that are prescribed in this Code.

b. SIFMA may, at any time and from time to time, make changes to this Code.


11.1   Professional Competence The Accredited FMI & FMC:

a. Shall uphold the dignity, standing and reputation of the profession and to provide services in a manner that is expected and accepted as competent professional practice.

b. Shall comply with all civil and criminal laws that may apply to them.

c. Shall not engage in unlawful discrimination of the basis of race, sex, creed, age, disability, national origin, or any other category protected by law in their dealings with fellow Accredited FMI & FMC

d. Shall act with all reasonable professional care, skill and forethought in managing the building facilities entrusted to them.

e. Shall act, at all times, objectively, with honesty and free of any conflict of interest and not to allow their actions to be unduly influenced by others.

f. Shall use the accreditation as a means of professional development for the FM individual and industry and not personal aggrandizement.

g. Shall exercise due diligence to ensure that there is no contravention of or failure to comply with any written law by any person in the carrying out of any works of which the Accredited FMI & FMC is engaged to carry out FM duties.


11.2  Conduct and Integrity


11.2.1 Fellow Professionals

a. An Accredited FMI & FMC shall not maliciously injure the reputation or practice of another Accredited FMI & FMC. However, if they have evidence that another Accredited FMI & FMC has been guilty of unethical, illegal or unfair practices in violation of this Code, this information should be presented to the Association.

b. An Accredited FMI & FMC shall not maliciously seek to impede, obstruct, disrupt or subvert the normal business operations of another Accredited FMI & FMC.

c. An Accredited FMI & FMC shall not knowingly attempt to supplant another Accredited FMI & FMC, nor shall he intervene or attempt to intervene in or in connection with FM work of any kind which to his knowledge has already been entrusted to another Accredited FMI & FMC.


11.2.2 Public and the Media

a. An Accredited FMI & FMC shall not publicise his/its practice in a manner which:

• Is likely to diminish public confidence in the FM profession or to otherwise bring the profession into disrepute;

• May reasonably be regarded as being misleading, deceptive, inaccurate, false or unbefitting the dignity of the profession.

b. Publicity shall be considered to be misleading, deceptive, inaccurate or false if it:

• Contains a material misrepresentation;

• Omits to state a material fact;

• Contains any information which cannot be verified; or

• Is likely to create an unjustified expectation about the results that can be achieved by an Accredited FMI & FMC.

c. In publicising his practice, an Accredited FMI & FMC shall ensure that:

i. Any claim to expertise or specialisation can be justified with the following factors taken into account:-

• Academic qualification;

• Expertise;

• Facilities;

• Personnel; and

• Capacity to render service.

ii. The publicity does not make any direct or indirect mention of past projects in which, or clients for whom, the Accredited FMI & FMC or any of his/its firm or company had acted where the provisions of such information will involve a breach of confidentiality owned to any client or former client; and

iii. The publicity does not make any comparison or criticism in relation to the quality of the services provided by any other Accredited FM Individual.

d. An Accredited FMI & FMC shall refrain from expressing publicly an opinion on a facilities project unless the Accredited FMI & FMC is informed of the facts relating thereto.


11.2.3 Clients and Employers

a. An Accredited FMI & FMC shall discharge his duties to his employer or client with complete fidelity.

b. An Accredited FMI & FMC shall not accept remuneration for FM services rendered from any person other than his employer or client except with the knowledge an approval of his employer or client.

c. An Accredited FMI shall not, without disclosing the fact to his employer in writing, be a director of or have a substantial financial interest in, or be an agent for, any company, firm, or person carrying on any business which is or may be involved in the work to which his employment relates.

d. An Accredited FMI shall not accept any trade commission, discount, allowance or indirect payment or other consideration in connection with any FM work in which he is engaged.

e. An Accredited FMI & FMC shall not receive, directly or indirectly, any royalty, gratuity or commission in respect of any patented article or process used in or for the purpose of the work in respect of which he is acting as an Accredited FMI & FMC for an employer or client unless and until the receipt of such royalty, gratuity or commission by the Accredited FMI & FMC has been authorised in writing by such employer or client.

f. Subject to the provision in this Code, an Accredited FMI & FMC shall not hold, assume or intentionally accept a position in which his interest is in conflict with his duty to his client or employer.

g. An Accredited FMI & FMC shall not disclose confidential information concerning the business affairs or technical processes of his client or employer without the consent of the client or employer.

h. An Accredited FMI shall not use information which is obtained confidentially in the course of his assignment for the purpose of making personal profit.

i. An Accredited FMI shall not divulge any confidential findings or studies or actions of a facilities commission or board of which he is a member without the consent of the commission or board.

j. An Accredited FMI shall not give advice which does not fully reflect his best judgement.

k. An Accredited FMI shall not canvass or solicit employment or offer to make payment for the introduction of such employment.

l. Accredited FMI & FMC shall not be the medium of any payment made on behalf of his employer or client unless so requested by his employer or client and he, in connection with any work in which he is employed, shall not place any contract or order except with the authority of or on behalf of his employer or client.


11.3  Complaints and Disciplinary Procedure

a. Any person may make a complaint in writing to the Association against an Accredited FMI & FMC in relation to an alleged breach of this Code.

b. The enforcement procedures provided for in this clause shall be binding on all Accredited FMI & FMC who subscribe to this Code.

c. If a complaint is made to the Association or it appears that Accredited FMI & FMC has acted in breach of this Code, the Association, if satisfied that the complaint is made in good faith and is not frivolous or vexatious shall:

i. advise the Accredited FMI & FMC in writing, of the nature of the complaint and request a written response to the allegation/s within 30 days.

ii. advise the Accreditation Disciplinary Committee that an alleged breach of the Code has occurred.

d. Once a case is merited by the Association to warrant further investigation or if the Accredited FMI & FMC fails to respond, or responds in a manner that is considered unsatisfactory, the Accreditation Disciplinary Committee will formally adjudicate on the matter.

e. The Accreditation Disciplinary Committee:

i. shall investigate the complaint, Accredited FMI & FMC and give the complainant the opportunity to be heard during the investigation, if they so decide;

ii. of its own motion or at the request of a party, may in its absolute discretion conduct an oral hearing of a complaint.

iii. shall issue a written recommendation on the complaint to the Association. The decision of the Accreditation Disciplinary Committee shall be by a majority of its members.

iv. shall take any other action necessary as a result of the investigation having regard to the legal rights of all concerned.

f. Sittings of any Accreditation Disciplinary Committee shall be held in private.

g. If the Association, on the Accreditation Disciplinary Committee’s written recommendation, concludes that an Accredited FMI & FMC has been guilty of a breach of this Code, it may:

i. reprimand Accredited FMI & FMC in writing; and/or

ii. require the Accredited FMI & FMC to give a written undertaking to refrain from continuing or repeating the conduct constituting the breach; and/or

iii. revoke the accreditation given to the Accredited FMI & FMC.

h. An Accredited FMI & FMC aggrieved by any decision of the Association may appeal, in writing, to the Accreditation Appeal Committee within one month of such decision. The Accreditation Appeal Committee shall consider the findings and such supporting material as it thinks fit and may:

i. uphold the decision of the Association; or

ii. decide that the Accredited FMI & FMC has not been guilty of a breach of this Code and rescind the decision of the Association; or

iii. decide that the Accredited FMI & FMC has been guilty of the breach of the Code and vary the penalty imposed to another sanction provided for within Clause.

i. The Accreditation Disciplinary Committee, the Accreditation Appeal Committee or the Association shall give the Accredited FMI & FMC concerned the opportunity of stating a defence, either in writing or by personal attendance at a meeting.

j. The Association shall be entitled to publish in its newsletter, on its website, in the general press or other publications, notice of the revocation of the Accredited FMI & FMC’s accreditation, together with details of the reasons for such revocation.