Members should make every endeavour to ensure that they conduct their business affairs in a professional manner and avoid behaviour that could bring the OxIT Cluster or its membership into disrepute.

Members should conduct their business affairs on sound, ethical principles and make every endeavour to trade fairly and honestly with employees, clients and suppliers.

Members may not under any circumstances purport to represent, speak on behalf of or otherwise act as a representative of the OxIT Cluster.

Members should strive to achieve their professional goals by continuing educational and training, seminars, conventions, etc., and striving for excellence through professional improvement.

Understand that being an OxIT Cluster member is a privilege and not abiding by this Code of Conduct or the Membership Rules is cause for termination or suspension of membership and all rights to use logos and OxIT Cluster's name cease.

All OxIT Cluster members' websites must be family safe websites. No exceptions will be made to this rule under any circumstances.

What we will do

The OxIT Cluster will provide a forum for IT professionals to interact and raise the level of excellence of their fields.

The OxIT Cluster will defend the interests of its members when dealing with the Government or other agencies, both in the UK and worldwide.

Ensure the privacy of members by not selling or distributing their names, emails, or addresses.

Fundamental OxIT Cluster Priniciples

Integrity

• Honest and responsible regard for the public interest
• Checking the reliability and accuracy of information before dissemination
• Never knowingly misleading clients, employers, employees, colleagues and fellow professionals about the nature of representation or what can be competently delivered and achieved
• Supporting the OxIT Cluster Principles by bringing to the attention of the OxIT Cluster examples of malpractice and unprofessional conduct.

Competence

• Being aware of the limitations of professional competence, without limiting realistic scope for development, being willing to accept or delegate only that work for which practitioners are suitably skilled and experienced
• Where appropriate, collaborating on projects to ensure the necessary skill base

Transparency and conflicts of interest

• Disclosing to employers, clients or potential clients any financial interest in a supplier being recommended or engaged
• Declaring conflicts of interest (or circumstances which may give rise to them) in writing to clients, potential clients and employers as soon as they arise
• Ensuring that services provided are costed and accounted for in a manner that conforms to accepted business practice and ethics

Confidentiality

• Safeguarding the confidences of present and former clients and employers
• Being careful to avoid using confidential and insider information to the disadvantage or prejudice of clients and employers, or to self-advantage of any kind
• Not disclosing confidential information unless specific permission has been granted or the public interest is at stake or if required by law

Complaints regarding breaches of the [Code of Conduct] by those in membership of the OxIT Cluster must be made to OxIT Cluster.

Membership may be withdrawn, or other disciplinary action taken, if, on investigation of a complaint, it is found that in the opinion of the professional body, any part of the member's work or behaviour breaches this Code of Conduct.

Members must make available the necessary information as and when requested by the Professional Standards Committee and Disciplinary Committee in the course of an enquiry.

Membership may be withdrawn, or other disciplinary action taken, if a member is deemed guilty of unprofessional conduct.

This is defined as a member:

• being guilty of any act or conduct which in the opinion of a body appointed by OxIT might bring discredit on the profession, the professional body or its members
• being guilty of any breach of the [Code of Conduct] set out in this document
• knowingly being in breach of any other regulations laid down from time to time by the OxIT Board
• failing without good reason to assist the committee in the investigation of a complaint
• having a receiving order made against him/her or making any arrangement or composition with his/her creditors
• being found to be in breach of the Data Protection Act by the Data Protection Registrar

No member will have his/her membership withdrawn, demoted or suspended under this Code, without an opportunity of a hearing before a tribunal, of which s/he will have at least one month's notice.

Normally, the OxIT Cluster will publish the names of members who have their membership withdrawn, demoted or are suspended or have other disciplinary action taken with the reasons for the decision.

If a member subject to complaint resigns his/her membership of the Society whilst the case is unresolved, then such resignation shall be published and in the event of the re-admission to membership the member shall be required to co-operate in the completion of any outstanding disciplinary process.

As the Internet is always in a state of change, these 'Membership Rules' also will periodically change to meet the needs of our members and our industry. These 'Membership Rules' were developed by the Board of Directors in July 2004.