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The mission of our United Way is to unite people and resources in building a stronger and healthier community.
To accomplish this mission through all the work we do, our organization is focused on these goals.
· Public Awareness
To create an understanding of human service opportunities to prevent problems, develop solutions and meet needs.
· Volunteer Leadership
To provide diverse voluntary leadership with a focus on the benefits achieved through a united volunteer effort.
· Resource Development
To conduct a united community-wide fundraising campaign and to influence the social service investments of others
· Human Services
To promote a system of effective human services, directing funds to areas of greatest opportunity for measurable results and positive community impact.
United Way of Greater Chattanooga values highly its partnership with its member/partner agencies. United Way of Greater Chattanooga offers support to programs they deliver and, through United Way of Greater Chattanooga’s focused funding, strives to create a vision and direction that will generate leadership.
United Way of Greater Chattanooga employees set an example for the entire community, specifically for other non-profit organizations, by their performance, professionalism, volunteer activities, and ethical conduct. Our continued success depends upon ethical conduct.
United Way of Greater Chattanooga promotes professional excellence and, in effort to create an atmosphere conducive to personal growth and career development, encourages open and honest communication.
The Code of Ethics policy of United Way of Greater Chattanooga is based on its fundamental values: Care, Service, Leadership, and Stewardship. It is the intent of this Code to guide the conduct of all employees, volunteers and representatives of United Way of Greater Chattanooga.
CARE
The United Way of Greater Chattanooga has a rich history of people helping people. Our decades in fund raising, resource support and community involvement serve as a model for other communities. Our image must remain positive and strong for us to fulfill our mission of caring and community-minded service. The actions of our employees and volunteers must demonstrate this positive image.
SERVICE
United Way of Greater Chattanooga must continue to define and develop the standard for excellence in community service. It must continue to be a catalyst for highly valued programs and services to all who need them with a balance for quality, service and cost.
A personal commitment to integrity in all services is to be provided by each individual, as well as each funded organization.
Personal Integrity
United Way of Greater Chattanooga employees and volunteers are expected to:
· Ensure fairness and objectivity in all activities
· Set an example for high standards of professionalism
· Respect and seek out the truth and avoid misrepresentation
Organizational Integrity
The vitality of our community depends upon strong, effective and competently managed agencies working toward building a stronger and healthier community. Agencies must strive to encourage and strengthen citizen concern, initiative, and participation in all aspects of their programs. Agencies must abide by the ethical methods of publicity, promotion and solicitation of funds consistent with each organization’s mission.
Conflict of Interest
The standard of behavior at the United Way of Greater Chattanooga is that all staff, volunteers, and board member scrupulously avoid any conflict of interest between the interest of the United Way of Greater Chattanooga on one hand, and personal, professional, and business interest on the other. This includes avoiding actual conflicts of interest as well as perceptions of conflicts of interest.
The purpose of this policy is: to protect the integrity of the United Way of Greater Chattanooga’s decision-making process, to enable United Way’s constituencies to have confidence in United Way’s integrity, and to protect the integrity and reputation of volunteers, staff and board members.
Upon or before election, hiring or appointment, staff and/or volunteers will make written disclosure of interest, relationships, and holdings that could potentially result in a conflict of interest. This written disclosure will be kept on file and staff and/or volunteers updated it as appropriate.
In the course of meetings or activities, staff and volunteers will disclose any interest in a transaction or decision (including business or other nonprofit affiliation), family and/or significant others, employers, or close associates will receive a benefit or gain. After disclosure, staff and/or volunteers will not be permitted to vote on the question.
No employee shall take outside paid employment or participate in any activity which could be construed as a conflict of interest with the goals and objectives of United Way of Greater Chattanooga or affect the employee’s job performance during the standard work period. Prior to engaging in such outside employment, the employee should discuss and obtain the permission of their immediate supervisor and the President of United Way of Greater Chattanooga.
This policy is meant to be a supplement to good judgment, and to be respected for its spirit as well as its wording.
LEADERSHIP
United Way of Greater Chattanooga must maintain an organizational commitment to create a diverse team of volunteer and staff leaders who share a commitment to the mission of United Way of Greater Chattanooga and who will act together to build a stronger and healthier community.
STEWARDSHIP
Accountability and Efficiency
United Way of Greater Chattanooga has responsibilities to its customers to ensure trust is upheld by:
- Making full and fair disclosure of all relevant information;
- Insuring that resources are invested wisely;
- Insuring full accountability of all resources entrusted to the organization;
- Fully informing contributors about use of funds;
- Honoring donor wishes which comply with the designation policy;
- Publicizing the identity and accomplishments of the funded programs; and
- Submitting all appropriate records for annual audit by an independent auditor.
Confidential Information
Confidentiality should be protected at all times, whether it be related to personnel matters or the disclosure of organizational information.
Since United Way of Greater Chattanooga is an organization to which many matters of confidential nature are entrusted, the affairs of United Way of Greater Chattanooga must be held in strictest confidence. All employees will be expected to exercise the greatest caution and concern in the protection and dissemination of any information that might fall within the confidential category (e.g., selected reports, minutes or other related matters). Any requests for confidential materials should be referred to the President.
All matters concerning salaries, increases and increments are considered confidential and shall not be discussed within or without the organization except at the discretion of the individual involved. Conversations with supervisors regarding personal job related operations are also considered confidential. Common sense should act as a rational guide.
Public Interest
The success of the entire United Way movement depends on the confidence of the public. No organization depends more heavily on the ethical conduct of its professional staff and its civic volunteers.
Consultation - In case of doubts issues should be raised broadly to ensure their compatibility with the values of the United Way. These principles should always serve as guidelines:
Transparency- Our practices should be evident to all concerned
Accountability- Our practices should be open to challenge from all directions
This Code of Ethics attempts to reinforce those high standards and address some specific areas, but no code of ethics can detail every situation in advance.
Revised
August 11, 2004
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