This Code of Ethics is a guideline to assist Shiawassee United Way (SUW) volunteers, staff and representatives in making good decisions that are ethical and in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

1. Personal and Professional Integrity

• Strive to meet the highest standards of performance, quality, service and achievement in working towards the SUW mission.
• Communicate honestly and openly and avoid misrepresentation.
• Promote a working environment where honesty, open communication and minority opinions are valued.
• Exhibit respect and fairness towards all those with whom we come into contact.

2. Accountability

• Promote good stewardship of SUW resources, including donor contributions, grants, and other contributions that are used to pay operating expenses, salaries, and employee benefits.
• Refrain from using organizational resources for non-SUW purposes.
• Observe and comply with all laws and regulations affecting SUW.

3. Solicitations and Voluntary Giving

• Promote voluntary giving in dealing with donors and vendors.
• Refrain from any use of coercion in fundraising activities, including predicating professional advancement on response to solicitations.

4. Diversity and Equal Opportunity

• Recruit, hire, train and promote individuals, as well as administer any and all personnel actions fairly without discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristics protected under law.
• Support equal employment opportunity programs through SUW.
• Refuse to engage in or tolerate in any other form of discrimination or harassment

5. Conflicts of Interest

• Avoid any activity or outside interest which conflicts or appears to conflict with the best interest of SUW, including involvement with a current or potential SUW vendor, or competing organization unless disclosed to and not deemed to be inappropriate by the SUW Board of Directors.
• Ensure that outside employment and other activities do not adversely affect the performance of SUW duties or the achievement of SUW mission.
• Ensure that travel, entertainment and related expenses are incurred on a basis consistent with the mission of SUW and not for personal gain or interests.
• Decline any gift, gratuity or favor in the performance of SUW duties except for promotional items of nominal value, and any food, transportation, lodging or entertainment unless directly related to SUW business.
• Refrain from influencing the selection of staff who are relatives or personal friends and will refrain from influencing the selection of consultants or vendors.
• Refrain from participating in or influencing the selection of staff, consultants or vendors who are relatives, personal friends or have a substantial affiliation.

6. SUW Volunteers

• Should not knowingly take any action, or make any statement, intended to influence the conduct of SUW in such a way to confer any financial benefit on themselves, their immediate family members or any organization in which they or their immediate family members have significant interest as stakeholders, directors or officers.
• Disclose all known conflicts or potential conflicts of interest in any matter before the Board of Directors if they are Board members, or any committee upon which they serve and withdraw from the meeting room during any discussion, review and voting in connection with such matter.
• Members of the Board shall annually file a disclosure of all known potential conflicts of interest.

7. Confidentiality and Privacy

• Ensure that all information which is confidential, privileged or nonpublic, is not disclosed inappropriately.
• Respect the privacy rights of all individuals in the performance of their SUW duties.

8. Political Contributions

• Refrain from making any contributions to any candidate for public office or political committee on behalf of SUW.
• Refrain from making any contribution to any candidate for public office or political committee in a manner that may create the appearance that the contribution is on behalf of SUW.
• Refrain from using any organizational financial resources, facilities or personnel to endorse or oppose a candidate for public office.
• Clearly communicate that we are not acting on behalf of the organization, if identified as an official of SUW, while engaging in political activities in an individual capacity.
• Refrain from engaging in political activities in a manner that may create the appearance that such activity is by or on behalf of SUW.

9. Guidance and Disclosure

• Volunteers, staff, and representatives are encourage to seek guidance from the Board of Directors concerning the interpretation or application of this Code of Ethics. Any known or possible breaches of the Code of Ethics should be disclosed. Staff and volunteers should contact the executive director, the president of the Board of Directors or a member of the Executive Committee. reports of possible breaches shall be handled in the following manner:
• All Reports of possible breaches will be treated in confidence as much as the organization's duties to investigate and the law allows. If confidentiality cannot be maintained, the individual disclosing the possible breach will be notified.
• All reported breaches will be investigated and, if needed, appropriate action taken based upon the policies of the organization.
• Retaliation against a person who suspects and reports a breach in good faith will be treated as an independent breach of the Code.
• SUW affirms prompt and fair resolution of all reported breaches.