Code of Conduct and Ethics Policy

Code of Ethics

Family Planning NSW's business is conducted according to the highest standards of honesty, integrity, respect and fairness when dealing with all of our staff, clients and visitors. We require that our staff and Board of Directors meet these high standards. The organisation takes seriously its obligations to comply with all federal, state and local government laws and regulations, as well as common law obligations, and again requires all staff, contractors and consultants to do the same.

Code of Conduct

The following Code establishes the standards of behaviour that should be met by staff and members of the Board of Directors.

Where these standards are not met, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken. In cases where the breach involves serious misconduct, this may result in instant dismissal of staff or removal of a Director from the Board. In cases where a breach of the policy involves a breach of any law, then the relevant government authorities or the police will be notified.

• Ensure that you treat all staff, clients and visitors with courtesy and respect.
• Do not engage in any threatening or harassing behaviour towards other staff, including physical or verbal abuse.
• Do not discriminate on the basis of irrelevant characteristics, such as sex, race, disability, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual preference, gender, family status or family responsibility.
• Do not perpetrate, permit or fail to report violations of any federal, state or local government law or regulation including theft, fraud, bribery and abuse.
• Ensure that you declare any conflict of interest between your role as a staff member and your involvement in an outside activity.
• Be aware of the organisation's policies as set out in the policy manual and ensure that you comply with them.
• Do not come to work while affected by drugs or alcohol.
• Do not participate in unacceptable behaviours including all forms of exploitation and abuse.
• Do not use the internet for personal use, except within the organisation's guidelines.
• Do not use the internet to access sexually explicit material.
• Do not use email to send sexually explicit, suggestive or other harassing material.
• Do not use work information or work time for private gain.
• Do not leak confidential information to anyone, including the media.
• Ensure honest dealings with all staff and clients.
• Do not misappropriate organisation funds or property.
• Do not misappropriate funds or property of staff or clients.
• Ensure the highest standards in carrying out your duties.
• Do not falsify reports.
• Do not breach copyright.
• Always acknowledge other people's work and ideas.
• Always put safety first and do your utmost to comply with health and safety requirements.

Code of Conduct of Senior Staff and Supervisors

In addition to complying with the above, senior staff and supervisors also have the responsibility to execute their managerial and supervisory duties with fairness. You should also ensure that you:

• Do not condone, permit or fail to report any breaches of the above code by staff under your supervision.
• Promote a team spirit amongst staff through your own behaviour.
• Maintain confidentiality when conducting investigations into employee grievances.
• Avoid bias in decision making.
• Ensure compliance with the organisation’s procedures when counselling and disciplining staff.
• Disqualify yourself from decision making where you are unable to remain objective.
• Never pressure an employee to resign.
• Exercise objectivity when administering rewards or discipline.
• Do not accept bribes, gifts or benefits.
• Do not represent someone else’s ideas as your own.

International Program

Family Planning NSW is a member of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) and adheres to ACFID Code of Conduct which defines minimum standards of governance, management and accountability of development in non-government organisations (NGOs). FPNSW will ensure that all staff engaged in activities which support our international program, will be informed of the obligations arising from the ACFID Code of Conduct.

Sexuality and Disability Service

Family Planning NSW is a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provider and adheres to the NDIS code of conduct which outlines standards of behaviour that staff employed to provide NDIS services must comply. FPNSW ensures that all staff engaged in providing support or services to people with disabilities will:

• act with respect for individual rights to freedom of expression, self-determination and decision-making in accordance with applicable laws and conventions
• respect the privacy of people with disability
• provide supports and services in a safe and competent manner, with care and skill
• act with integrity, honesty and transparency
• promptly take steps to raise and act on concers about matters that may impact the quality and safety of supports and services provided to people with disability
• take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct

Director's Responsibility - Conflict of Interest

• Directors must declare any conflict of interest on the consent to appointment as director and notification of interests form.
• Directors must also note conflict of interest at the commencement of each Board meeting.To facilitate this, conflict of interest is the first agenda item at all Board meetings - requiring directors to state nature of any conflict prior to the meeting commencing. This is in accordance with CORPORATIONS ACT 2001 - SECT 191 - Material personal interest - director's duty to disclose.
• In the event there is a conflict of interest, the Director who is implicated in the potential or real conflict leaves the room during the entire discussion of the matter and should not return until invited by the other board members. The minutes of the meeting must record why the board member left the room and at what time they returned to join the meeting.
• Under certain conditions (e.g. if Director has an interest in a contract with the company) clause 23 of the Family Planning NSW Articles of Association requires the director to resign/vacate. There is also scope for the Board to remove a director by ordinary resolution - clause 20 of the Family Planning NSW Articles of Association.

Scope

Directors and Staff

Definitions and acronyms

Term	Meaning
Conflicts of Interest	A conflict between an individual's public duties and her private interests which may mean that a decision is made on the basis of the benefit to the individual, not the benefit to the organisation