Mission

The mission of the Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is to promote the establishment, growth, prosperity and retention of Hispanic businesses, and those entities, and persons that support them in the State of Maryland.

Code of Ethics

STANDARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

AN ETHICS AND ACCOUNTABILITY CODE

PREAMBLE

The Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (Chamber) is committed to meeting the business needs of its members, promoting economic development in the Hispanic community, and strengthening the communities where it serves.

The Chamber is supported through membership fees, special contributions and volunteer effort by individual professionals, small businesses, other nonprofits, local and state government, and regional or national corporations. The Chamber’s success, therefore, depends upon public confidence and broad public support not only from the Hispanic business community, but also from the corporate and public sectors at large.

The Chamber is committed to bolstering public confidence in organized Hispanic business in general and in the Chamber in particular. Consequently, the Board has adopted these Standards for Excellence (Standards) to ensure that ethical practices and accountability are central to the mission and work of the Chamber. They provide benchmarks to determine how well the Chamber is fulfilling its obligations to its members who benefit from its programs, to contributors and sponsors, and to the public at large.

Like any other nonprofit organization, the Chamber must comply with applicable local, state, and federal laws. The Standards build on that foundation, and go a step further-the activities of the Chamber are also guided by fundamental values, such as honesty, integrity, fairness, respect, trust, compassion, responsibility, and accountability. The Standards describe how the Chamber should act to be ethical and be accountable in their program operations, governance, human resources, financial management and fundraising. Eight (8) Guiding Principles are included, along with fifty-five (55) Standards to provide more detailed performance benchmarks that strengthen the Chamber’s operations. The Chamber has adapted its Standards from the Maryland Nonprofits Association.

STANDARDS FOR EXCELLENCE – GUIDING PRINCIPLES

MISSION AND PROGRAM

The Chamber was founded to serve its members and the public good and operates to accomplish a stated purpose through specific program activities. The Chamber has a well-defined mission and its programs, therefore, should effectively and efficiently work toward achieving that mission. The Chamber through its governing body-the board of directors-has an obligation to ensure program effectiveness and to devote resources to achieving its stated purpose.

GOVERNING BODY

The Chamber is governed by an elected, volunteer board of directors [Board] that consists of individuals who are committed to the mission of the Chamber. The Board determines the mission of the Chamber, establishes management policies and procedures, assure that adequate human resources (volunteer or paid staff) and financial resources (earned income, government contracts and grants, and charitable contributions) are available, and actively monitor the Chamber’s financial and programmatic performance.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Board and staff members should act in the best interest of the Chamber, rather than in furtherance of personal interests or the interests of third parties. The Chamber should have policies in place, and should routinely and systematically implement those policies, to prevent actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest.

HUMAN RESOURCES

The Chamber’s relationship to its employees and volunteers is fundamental to its ability to achieve its mission. Volunteers occupy a special place in the Chamber, serving in governance, administrative and programmatic positions. The Chamber’s human resource policies should address both paid employees and volunteers, and should be fair, establish clear expectations, and provide for meaningful and effective performance evaluation.

FINANCIAL AND LEGAL

The Chamber must practice sound financial management and comply with a diverse array of legal and regulatory requirements. The Chamber’s financial system should assure that accurate financial records are kept and that the Chamber’s financial resources are used in furtherance of the Chamber’s purposes. The Board should conduct at least annual reviews to address regulatory and liability concerns.

OPENNESS

The Chamber is a private corporation that operates for private and public purposes with private and public support. As such, it should provide the public with information about its mission, program activities, and finances. The Chamber should also be accessible and responsive to members of the public who express interest in the affairs of the Chamber.

FUNDRAISING

Charitable fundraising provides an important source of financial support for the work of the Chamber. The Chamber’s fundraising program should be maintained on a foundation of truthfulness and responsible stewardship. Its fundraising policies should be consistent with its mission, compatible with its organizational capacity, and respectful of the interests of donors and prospective donors.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND PUBLIC POLICY

The Chamber provides an important vehicle through which individuals and businesses organize and work together to improve their communities. The Chamber should represent the interests of the people they serve through public education and public policy advocacy, as well as by encouraging Board members, staff, volunteers and members to be actively involved in the public affairs of the community.