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Mission
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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.
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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.
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