Code of Conduct & Protected Reporting Policy

Purpose

To establish minimum standards of ethical conduct for people acting for CHSPS, protect the integrity of standards and accreditation work, prevent improper competitive conduct, and provide a protected channel for good-faith reporting of suspected misconduct.

1. Scope

1.1 This policy applies to directors, officers, employees, committee and council members, technical-panel participants, reviewers, validators, contractors, volunteers and any person representing CHSPS in an official capacity.

1.2 Participants remain subject to applicable law, contractual obligations, confidentiality requirements, and the more specific CHSPS policy governing the matter at issue.

2. Core duties

2.1 Covered persons shall act honestly, in good faith, with professional competence and with respect for CHSPS's charitable mission, published standards and public-interest responsibilities.

2.2 Covered persons shall treat applicants, accredited organizations, candidates, learners, members, commenters, colleagues and the public fairly and without discrimination, harassment, intimidation or retaliation.

2.3 No person shall knowingly make a false or misleading statement on behalf of CHSPS, conceal material information needed for an authorized decision, alter a record improperly, or misuse CHSPS resources or confidential information.

2.4 Public statements not authorized as official CHSPS positions shall be clearly presented as personal views.

3. Conflicts, gifts and misuse of position

3.1 Conflicts of interest shall be disclosed and managed under CHSPS-GOV-002. A person shall not use a CHSPS role to secure improper personal, commercial or organizational advantage.

3.2 Gifts and hospitality from applicants, accredited organizations and other interested parties are governed by CHSPS-GOV-002. A covered person shall never solicit a personal benefit in connection with CHSPS work.

4. Standards-participation and antitrust safeguards

4.1 Standards, committee and stakeholder meetings shall be conducted for legitimate technical, quality, safety, professional-practice, education or accreditation purposes.

4.2 Participants shall not use CHSPS activities to agree, coordinate or exchange competitively sensitive information concerning prices, fees, wages, discounts, customers, suppliers, territories, production levels, market allocation, boycotts or other matters unrelated to the authorized purpose of the meeting.

4.3 Meeting chairs shall redirect discussion that presents a competition-law risk and may suspend the discussion pending appropriate review. Minutes shall identify decisions and technical rationale without recording unnecessary competitively sensitive information.

4.4 Standards shall be based on documented need and technical merit and shall not be written or administered to exclude a person or organization for an improper competitive purpose.

5. Confidentiality, records and information security

5.1 Covered persons shall protect restricted and confidential information in accordance with CHSPS-ACC-104, the Privacy Policy and applicable assignment terms.

5.2 Official records shall be created, stored, retained, revised and disposed of only through authorized systems and in accordance with CHSPS-GOV-003 and CHSPS-ACC-104.

5.3 No person shall delete, alter, conceal or destroy a record for the purpose of obstructing an audit, complaint, appeal, investigation, legal hold or authorized review.

6. Protected reporting and non-retaliation

6.1 Any person may report in good faith a suspected violation of law, this policy, a CHSPS controlled document, financial-control requirement, accreditation safeguard, or other material integrity concern.

6.2 Reports may be made through the published complaints channel or directly to the Board Chair, Corporate Secretary or Impartiality & Ethics Committee when the ordinary channel would create a conflict.

6.3 CHSPS shall not retaliate against a person for a good-faith report, for declining to participate in suspected misconduct, or for cooperating in an authorized inquiry. Knowingly false accusations or deliberate misuse of the reporting process are not protected.

6.4 Reports shall be handled as confidentially as reasonably possible while permitting fair investigation, corrective action and required disclosure.

7. Review and response

7.1 A report shall be screened for conflicts before assignment. A person implicated in the matter shall not control the inquiry or outcome.

7.2 CHSPS may review relevant documents, interview involved persons, obtain technical or legal advice, and take interim safeguards where necessary to protect people, evidence or decision integrity.

7.3 Substantiated violations may result in counseling, corrective action, removal from an assignment, suspension or termination of authorization, contract action, referral of an affected accreditation or standards decision for re-review, or referral to appropriate authorities where required.

8. Duty to cooperate and records

8.1 Covered persons shall cooperate truthfully with authorized reviews and preserve relevant records once notified of a complaint, investigation, audit or legal hold.

8.2 Reports, screening determinations, investigation records and outcomes shall be retained according to the applicable records schedule. Access shall be limited to persons with a legitimate need to know.

9. Administration

9.1 The Board and Impartiality & Ethics Committee oversee this policy. Management is responsible for communicating it to covered persons and incorporating it into onboarding and role-specific orientation.

9.2 Material revisions shall be approved and published through CHSPS-GOV-003. This policy does not restrict lawful reporting to government agencies or other rights that cannot lawfully be waived.

Related documents

CHSPS-GOV-002 — Impartiality & Conflict of Interest · CHSPS-GOV-003 — Document Control & Publication · CHSPS-ACC-104 — Confidentiality & Records · Complaints & Appeals

Where this policy and a page-level summary elsewhere on this site differ, this controlled document governs.