Your association’s code of ethics might be more important than you think. Your members turn to your association for multiple reasons. From training and certifications to job opportunities and career development to industry news and networking – the list goes on. However, association industry research reveals that one top member benefit stands out: the code of ethics and conduct.
Let’s look at some details about codes of ethics, or conduct, including why they’re essential for recruiting and retaining association members, how to keep them updated, and how to promote them to your members.
The Purpose of a Code of Ethics
For a professional or trade association, a code of ethics establishes the ethical standards for its members and the industry or profession to which they belong. It’s also sometimes referred to as a code of conduct. It sets forth core values and ethical principles, designed to promote and encourage a certain level of professional conduct.
Here are some key intentions for an association’s code of ethics:
- Establish a unified set of rules or standards for all professionals to follow.
- Define best practices for the profession.
- Provide a basis to meet compliance requirements for the profession.
- Establish a legal standard for the profession.
- Provide a “seal of approval” that those outside the profession can look for when using or selecting services from the profession.
- Help to serve as a watchdog for the profession.
A code of ethics may include guidelines for various aspects, such as conflicts of interest, work attendance, harassment, and other issues related to the work environment.
Here are four examples of established codes of ethics for associations:
Why a Code of Ethics is Important for Associations
A code of ethics is important to associations because it’s important to members. Momentive has conducted association trends research for many years, and each year, the code of ethics is among the most important member benefits.
In the Association Trends Study, code of ethics ranked as the most important benefit to members, with its importance up significantly since the 2022 study. In several past studies, it ranked as the first or second most important driver of membership renewal.
These findings make the importance of an association’s code of ethics very clear. And your association’s code of ethics is a key factor in your organization’s ability to recruit and retain members.
It Might Be Time to Review Your Association’s Code of Ethics
Given how vital a code of ethics is to members, it’s essential to ensure your association’s code of ethics is up to date. Just think: When was the last time you looked at your organization’s code of ethics? If your association is like many others, it was written when your bylaws were drafted.
Your code of ethics outlines what unites your members as a profession. It’s also the foundation of their shared expectations of each other. Members are proud to belong to an association that provides a framework and a standard for their industry. That’s why keeping your code of ethics updated and relevant is a must-do for attracting and retaining members.
Tips for Updating Your Code of Ethics
Even when your association has a small staff, it’s still important to regularly review and update your code of ethics. Here are some helpful tips for evaluating and updating your association’s code of ethics:
- Create a code of ethics committee or task force. It should include experts on codes of ethics and current ethical issues related to your profession, public policy, and law.
- Include reviewing and updating your code of ethics as part of your annual planning process. Be sure not to rush it with a “just get it done” approach. Instead, allow plenty of time for the review.
- Assess your association’s communications regarding your code of ethics. For example, take a walk in your prospects’ and members’ shoes by verifying that your code of ethics is easy to find on your website. Also, review your new member welcome email and renewal emails to ensure they include messages about your association’s code of ethics. Additionally, ensure that you have a plan to promote your association’s code of ethics in various ways throughout the year, such as through your member newsletter, online member community, and at member events.
- If you haven’t already done so, establish a way for members to file reports about possible violations of your organization’s code of ethics. Publishing violation procedures is a good way to reinforce the validity of the ethics code.
Promote Your Association’s Code of Ethics
Because it’s such a valuable benefit to members, your code of ethics can be a powerful tool for member recruitment and retention. That’s why it’s essential to have a plan to promote your code of ethics throughout the year.
- Promote it in your recruiting efforts. Include value statements about your association’s code of ethics in your member recruitment communications and materials. Focus on the reasons listed previously for why a code of ethics matters.
- Let new members know about it. Highlight your association’s code of ethics in your member onboarding process to ensure new members are aware of it from the start.
- Make it easy to find. Ensure the code of ethics is easily accessible to members and prospective members on your website and within your online member community.
- Remind members about it. Include a section in your member newsletter that reminds members of the importance of the code of ethics and provides a link to where it can be found.
- Promote violation procedures. Periodically remind members of the process for reporting and resolving potential code of ethics violations.
- Keep it current. Review and update the code of ethics annually as part of your comprehensive planning process. Ask your code of ethics committee to get input from some of your members as part of the process. Then, get the word out to members (via your member newsletter, online member community, member events, and other communications) that it has been updated. Be sure to:
- Restate the significance of the code of ethics.
- Call out what has changed and why the changes have been made.
- Remind members how to access it.
- Remind members of the process for reporting and handling potential violations.
