CERTIFIED LIFE COACH INSTITUTE
CODE OF CONDUCT
Overview and Purpose
Our website, forum, and classes are intended to be a place for further collaboration, motivation, support, and assistance between students, alumni, staff, and other coaches. This is a civilized place for connecting with other users, coaches and students, learning new skills, sharing feedback and experiences, and finding all the support you need for your life coaching career. By participating in this Community, you are agreeing to the same Terms of Service that apply to certifiedlifecoachinstitute.com, as well as this Code of Conduct.
With this Code of Conduct, we hope to help you understand how best to communicate in the Certified Life Coach Institute Connect, what you can expect from moderators, and what type of actions or content may result in temporary or permanent suspension from Community participation. We will investigate any abuse reports and may moderate public content within the Community that we determine to be in violation of either the Certified Life Coach Institute Terms of Service or this Code of Conduct.
Certified Life Coach Institute students and coaches worldwide bring different perspectives, ideas, and experiences, and range from people who are just beginning to think about becoming a life coach to those who already have successful practices as well as our staff and experienced educators. The purpose of this forum is to serve as a welcoming environment for all the different voices and perspectives while maintaining a safe space where people are free to express themselves. It is meant as another layer of community support, education, and motivation.
Who Must Follow Our Code?
We expect all of our employees, users, facilitators, and coaches to know and follow the Code. Failure to do so can result in disciplinary action, including termination of employment. Moreover, while the Code is specifically written for Certified Life Coach Institute employees and Board members, we expect Certified Life Coach Institute contractors, consultants, and others who may be temporarily assigned to perform work or services for Certified Life Coach Institute to follow the Code in connection with their work for us. Failure of a Certified Life Coach Institute contractor, consultant, or other covered service provider to follow the Code can result in termination of their relationship with Certified Life Coach Institute.
What If I Have a Code-Related Question or Concern?
If you have a question or concern, don’t just sit there. You can contact your manager, your Human Resources representative, or Ethics & Compliance. You can also submit a question or raise a concern of a suspected violation of our Code or any other Certified Life Coach Institute policy through the Ethics & Compliance Helpline. Finally, if you believe a violation of law has occurred, you can always raise that through the Ethics & Compliance helpline or with a government agency.
No Retaliation
Certified Life Coach Institute prohibits retaliation against any worker here at Certified Life Coach Institute who reports or participates in an investigation of a possible violation of our Code, policies, or the law. If you believe you are being retaliated against, please contact Ethics & Compliance.
Pledge
In the interest of fostering an open and welcoming environment, we as contributors and maintainers pledge to make participation in the Certified Life Coach Institute classes, forum, and other interactions a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of age, body size, ability, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, level of experience, nationality, personal appearance, race, religion, or sexual identity and orientation.
Standards
Our students, users, and coaches value Certified Life Coach Institute not only because we deliver great products and services, but because we hold ourselves to a higher standard in how we treat users and operate generally. Keeping the following principles in mind will help us to maintain that high standard:
Treat the Certified Life Coach Institute students & coaches with respect. We are a shared resource — a place to share skills, knowledge, and interests through ongoing conversation.
The following are not hard and fast rules, merely aids to the human judgment of our Community. Use these guidelines to keep this a clean, well-lighted place for civilized public discourse.
i. Best Practices for Building a Strong Community - To all users, coaches & students
-
Be respectful and considerate.
-
Be welcoming and open-minded. Other Community members may not have the same experience level or background as you, but that doesn't mean they don't have good ideas to contribute. We encourage you to be welcoming to new members and those just getting started.
-
Respect each other. Nothing sabotages healthy conversation like rudeness. Be civil and professional, and don’t post anything that a reasonable person would consider offensive, abusive, or hate speech. Don’t harass or give anyone grief. Treat each other with dignity and consideration in all interactions.
-
Be constructive. You may wish to respond to something by disagreeing with it. That’s fine. But remember to criticize ideas, not people. Avoid name-calling, ad hominem attacks, responding to a post’s tone instead of its actual content, and knee-jerk contradiction. Instead, provide reasoned counter-arguments that improve the conversation.
-
Communicate with empathy. Disagreements or differences of opinion are a fact of life. Being part of a community means interacting with people from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives, many of which may not be your own. If you disagree with someone, try to understand and share their feelings before you address them. This will promote a respectful and friendly atmosphere where people feel comfortable asking questions, participating in discussions, and making contributions.
-
Contribute in a positive, supportive and constructive way.
-
Improve the discussion. Help us make this a great place for discussion by always working to improve the discussion in some way, however small. If you are not sure your post adds to the conversation, think over what you want to say and try again later.
-
Make it matter. The topics discussed here matter to us, and we want you to act as if they matter to you, too. Be respectful of the topics and the people discussing them, even if you disagree with some of what is being said.
-
Be clear and stay relevant. Communicating with strangers on the Internet can be awkward. It's hard to convey or read tone and sarcasm is frequently misunderstood. Try to use clear language and think about how it will be received by the other person.
-
Keep links relevant. This applies to sharing links, as well. Any links shared in the Community Forum should be shared with the intent of providing relevant and appropriate information. Links should not be posted to simply drive traffic or attention to a site. Links should always be accompanied by a full explanation of the content and purpose of the link. Posting links, especially unsolicited ones, without relevant and valuable context can come across as advertising or serving even more malicious purposes.
-
Stay on topic. Additionally, the Certified Life Coach Institute Community is for collaboration, sharing ideas, and helping each other get stuff done. Off-topic comments are a distraction (sometimes welcome, but usually not) from getting work done and being productive. Staying on topic helps produce positive and productive discussions.
-
Share mindfully. When asking others to give you feedback or collaborate on a project, only share valuable and relevant resources to provide context. Don't post links that don't add value to the Topic, and don't post unsolicited links to your own projects or sites on other user's threads.
-
Don't share sensitive information. This includes your own email address. We don't allow the sharing of such information in this Community, as it can create security and privacy risks for the poster, as well as other users. If you'd like to invite other Forum members to collaborate on a project or work with you, share a link to the repository in which the project you are working on exists. By sharing the link to your project repo - with some information on what your project is and what kind of help or feedback you're looking for - you can invite others to collaborate with you via issues or pull requests without having to share your private information. You can also add others as outside collaborators on your project repo to give them special permissions to help you develop your project.
-
Keep it tidy. Make the effort to put things in the right place, so that we can spend more time discussing and less time cleaning up.
-
In Our Forum- Start new topics. Rather than taking an existing topic in a radically different direction, open a new topic.
-
Don’t start a topic in the wrong category.
-
Don’t cross-post the same thing in multiple topics.
-
Don’t post no-content replies.
-
Don't "bump" posts, unless you have new and relevant information to share.
-
Don’t divert a topic by changing it midstream.
-
Be trustworthy. Always be honest. Don’t knowingly share incorrect information or intentionally mislead other Certified Life Coach Institute Community members. If you don’t know the answer to someone’s question but still want to help, you can try helping them research or find resources instead. Certified Life Institute Community will also be active in the Community, so if you’re unsure of an answer, it’s likely a moderator will be able to help.
-
Have Integrity. Our reputation as a company that our users can trust is our most valuable asset. It is up to all of us to make sure that we continually earn that trust. All of our communications and other interaction with our users should increase their trust in us.
-
Be Useful. Our products, features, and services should make Certified Life Coach Institute more useful for all our users. We have many different types of students from individuals to large businesses, but one guiding principle: “Is what we are offering useful?”
-
Protect Privacy, Security, and Freedom of Expression. Always remember that we are asking users to trust us with their personal information. Preserving that trust requires that each of us respect and protect the privacy and security of that information. Our security procedures strictly limit access to and use of users’ personal information and require that each of us take measures to protect user data from unauthorized access. Know your responsibilities under these procedures; collect, use, and access user personal information only as authorized by our Security Policies, our Privacy Policies, and applicable data protection laws.
Certified Life Coach Institute is committed to advancing privacy and freedom of expression for our users around the world. Where user privacy and freedom of expression face government challenges, we seek to implement internationally recognized standards that respect those rights as we develop products, do business in diverse markets, and respond to government requests to access user information or remove user content. Contact Legal or Ethics & Compliance if you have questions on implementing these standards in connection with what you do at Certified Life Coach Institute.
-
Respond Quickly & With Care. Part of being useful and honest is being responsive: We recognize relevant user feedback when we see it and we do something about it. We take pride in responding to communications from our users whether questions, problems, or compliments. If something is broken, fix it.
-
Take Action. Any time you feel our users aren’t being well-served, don’t be bashful - let someone in the company know about it. Continually improving our products and services takes all of us, and we’re proud that Certified Life Coach Instituters champion our users and take the initiative to step forward when the interests of our users are at stake.
-
Support One Another. We are committed to a supportive work environment, where employees have the opportunity to reach their fullest potential. Certified Life Coach Instituters are expected to do their utmost to create a culture that is free of harassment, intimidation, bias, and unlawful discrimination.
What is not Allowed - WITHOUT EXCEPTION
-
Threats of violence. You may not threaten violence towards others or use the site to organize, promote, or incite acts of real-world violence or terrorism. Think carefully about the words you use, the images you post, and even the software you write and how they may be interpreted by others. Even if you mean something as a joke, it might not be received that way. If you think that someone else might interpret the content you post as a threat, or as promoting violence or terrorism, stop. Don't post it. In extraordinary cases, we may report threats of violence to law enforcement if we think there may be a genuine risk of physical harm or a threat to public safety.
-
Hate speech and discrimination. While it is not forbidden to broach topics such as age, body size, ability, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, level of experience, nationality, personal appearance, race, religion, or sexual identity and orientation, we do not tolerate speech that attacks a person or group of people on the basis of who they are. Just realize that talking about these or other sensitive topics can make others feel unwelcome or perhaps even unsafe, if approached in an aggressive or insulting manner. We expect our Community members to be respectful when discussing sensitive topics.
-
Bullying and harassment. We do not tolerate bullying or harassment. This means any habitual badgering or intimidation targeted at a specific person or group of people. In general, if your actions are unwanted and you continue to engage in them, there's a good chance you are headed into bullying or harassment territory.
-
Impersonation. You may not impersonate another person by copying their avatar, posting content under their email address, intentionally using a deceptively similar username or otherwise posing as someone else. Impersonation is a form of harassment.
-
Doxxing and invasion of privacy. Don't post other people's personal information, such as phone numbers, private email addresses, physical addresses, credit card numbers, Social Security/National Identity numbers, or passwords. Depending on the context, such as in the case of intimidation or harassment, we may consider other information, such as photos or videos that were taken or distributed without the subject's consent, to be an invasion of privacy, especially when such material presents a safety risk to the subject.
-
Prurient/Sexually explicit content. Basically, don't post pornography. This does not mean that all nudity or sexual content is prohibited. We recognize that sexuality is a part of life and non-pornographic sexual content may be a part of your project or may be presented for educational or artistic purposes. If you have any questions or concerns about something you want to post, feel free to reach out and ask beforehand.
-
Spam. Respect the Certified Life Coach Institute Community. Don’t post advertisements, links to spammy websites, or otherwise vandalize the Community. This Community is meant for Certified Life Coach Institute Connect Forum users to discuss projects, learn, and share ideas with one another - not for advertising or other spam-like content. Content that we deem spammy will be removed.
-
Copyrighted or illegal content. Only post your own stuff. You are responsible for what you post. If you post something you didn’t create yourself, you must have the right to post it. You may not post illegal content, including content illegal under copyright and trademark laws, links to illegal content, or methods for circumventing the law.
-
Active malware or exploits. Being part of this Community includes not taking advantage of other members of the Community. We do not allow anyone to use our platform for exploit delivery (e.g. Using the Community as a means to deliver malicious executables) or as attack infrastructure (e.g. Organizing denial of service attacks or managing command and control servers). Note, however, that we do not prohibit the posting of source code which could be used to develop malware or exploits, as the publication and distribution of such source code has educational value and provides a net benefit to the security community.
-
Anyone under the age of 18. If you're a child under the age of 18, you may not have an account on the Certified Life Coach Institute website or (Certified Life Coach Institute itself). Certified Life Coach Institute does not knowingly collect information from or direct any of our content specifically to children under 18. If we learn or have reason to suspect that you are a user who is under the age of 18, we will unfortunately have to close both your Certified Life Coach Institute and Connect Forum accounts. We don't want to discourage you from learning to code, but those are the rules. Please see our Terms of Service for information about account termination.
-
Other conduct which could reasonably be considered inappropriate in a professional setting. Certified Life Coach Institute Community is a professional space and should be treated as such.
Enforcement
What Certified Life Coach Institute Community Members Can Do:
-
If you see a problem, report it. Moderators have special authority; they are responsible for this Community. But so are you. With your help, moderators can be Community facilitators, not just janitors or police.
-
When you see bad behavior, don’t reply. It encourages the bad behavior by acknowledging it, consumes your energy, and wastes everyone’s time. Report it via email at help@certifiedlifecoachinstitute.com
Our Responsibilities
There are a variety of actions that we may take in response to inappropriate behavior or content. It usually depends on the exact circumstances of a particular case. We recognize that sometimes people may say or do inappropriate things for any number of reasons. Perhaps they did not realize how their words would be perceived. Or maybe they just let their emotions get the best of them. Of course, sometimes, there are folks who just want to spam or cause trouble.
Each case requires a different approach, and we try to tailor our response to meet the needs of the situation. We'll review each situation on a case-by-case basis. In each case, we will have a diverse team investigate the content and surrounding facts and respond as appropriate, using this Code of Conduct to guide our decision.
Actions we may take in response to a flag or abuse report include, but are not limited to:
-
Content Removal
-
Content Blocking
-
Community Forum Account Suspension
-
Community Forum Account Termination
-
Loss of Certification
-
Being reported to the local authorities
Community moderators who do not follow or enforce the Code of Conduct in good faith may face temporary or permanent repercussions as determined by other members of the Community leadership.
Contacting Certified Life Coach Institute Staff
If for any reason you want to contact Certified Life Coach Institute Staff privately, you can send an email to help@certifiedlifecoachinstitute.com or call 714.609.6370. Contacting any member of Certified Life Coach Institute Staff via channels other than the Support email address, or the number provided is strongly discouraged and may be considered a violation of our prohibition against harassment.
Let's work together to keep the forum a place where people feel safe to participate by being respectful of them and their time.
II. Employee, Contractor & Facilitator Conduct
We are committed to a supportive work environment, where employees have the opportunity to reach their fullest potential. Certified Life Coach Instituters are expected to do their utmost to create a workplace culture that is free of harassment, intimidation, bias, and unlawful discrimination.
Who Must Follow Our Code?
We expect all of our employees, users, facilitators and coaches to know and follow the Code. Failure to do so can result in disciplinary action, including termination of employment or contracts. Moreover, while the Code is specifically written for Certified Life Coach Institute employees and we expect Certified Life Coach Institute contractors, consultants, and others who may be temporarily assigned to perform work or services for Certified Life Coach Institute to follow the Code in connection with their work for us. Failure of a Certified Life Coach Institute contractor, consultant, or other covered service provider to follow the Code can result in termination of their relationship with Certified Life Coach Institute.
Below is
-
Equal Opportunity Employment
Employment here is based solely upon individual merit and qualifications directly related to professional competence. We strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, veteran status, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, mental or physical disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, or any other characteristics protected by law. We also make all reasonable accommodations to meet our obligations under laws protecting the rights of the disabled. -
Harassment, Discrimination, and Bullying
Certified Life Coach Institute prohibits discrimination, harassment and bullying in any form – verbal, physical, or visual, as discussed more fully in our Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation. If you believe you’ve been bullied or harassed by anyone at Certified Life Coach Institute, or by a Certified Life Coach Institute partner or vendor, we strongly encourage you to immediately report the incident to your supervisor, Human Resources or both. Similarly, supervisors and managers who learn of any such incident should immediately report it to Human Resources. HR will promptly and thoroughly investigate any complaints and take appropriate action. -
Safe Workplace
We are committed to a violence-free work environment, and we will not tolerate any level of violence or the threat of violence in the workplace. Under no circumstances should anyone bring a weapon to work. If you become aware of a violation of this policy, you should report it to Human Resources immediately. In case of potential violence, contact Certified Life Coach Institute Security.
Avoid Conflicts of Interest
When you are in a situation in which competing loyalties could cause you to pursue a personal benefit for you, your friends, or your family at the expense of Certified Life Coach Institute or our users, you may be faced with a conflict of interest. All of us should avoid conflicts of interest and circumstances that reasonably present the appearance of a conflict.
When considering a course of action, ask yourself whether the action you’re considering could create an incentive for you, or appear to others to create an incentive for you, to benefit yourself, your friends or family, or an associated business at the expense of Certified Life Coach Institute. If the answer is “yes,” the action you’re considering is likely to create a conflict of interest situation, and you should avoid it.
Below, we provide guidance in seven areas where conflicts of interest often arise:
-
Personal investments
-
Outside employment, advisory roles, board seats, and starting your own business
-
Business opportunities found through work
-
Inventions
-
Friends and relatives; co-worker relationships
-
Accepting gifts, entertainment, and other business courtesies
-
Use of Certified Life Coach Institute products and services
In each of these situations, the rule is the same – if you are considering entering into a business situation that creates a conflict of interest, don’t. If you are in a business situation that may create a conflict of interest, or the appearance of a conflict of interest, review the situation with your manager and Ethics & Compliance. Finally, it’s important to understand that as circumstances change, a situation that previously didn’t present a conflict of interest may present one.
-
Personal Investments
Avoid making personal investments in companies that are Certified Life Coach Institute competitors or business partners when the investment might cause, or appear to cause, you to act in a way that could harm Certified Life Coach Institute.
When determining whether a personal investment creates a conflict of interest, consider the relationship between the business of the outside company, Certified Life Coach Institute’s business, and what you do at Certified Life Coach Institute, including whether the company has a business relationship with Certified Life Coach Institute that you can influence, and the extent to which the company competes with Certified Life Coach Institute. You should also consider 1) any overlap between your specific role at Certified Life Coach Institute and the company’s business, 2) the significance of the investment, including the size of the investment in relation to your net worth, 3) whether the investment is in a public or private company, 4) your ownership percentage of the company, and 5) the extent to which the investment gives you the ability to manage and control the company.
Investments in venture capital or other similar funds that invest in a broad cross-section of companies that may include Certified Life Coach Institute competitors or business partners generally do not create conflicts of interest. However, a conflict of interest may exist if you control the fund’s investment activity.
Outside Employment, Advisory Roles, Board Seats, and Starting Your Own Business
Avoid accepting employment, advisory positions, or board seats with Certified Life Coach Institute competitors or business partners when your judgment could be, or could appear to be, influenced in a way that could harm Certified Life Finally, do not start your own business if it will compete with Certified Life Coach Institute.
-
Business Opportunities Found Through Work/Business opportunities discovered through your work here belong first to Certified Life Coach Institute, except as otherwise agreed to by Certified Life Coach Institute.
Inventions
Developing or helping to develop outside inventions that a) relate to Certified Life Coach Institute’s existing or reasonably anticipated products and services, b) relate to your position at Certified Life Coach Institute, or c) are developed using Certified Life Coach Institute corporate resources may create conflicts of interest and be subject to the provisions of Certified Life Coach Institute’s Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement and other employment agreements. If you have any questions about potential conflicts or intellectual property ownership involving an outside invention or other intellectual property, consult Ethics & Compliance or Legal.
-
Friends and Relatives; Co-Worker Relationships
Avoid participating in management of or decision-making regarding potential or existing Certified Life Coach Institute business relationships that involve your relatives, spouse or significant other, or close friends. This includes being the hiring manager for a position for which your relative or close friend is being considered or being a relationship manager for a company associated with your spouse or significant other.
To be clear, just because a relative, spouse/significant other, or close friend works at Certified Life Coach Institute or becomes a Certified Life Coach Institute competitor or business partner doesn’t mean there is a conflict of interest. However, if you are also involved in that Certified Life Coach Institute business relationship, it can be very sensitive. The right thing to do in that situation is to discuss the relationship with your manager and Ethics & Compliance.
Finally, romantic relationships between co-workers can, depending on the work roles and respective positions of the co-workers involved, create an actual or apparent conflict of interest. If a romantic relationship does create an actual or apparent conflict, it may require changes to work arrangements or even the termination of employment of either or both individuals involved. Consult Certified Life Coach Institute’s Employee Handbook for additional guidance on this issue.
-
Accepting Gifts, Entertainment, and Other Business Courtesies
Accepting gifts, entertainment, and other business courtesies from a Certified Life Coach Institute competitor or business partner can easily create the appearance of a conflict of interest, especially if the value of the item is significant. Certified Life Coach Institute’s Non-Government Related Gifts & Client Entertainment Policy provides specific guidance on when it is appropriate for Certified Life Coach Instituters to accept gifts, entertainment, or any other business courtesy (including discounts or benefits that are not made available to all Certified Life Coach Instituters) from any of our competitors or business partners.
Generally, acceptance of inexpensive “token” non-cash gifts is permissible. In addition, infrequent and moderate business meals and entertainment with clients and infrequent invitations to attend local sporting events and celebratory meals with clients can be appropriate aspects of many Certified Life Coach Institute business relationships, provided that they aren’t excessive and don’t create the appearance of impropriety. Before accepting any gift or courtesy, consult the Non-Government Related Gifts & Client Entertainment Policy, and be aware that you may need to obtain manager approval.
Contact Ethics & Compliance if you have any questions. See the discussion of Anti-Bribery Laws in Section VII(d) for guidance on when it is appropriate to give gifts and business courtesies in the course of doing Certified Life Coach Institute business.
-
Use of Certified Life Coach Institute Products and Services
Avoiding potential conflicts of interest also means that you should not use Certified Life Coach Institute products, services, internal tools, or information in a way that improperly benefits you or someone you know or creates the appearance that you have an unfair advantage over users outside of Certified Life Coach Institute. For example, you should never approve Certified Life Coach Institute accounts, services, or credits for yourself, your friends, or family members. Similarly, you should not use the tools, information, or access that you have as a Certified Life Coach Institute to participate in or to generate a financial benefit for yourself or others from invalid ad traffic (IVT) on Certified Life Coach Institute products, such as generating IVT, purchasing or selling IVT (except for the purposes of company sanctioned research), or linking to (or appearing to link to) business partners that may be engaging in IVT. If you find yourself subject to a conflict of interest regarding the use of Certified Life Coach Institute’s products, services, tools, or information, discuss the situation with your manager, Legal, or Ethics & Compliance.
-
Reporting
Ethics & Compliance will periodically report to the Certified Life Coach Institute Compliance Steering Committee all matters involving Certified Life Coach Institute officers – VPs and above – approved under this section of the Code, and will periodically report to the Certified Life Coach Institute Audit Committee all matters involving Certified Life Coach Institute executive officers and Board members approved under this section.
IV. Preserve Confidentiality
We get a lot of press attention around our innovations and our culture, and that’s usually fine. However, certain kinds of company information, if leaked prematurely into the press or to competitors, can hurt our product launches, eliminate our competitive advantage and prove costly in other ways. Our responsibilities extend beyond not revealing Confidential Certified Life Coach Institute material – we must also:
-
properly secure, label, and (when appropriate) dispose of Confidential Certified Life Coach Institute material;
-
safeguard Confidential information that Certified Life Coach Institute receives from others under non-disclosure agreements;
-
take steps to keep our trade secrets and other confidential intellectual property secret.
-
Confidential Information
Make sure that information that is classified as “Need to Know” or “Confidential” in Certified Life Coach Institute’s Data Classification Guidelines is handled in accordance with those Guidelines and Certified Life Coach Institute’s Data Security Policy. At times, a particular project or negotiation may require you to disclose Need to Know or Confidential information to an outside party: Disclosure of that information should be on an “only as needed” basis and only under a non-disclosure agreement. In addition, Certified Life Coach Institute policy may require a prior security assessment of the outside party that is to receive the confidential information. Be sure to conduct the appropriate due diligence and have the appropriate agreement in place before you disclose the information.
There are, of course, “gray areas” in which you will need to apply your best judgment in making sure you don’t disclose any confidential information. Suppose a friend who works at a non-profit organization asks you informally how to improve the Certified Life Coach Institute search ranking of the group’s website: Giving your friend site-optimization tips available in public articles and on websites isn’t likely to be a problem, but giving tips that aren’t publicly known definitely would be. If you’re in a gray area, be cautious in what advice or insight you provide or, better yet, ask for guidance from Ethics & Compliance.
And don’t forget about pictures you and your guests take at Certified Life Coach Institute – it is up to you to be sure that those pictures don’t disclose confidential information.
Finally, some of us will find ourselves having family or other personal relationships with people employed by our competitors or business partners. As in most cases, common sense applies. Don’t tell your significant other or family members anything confidential, and don’t solicit confidential information from them about their company.
-
Certified Life Coach Institute Partners
Just as you are careful not to disclose confidential Certified Life Coach Institute information, it’s equally important not to disclose any confidential information from our partners. Don’t accept confidential information from other companies without first having all parties sign an appropriate Non-disclosure Agreement approved by Legal. Even after the agreement is signed, try only to accept as much information as you need to accomplish your business objectives.
-
Competitors/Former Employers
We respect our competitors and want to compete with them fairly. But we don’t want their confidential information. The same goes for confidential information belonging to any Certified Life Coach Instituter’s former employers. If an opportunity arises to take advantage of a competitor’s or former employer’s confidential information, don’t do it. Should you happen to come into possession of a competitor’s confidential information, contact Legal immediately.
-
Outside Communications
You probably know that our policy is to be extremely careful about disclosing confidential proprietary information. Consistent with that, you should also ensure your outside communications (including online and social media posts) do not disclose confidential proprietary information or represent (or otherwise give the impression) that you are speaking on behalf of Certified Life Coach Institute unless you’re authorized to do so by the company. The same applies to communications with the press. Finally, check with your manager and Corporate Communications before accepting any public speaking engagement on behalf of the company. In general, before making any external communication or disclosure, you should consult our Employee Communications Policy and our Communications and Disclosure Policy.
V. Protect Certified Life Coach Institute’s Assets
Certified Life Coach Institute has a well-earned reputation for generosity with our employee benefits and openness with confidential information shared within the company. Our ability to continue these practices depends on how well we conserve company resources and protect company assets and information.
-
Intellectual Property
Certified Life Coach Institute’s intellectual property rights (our trademarks, logos, copyrights, trade secrets, “know-how”, and patents) are among our most valuable assets. Unauthorized use can lead to their loss or serious loss of value. You must respect all copyright and other intellectual property laws, including laws governing the fair use of copyrights, trademarks, and brands. You must never use Certified Life Coach Institute’s (or its affiliated entities’) logos, marks, or other protected information or property for any business or commercial venture without pre-clearance from the Marketing team. We strongly encourage you to report any suspected misuse of trademarks, logos, or other Certified Life Coach Institute intellectual property to Legal.
Likewise, respect the intellectual property rights of others. Inappropriate use of others’ intellectual property may expose Certified Life Coach Institute and you to criminal and civil fines and penalties. Please seek advice from Legal before you solicit, accept, or use proprietary information from individuals outside the company or let them use or have access to Certified Life Coach Institute proprietary information. You should also check with Legal if developing a product that uses content not belonging to Certified Life Coach Institute.
A word about open source – Certified Life Coach Institute is committed to open source software development. Consistent with our policy of respecting the valid intellectual property rights of others, we strictly comply with the license requirements under which open source software is distributed. Failing to do so may lead to legal claims against Certified Life Coach Institute, as well as significant damage to the company’s reputation and its standing in the open source community. Please seek guidance from Legal and the Open Source Programs Office before incorporating open source code into any Certified Life Coach Institute product, service, or internal project.
-
Company Equipment
Certified Life Coach Institute gives us the tools and equipment we need to do our jobs effectively, but counts on us to be responsible and not wasteful with the Certified Life Coach Institute stuff we are given. Nobody’s going to complain if you snag an extra bagel on Friday morning, but company funds, equipment, and other physical assets are not to be requisitioned for purely personal use. Not sure if a certain use of company assets is okay? Please ask your manager or Human Resources.
-
The Network
Certified Life Coach Institute’s communication facilities (which include both our network and the hardware that uses it, like computers and mobile devices) are a critical aspect of our company’s property, both physical and intellectual. Be sure to follow all security policies. If you have any reason to believe that our network security has been violated – for example, you lose your laptop or smart phone or think that your network password may have been compromised – please promptly report the incident to Information Security. For more information, consult Certified Life Coach Institute's Security Policy.
-
Physical Security
If you’re not careful, people may steal your stuff. Always secure your laptop, important equipment, and your personal belongings, even while on Certified Life Coach Institute’s premises.
-
Use of Certified Life Coach Institute’s Equipment and Facilities
Anything you do using Certified Life Coach Institute’s corporate electronic facilities (e.g., our computers, mobile devices, network, etc.) or store on our premises (e.g., letters, memos, and other documents) might be disclosed to people inside and outside the company. For example, Certified Life Coach Institute may be required by law (e.g., in response to a subpoena or warrant) to monitor, access, and disclose the contents of corporate email, voicemail, computer files, and other materials on our electronic facilities or on our premises. In addition, the company may monitor, access, and disclose employee communications and other information on our corporate electronic facilities or on our premises where there is a business need to do so, such as protecting employees and users, maintaining the security of resources and property, or investigating suspected employee misconduct.
-
Employee Data
We collect and store personal information from employees around the world. Access this data only in line with local law and Certified Life Coach Institute internal policies, and be sure to handle employee data in a manner that is consistent with Certified Life Coach Institute’s Data Classification and Employment Data Guidelines and other Certified Life Coach Institute policies.
VI. Ensure Financial Integrity and Responsibility
Financial integrity and fiscal responsibility are core aspects of corporate professionalism. This is more than accurate reporting of our financials, though that’s certainly important. The money we spend on behalf of Certified Life Coach Institute is not ours; it’s the company’s and, ultimately, our shareholders’. Each person at Certified Life Coach Institute – not just those in Finance – has a role in making sure that money is appropriately spent, our financial records are complete and accurate, and internal controls are honored. This matters every time we hire a new vendor, expense something to Certified Life Coach Institute, sign a new business contract, or enter into any deals on Certified Life Coach Institute’s behalf.
To make sure that we get this right, Certified Life Coach Institute maintains a system of internal controls to reinforce our compliance with legal, accounting, tax, and other regulatory requirements in every location in which we operate.
Stay in full compliance with our system of internal controls, and don’t hesitate to contact Ethics & Compliance or Finance if you have any questions. What follows are some core concepts that lie at the foundation of financial integrity and fiscal responsibility here at Certified Life Coach Institute.
-
Spending Certified Life Coach Institute’s Money
A core Certified Life Coach Institute value has always been to spend money wisely. When you submit an expense for reimbursement or spend money on Certified Life Coach Institute’s behalf, make sure that the cost is reasonable, directly related to company business, and supported by appropriate documentation. Always record the business purpose (e.g., if you take someone out to dinner on Certified Life Coach Institute, always record in our expense reimbursement tool the full names and titles of the people who attended as well as the reason for the dinner) and comply with other submission requirements. If you’re uncertain about whether you should spend money or submit an expense for reimbursement, check with your manager. Managers are responsible for all money spent and expenses incurred by their direct reports, and should carefully review such spend and expenses before approving.
-
Signing a Contract
Each time you enter into a business transaction on Certified Life Coach Institute’s behalf, there should be documentation recording that agreement, approved by the Legal Department. Signing a contract on behalf of Certified Life Coach Institute is a very big deal. Never sign any contract on behalf of Certified Life Coach Institute unless all of the following are met:-
You are authorized to do so under our Signature Authority and Approval Policy. If you are unsure whether you are authorized, ask your manager
-
The contract has been approved by Legal. If you are using an approved Certified Life Coach Institute form contract, you don’t need further Legal approval unless you have made changes to the form contract or are using it for other than its intended purpose
-
You have studied the contract, understood its terms and decided that entering into the contract is in Certified Life Coach Institute’s interest
-
-
All contracts at Certified Life Coach Institute should be in writing and should contain all of the relevant terms to which the parties are agreeing – Certified Life Coach Institute does not permit “side agreements,” oral or written.
-
Familiarize yourself with our Reporting of Financial and Accounting Concerns Policy. If you suspect or observe any of the conduct mentioned above or, for that matter, any irregularities relating to financial integrity or fiscal responsibility, no matter how small, immediately report them to Ethics & Compliance.
-
Hiring Suppliers
As Certified Life Coach Institute grows, we enter into more and more deals with suppliers of equipment and services. We should always strive for the best possible deal for Certified Life Coach Institute. This almost always requires that you solicit competing bids to make sure that you’re getting the best offer. While price is very important, it isn’t the only factor worth considering. Quality, service, reliability, and the terms and conditions of the proposed deal may also affect the final decision. Please do not hesitate to contact the Purchasing Team if you have any questions regarding how to procure equipment or services.
VII. Obey the Law
Certified Life Coach Institute takes its responsibilities to comply with laws and regulations very seriously and each of us is expected to comply with applicable legal requirements and prohibitions. While it’s impossible for anyone to know all aspects of every applicable law, you should understand the major laws and regulations that apply to your work. Take advantage of Legal and Ethics & Compliance to assist you here. A few specific laws are easy to violate unintentionally and so are worth pointing out here:
-
Trade Controls
U.S. and international trade laws control where Certified Life Coach Institute can send or receive its products and/or services. These laws are complex, and apply to:-
imports and exports from or into the U.S.
-
imports and exports of products from or into other countries, with additional concerns when those products contain components or technology of U.S. origin
-
exports of services or providing services to non-U.S. persons
-
exports of technical data, especially when the technical data is of U.S. origin
-
-
What constitutes an “import” or “export” under the law is pretty broad. For example:
-
exposing or allowing access by non-U.S. persons to U.S. technical data can be an “export”, regardless of what country the exposure occurred in
-
sending a server from one country (“country X”) into another country (“country Y”) is an export from country X and an import into country Y
-
permitting the download of software from one country (“country X”) into another country (“country Y”) is an export from country X
-
transporting technical data or software on your laptop, or tools or equipment in your luggage, may be an export and import
-
-
The bottom line: If you are in any way involved in sending or making available Certified Life Coach Institute products, services, software, equipment, or any form of technical data from one country to another, work with your manager to be absolutely sure that the transaction stays well within the bounds of applicable laws. If you or your manager are not sure, please contact Ethics & Compliance.
-
Competition Laws
Most countries have laws – known as “antitrust,” “competition,” or “unfair competition” laws – designed to promote free and fair competition. Generally speaking, these laws prohibit 1) arrangements with competitors that restrain trade in some way, 2) abuse of intellectual property rights, and 3) use of market power to unfairly disadvantage competitors.
Certain conduct is absolutely prohibited under these laws, and could result in your imprisonment, not to mention severe penalties for Certified Life Coach Institute.
Examples of prohibited conduct include:-
agreeing with competitors about prices
-
agreeing with competitors to rig bids or to allocate customers or markets
-
agreeing with competitors to boycott a supplier or customer
-
-
Other activities can also be illegal, unfair, or create the appearance of impropriety. Such activities include:
-
sharing competitively sensitive information (e.g., prices, costs, market distribution, etc.) with competitors
-
entering into a business arrangement or pursuing a strategy with the sole purpose of harming a competitor
-
using Certified Life Coach Institute’s size or strength to gain an unfair competitive advantage
-
-
Although the spirit of these laws is straightforward, their application to particular situations can be quite complex.
Certified Life Coach Institute is committed to competing fair and square, so please contact Ethics & Compliance if you have any questions about the antitrust laws and how they apply to you. Any personnel found to have violated Certified Life Coach Institute’s Antitrust Policies will, subject to local laws, be disciplined, up to and including termination of employment. If you suspect that anyone at the company is violating the competition laws, notify Ethics & Compliance immediately. -
Anti-bribery Laws
Like all businesses, Certified Life Coach Institute is subject to lots of laws, both U.S. and non-U.S., that prohibit bribery in virtually every kind of commercial setting. The rule for us at Certified Life Coach Institute is simple – don’t bribe anybody, anytime, for any reason. -
Non-government relationships
You should be careful when you give gifts and pay for meals, entertainment, or other business courtesies on behalf of Certified Life Coach Institute. We want to avoid the possibility that the gift, entertainment, or other business courtesy could be perceived as a bribe, so it’s always best to provide such business courtesies infrequently and, when we do, to keep their value moderate. Consult Certified Life Coach Institute’s Non-Government Related Gifts and Client Entertainment Policy before providing any business courtesies and contact Ethics & Compliance if you have any questions. -
Dealing with government officials
Offering gifts, entertainment, or other business courtesies that could be perceived as bribes becomes especially problematic if you’re dealing with a government official. “Government officials” include any government employee; candidate for public office; or employee of government-owned or -controlled companies, public international organizations, or political parties. Several laws around the world, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the UK Bribery Act, specifically prohibit offering or giving anything of value to government officials to influence official action or to secure an improper advantage. This not only includes traditional gifts, but also things like meals, travel, political or charitable contributions, and job offers for government officials’ relatives. Never give gifts to thank government officials for doing their jobs. By contrast, it can be permissible to make infrequent and moderate expenditures for gifts and business entertainment for government officials that are directly tied to promoting our products or services (e.g., providing a modest meal at a day-long demonstration of Certified Life Coach Institute products). Payment of such expenses can be acceptable (assuming they are permitted under local law) but may require pre-approval from Ethics & Compliance under Certified Life Coach Institute’s Anti-Bribery and Government Ethics Policy.
The U.S. also has strict rules that severely limit the ability of a company or its employees to give gifts and business courtesies to a U.S. government official and also limit the official’s ability to accept such gifts. The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act prohibits giving any gifts, including travel and other courtesies, to Members, Officers, and employees of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives unless they fit within one of a number of specific exceptions. Gifts to employees of the U.S. executive branch are also regulated and subject to limits. Finally, state and local government officials in the U.S. are also subject to additional legal restrictions. Consult Certified Life Coach Institute’s Anti-Bribery and Government Ethics Policy before giving any such gifts or business courtesies and obtain all required pre-approvals. In sum, before offering any gifts or business courtesies to a U.S. or other government official, you should consult Certified Life Coach Institute’s Anti-Bribery and Government Ethics Policy. Carefully follow the limits and prohibitions described there, and obtain any required pre-approvals. If after consulting the Policy you aren’t sure what to do, ask Ethics & Compliance.
VIII. Conclusion
Certified Life Coach Institute aspires to be a different kind of company. It’s impossible to spell out every possible ethical scenario we might face. Instead, we rely on one another’s good judgment to uphold a high standard of integrity for ourselves and our company. We expect all Certified Life Coach Instituters to be guided by both the letter and the spirit of this Code. Sometimes, identifying the right thing to do isn’t an easy call. If you aren’t sure, don’t be afraid to ask questions of your manager, Legal or Ethics & Compliance.
And remember… don’t be evil, and if you see something that you think isn’t right – speak up!
Legal Notices
Yes, legalese is boring, but we must protect ourselves – and by extension, you and your data – against unfriendly folks. We have a Terms of Service and Privacy Policy describing your (and our) behavior and rights related to content, privacy, and laws.
To use this service, you must agree to abide by our Terms of Service and the Privacy Policy. This Code of Conduct does not modify our Terms of Service and is not intended to be a complete list. Certified Life Coach Institute retains full discretion under the Terms of Service to remove any content or terminate any accounts for activity that is "unlawful, offensive, threatening, libelous, defamatory, pornographic, obscene or otherwise objectionable or violates any party's intellectual property or these Terms of Service." This Code of Conduct describes when we will exercise that discretion.