An essential characteristic of a profession is the need for its members to abide by a Code of Conduct. The Association requires its members to subscribe to a set of values and ideals, which uphold and advance the honour, dignity and effectiveness of the profession of Alarm Monitoring and the associated business of Electronic Security.
The Members adopt this Code of Conduct, as set out in the Association’s Constitution.
1. Primary Objective
The objectives of the Code of Conduct are:
- to strive to ensure the best and safest options for consumers and the public are made possible by the Members;
- to work with regulatory authorities to improve the Industry; and
- for Natioanl Alarm Association of Australia Members to uphold with integrity the intent and spirit of the Industry’s objectives in the provision of alarm monitoring, electronic security services and products.
To achieve the objectives, Association Members must:
- Apply the highest levels of professionalism, integrity and honesty to all business activities.
- Ensure that all work undertaken, services and products provided comply with the provisions of the applicable Industry legislation.
- Ensure that all documentation and work undertaken conforms to the relevant quality assurance standards.
- Ensure that safety and security are key factors in all business activities.
- Strive to increase the competence and prestige of the Association’s Members.
2. Values, Ideals and Conduct
Each Association member shall be bound by the Values and Ideals, and Conduct as set out below:
2.1 Values and Ideals
Members must act with professional responsibility and integrity in their dealings with the community and clients, employers, employees and associates.
2.2 Competence
Members must work competently and diligently for their clients and employers.
2.3 Honesty
Members must be honest in their representations of skills, knowledge, services and products.
Members must not engage in false, misleading or deceptive conduct or otherwise
bring the security industry into disrepute.
2.5 Professional Development
Members must enhance their own professional development and that of their colleagues.
2.6 Alarm Monitoring and Electronic Security Industry
Members must enhance the integrity of the industry and the respect of its members for each other.
3. Standards of Conduct
The standards of conduct, set out below, explain how the Code of Conduct applies to a member's professional work. The list is not necessarily exhaustive and should not be read as definitively demarking the acceptable from the unacceptable in professional conduct in all practical situations faced by a member. The intention of the standards of conduct is to illustrate, and to explain in more detail, the meaning of the Code of Conduct in terms of specific behaviour. The fact that a member engages in, or does not engage in, these standards, does not of itself guarantee that a member is acting ethically, or unethically, as applicable. A member is expected to take into account the spirit of the Code of Conduct in order to resolve ambiguous or contentious issues concerning ethical conduct.
3.1 Priorities
3.1.1 Members must endeavour to preserve continuity of services and information flow in their care.
3.1.2 Members must endeavour to preserve the integrity and security of the information of others.
3.1.3 Members must respect the proprietary nature of the information of others.
3.1.4 Members must endeavour to preserve the confidentiality of the information of others.
3.1.5 Members must advise their client or employer of any potential conflicts of interest between their assignment and legal or other accepted community requirements.
3.1.6 Members must advise their clients and employers as soon as possible of any conflicts of interest or conscientious objections, which face them in connection with their work.
3.2 Competence
3.2.1 Members must endeavour to provide products and services, which match the operational and financial needs of their clients and employers.
3.2.2 Members must give value for money in the services and products they supply.
3.2.3 Members must make themselves aware of relevant standards, and act accordingly.
3.2.4 Members must respect and protect their clients' and employers' proprietary interests.
3.2.5 Members must accept responsibility for their work.
3.2.6 Members must advise their clients and employers when they believe a proposed project is not in their best interest.
3.2.7 Members must go beyond their brief, if necessary, in order to act professionally.
4. Honesty
4.1 Members must not knowingly mislead client or potential client as to the suitability of a product or service.
4.2 Members must not misrepresent their skills or knowledge.
4.3 Members must give assessments and opinions, which are as far as possible unbiased and objective.
4.4 Members must give realistic estimates for activities under their control.
4.5 Members must qualify professional opinions, which Members know are based on limited knowledge or experience.
4.6 Members must give credit for work done by others where credit is due.
4.7 Members must ensure their employees and contractors are fairly remunerated in
accordance with applicable State and Federal legislation.
5. Safety and Social Implications
5.1 Members must protect and promote the health and safety of those affected by their work.
5.2 Members must ensure their employees and contractors are provided with a safe
work environment and are appropriately supported in the delivery of services on
behalf of the Member.
5.3 Members must consider and respect people's privacy, which might be affected by their work.
5.4 Members must respect their employees and refrain from treating them unfairly.
5.5 Members must endeavour to understand, and give due regard to, the perceptions of those affected by their work.
5.6 Members must attempt to increase the feelings of personal satisfaction, competence, and control of those affected by their work.
5.7 Members must not require, or attempt to influence, any person to take any action, which would involve a breach of the Code of Ethics or otherwise compromise safety.
5.8 Members must deliver security services in a competent and professional manner and ensure their employees and contractors deliver security services in a competent and professional manner as well as taking into consideration the public interest and the need to maintain privacy and confidentiality in their
dealings.
6. Compliance with Legislation
Members Members must comply with and ensure their employees and contractors comply with applicable State and Federal legislation, in particular State and Federal legislation applicable to the Security Industry, as listed in Appendix 1.
7. Professional Development
7.1 Members must continue to upgrade their knowledge and skills.
7.2 Members must increase their awareness of issues affecting the Industry and its relationship with the community.
7.3 Members must encourage their colleagues, employees and others to continue their own professional development.
7.4 Members must engage in industry best practice in the delivery of its services and actively participate in industry related forums designed to raise the standard of service delivery.
8. Industry Professionals
8.1 Members must respect, and seek when necessary, the professional opinions of colleagues in their areas of competence.
8.2 Members must not knowingly engage in, or be associated with, dishonest or fraudulent practices.
8.3 Members must not attempt to enhance their own reputation at the expense of another's reputation.
8.4 Members must co-operate in advancing the Industry by communication with other professionals, and the public, and by contributing to the efforts of professional and scientific societies and educational institutions.
8.5 Members must maintain appropriate and accurate records that meet relevant legislative standards and enable regulatory authorities and the Association to determine its level of compliance.
8.6 Members must distance themselves professionally from someone whose Membership of the Association has been terminated because of unethical behaviour or unsatisfactory conduct.
8.7 Members must take appropriate action (see 8.8) if they discover a member, or a person who could potentially be a member, of the Association engaging in unethical behaviour. The Board of Directors will make the final decision on what action, if any, should be taken. Members of the Association are not authorised to act or publicly or release opinions on the Associations’ behalf.
8.8 Members must seek advice from the Association when faced with an ethical dilemma they are unable to resolve by themselves.
8.9 Members mustensure they have in place procedures to deal appropriately and promptly with complaints about the provision of their services and actively engage in the resolution of complaints raised with the Association through its complaint management policy.
8.10 Members must ensure they proactively raise breaches of the code of conduct with the Association where they come to the attention of the Member.
8.11 Where a breach of the Code of Conduct is brought to the attention of the Association, the Association will raise this with the Member in writing and provide it with the opportunity to remedy the breach in the first instance before taking appropriate disciplinary action by way of a show cause notice why the membership of the Association should not be cancelled.
8.12 Members must do what they can to ensure that the corporate actions of the Association are in accordance with this code of ethics.