Values, Ethics and Conduct

INTRODUCTION

BoB membership and our meetings are intended to be friendly, relaxed, enjoyable, informal and professionally productive. While our Constitution specifies our Purpose, Objectives and Governance Procedures, our Values, Ethics and Conduct are designed to ensure that we know what we stand for and, accordingly, how we will conduct ourselves and relate to one another. It is our hope that we will never need to call a member’s attention to them, but they are there simply to ensure that we can all conduct our business safe in the knowledge that our fellow members will demonstrate integrity and respect, and that we are a group of equals.

Should any member consistently undermine this situation by failing to abide by our Values, Ethics and Conduct, the Committee is authorised, ultimately, to require that member to leave the Group. We very much hope this will never happen!

Within the security of this framework, let us meet, develop valuable relationships, relax, enjoy a good breakfast, and do some useful business!

VALUES AND ETHICS

Our Values and Ethics are:

Integrity

Members will display honesty and reliability at all times: their word will be their bond.

Respect for Others

Members will treat each other with respect, courtesy and consideration at all times.

Equality

All active, permanent status members (regular attendees with 6 months+ reviewed membership) have equal rights and responsibilities as members of the group. All members and associate members will interact with one another as equals.

Committee members have additional responsibilities when acting in this capacity on behalf of the group.

CONDUCT

Application Process

The conduct of the application process is detailed in the BoB Constitution.

Routine Conduct

In accordance with our Values and Ethics, members agree to adopt the following conduct as a matter of routine:

To be good ambassadors for the Group.
To conduct themselves in a way that is respectful of other members of the group.
If also a member of a rival breakfast networking group within a 10 mile radius, to ensure that there is no material conflict of interest; and, in the event that the Committee conclude (by majority) that there is such a conflict, to be prepared to cease membership of one or other of the groups.
To pay BoB monthly subscriptions (£30 per month) on time or make arrangements if suffering financial difficulty.
To attend meetings as regularly as possible and, in normal circumstances, at least 60% of meetings held each year. (This regular attendance constitutes ‘active membership’. Members whose attendance falls below this level may be asked to step aside if we receive an application to join from someone in the same business category.)
To be prepared to contribute a small amount of time to BoB business if so requested by the BoB Committee.
To instigate, and be open to invitations for, 121 meetings with fellow members.
To offer mutual support to other members, and especially new ones.
To be reasonable in requests for mutual support, not crossing the line to what should become a contracted professional relationship.
To be alert to referrals that might be passed to fellow members.
To follow up, promptly, on referrals given and provide feedback.
To stick to a quoted price and/or terms agreed with a fellow member (although with some flexibility in extenuating circumstances).
To pay fellow members in a timely manner or proactively discuss terms if in difficulty.
To return data on referrals passed, 121s and business received through BoB.
To maintain a functioning email service, which is answered within 24 hours.
To maintain, as a minimum, a website holding page with contact details.

Conduct Before and At Group Meetings

Group Meetings are normally held on the first and third Wednesday of every month. In accordance with our Values and Ethics, members agree to adopt the following conduct leading up to and at the meetings:

Before Group Meetings

To respond promptly to the Committee Member for IT Support’s ‘Calling Email’, to confirm attendance or non-attendance at the meeting, ideally by 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before the meeting and no later than 12:00 noon on the Monday before it. This ensures that costs are kept to a minimum and food is not wasted.
In the event that having confirmed attendance at the meeting, and subsequently being unable to attend, to inform the Committee Member for IT Support by no later than 7:00 p.m. the evening before the meeting.
In the event of non-attendance at a meeting without having notified of this as above, to make a contribution of £10 which the Committee will pass to a loacl charity or local community group or project of its choice.
To fulfil commitments to the 10 Minute Presentation and the Education Slot in accordance with the published roster. If unable to present on a date allocated, to arrange a swap with a fellow member and inform the Committee Member for Training and Mutual Support of the details.
To ensure that the business of any potential visitor to be invited does not overlap with that of a fellow member. If in any doubt, to check with the member who may be compromised and accept their ruling on the matter without demur.
To inform the Committee Member for IT Support of any visitor invited, by 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before the meeting, and ensure that the visitor fee of £10 including breakfast is paid.
To ensure that any visitor invited has all the information they need to prepare, find the venue on time and get the most out of the meeting.

During Group Meetings

To arrive in good time.
To turn phones to silent.
To make new members and visitors feel welcome and supported throughout the meeting.
To react promptly when the chairman starts the meeting or initiates breakfast. (This helps to keep the meeting to the allocated time and means everyone can get to work on time.)
To keep the One Minute Pitch to one minute and wrap up immediately when the buzzer goes at the end of this time. (Again, this helps to prevent wasting fellow members’ valuable time – a 5 minute overrun on a meeting multiplied by the number of attendees adds up to nearly 2 hours of lost productivity.)
To keep the 10 Minute Presentation and the 5 Minute Education Slot to 10 minutes and 5 minutes respectively.
To respect the exclusivity of business categories in One Minute Pitches, 10 Minute Presentations, 5 Minute Education Slots and general discussions – and not to stray into other members’ areas.
To listen attentively when the chairman or a fellow member is speaking.
- To refrain from conducting side conversations - which make it difficult for the speaker to concentrate and for other members to follow the narrative.
- To refrain from interrupting at inappropriate moments.
- To keep questions short and to the point – avoiding long monologues
- To engage in appropriate morale-building banter, but within sensible limits so that it does not dominate or derail the meeting.
When asking questions following a 10 Minute Presentation or 5 Minute Education Slot, to keep them short and to the point (as above), avoiding dominating the session by starting a debate but instead allowing others a chance to ask their questions.
To set up a 121 with the relevant member to explore in detail matters of particular interest that arise, rather than pursuing them in depth at the meeting.

Associate Members

Associate Members are expected to conform to the values and ethics of BoB whenever appropriate,