USAWE Code of Conduct

Code of Conduct – Officers and Directors

Duly elected and appointed Officers and Directors of USA Working Equitation (USAWE) shall agree to and abide by this Code of Conduct in promoting and advancing the sport of working equitation in the United States.

Officers and Directors shall commit to upholding and promoting the highest level of ethical conduct in the performance and administration of their duties on behalf of USAWE.

Officers and Directors recognize that even the appearance of misconduct or impropriety can be very damaging to the reputation and integrity of USAWE and will act accordingly.

Accountability

  • Officers and Directors shall abide by the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and the Policies and Procedures manual of USAWE.
  • Officers and Directors shall conduct all USAWE business in good faith, with honesty, integrity, due diligence, and competence in governing and managing USAWE’s affairs.
  • Officers and Directors shall exercise good faith in their dealings with USAWE members, show managers, vendors, and the general public and will interact with these individuals in a responsible, respectful, and professional manner, free from discrimination, self-dealing, or harassment of any type.
  • Officers and Directors shall uphold the strict confidentiality of all closed meetings and other confidential deliberations and communications.
  • Officers and Directors shall hold themselves and each other accountable for the administration of financial responsibilities to USAWE.

Conflict of Interest

  • Conflict of Interest is defined as an existing or potential incompatibility between an Officer’s or Director’s private interests and his/her duties toward USAWE.
  • Officers and Directors will avoid conflicts of interest, both real and perceived, whenever possible, and disclose conflicts of interest whenever they exist and cannot be avoided. They will excuse themselves from voting on any matter where a conflict of interest exists.
  • Officers and Directors shall exercise the powers vested in their position for the benefit of the organization and its members, rather than for personal benefit.
  • Officers and Directors will never use USAWE assets or information for personal gain, financial or otherwise.
  • Appointments to committees shall be made without bias or intent to influence the business of the committees.

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

This Social Media Policy governs the commentary via social media by Officers, Directors, Licensed Officials, and Professional Instructors when acting as a USA Working Equitation official or can be perceived as acting as a USAWE official. For the purposes of this policy, social media means any tool for online publication and commentary, including but not limited to blogs, Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and any other new media.

This Social Media Policy does not limit a person’s right to post their opinions as an individual, when not acting as an Officer, Director, Licensed Official, or Professional Instructor.

STATEMENT OF POLICY

Officers, Directors, Licensed Officials, and Professional Instructors may use social media as a conduit for conveying their activities in the WE environment. All uses of social media must follow the same ethical standards as outlined in the Code of Conduct (Officers and Directors) or Code of Ethics (Licensed Officials and Professional Instructors).

Officers, Directors, Licensed Officials, and Professional Instructors may not represent themselves as an authority for the organization on social media.

FOLLOWING THE POLICY

Officers, Directors, Licensed Officials, and Professional Instructors must make every effort to consider all options within the context of appropriate civil behavior when responding to comments on social media, including the option of no response. It is best to err on the side of caution. When in doubt, do not post, comment, or engage. If you are unsure whether or not something is appropriate to post on social media, contact the Ethics Committee before making the post live. If you, for whatever reason, take an action that conflicts with this policy, you may be contacted by the Ethics Committee to resolve the situation and may be asked to withdraw, correct, or revise the posting. Failure to adhere to this policy or the resolution determined by the Ethics Committee may result in suspension of membership or licensure.

What You Should Do

  • Disclose your affiliation. If you talk about USAWE matters that are within your role as an Officer, Director, Licensed Official, or Professional Instructor, you must disclose your affiliation with USAWE.
  • State that it is your opinion. Unless authorized to speak for USAWE, you must state that the views are your own. No one should speak on behalf of USAWE without express permission.
  • Keep your comments respectful, professional, and helpful. Respectful discussions are a way for the sport and the organization to grow.
  • Protect yourself. Be careful about what personal information you share online.
  • Act responsibly and ethically. Do not misrepresent yourself.
  • Honor our differences. USAWE will not tolerate discriminatory comments of any kind (including age, sex, race, color, creed, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, disability, or marital status, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state, or local laws, regulations, or ordinances).

What You Should Not Do

  • Do not publish, post, or release information that is considered confidential.
  • Do not discuss anything to do with a legal issue.
  • Do not use the USAWE logo unless expressly permitted.

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