AMTA-IA :Code of Conduct

Appointed Volunteer Code of Conduct

I. Purpose and Philosophy
Appointed volunteers in the American Massage Therapy Association hereinafter referred to as AMTA, play a vital role in its operation of and in the conduct of activities. The code of conduct, hereinafter referred to as the code, has been created as a written agreement to facilitate mutual trust and accountability between the AMTA and the appointed volunteer. The purpose of the code is to provide a benchmark for personal and professional behavior as appointed volunteers fulfill their leadership duties in accordance with the AMTA 501(c) 6 tax exempt standing; while supporting the AMTA’s strategic plan, value proposition, and strategic principles.

II. Responsibilities Allegiance and Diligence
While volunteering for AMTA, appointed volunteers will conduct themselves in a professional manner in all activities related to AMTA. The standards used will meet this code as they carry out their responsibilities for AMTA.

Duty of Leadership
Appointed volunteers will promote, support, and follow the AMTA’s strategic plan, value proposition, and strategic principles. This requires acting in the best interest of AMTA and its members.

Appointed volunteers will read and have a working knowledge of the bylaws, policies, financial reports, committee reports, and other documents pertaining to the operations of the AMTA, as they pertain to the position that they hold as an appointed volunteer.
Appointed volunteers will devote the time necessary to stay current and to participate in board meetings and conference calls as they pertain to the position that they hold as an appointed volunteer.
Duty of Obedience
The governing board of AMTA must comply with state and federal law and conform to the AMTA’s 501(c) 6 tax exempt standing, articles of incorporation, bylaws and policies. Appointed volunteers must support the governing board as it endeavors to maintain the corporation’s 501(c) 6 tax exempt standing, articles of incorporation, bylaws and policies. To comply with the duty of obedience appointed volunteers are forbidden to act outside the scope of corporate authority. This requires:

Appropriate duties that require appointed volunteers to act in good faith, responsibly, with due care, competence and diligence.
The duty to monitor and inquire when there is something that alerts appointed volunteers to a wrong direction, something outside the mission of the AMTA, or an illegal action. It is the appointed volunteers’ responsibility to monitor the information received to make sure the direction taken is appropriate and within the scope of the articles of incorporation, not to micromanage why something was done a certain way.
When the appointed volunteer delegates assignments and/or duties to designees, any actions taken by the designees must be responsible and accountable to the assignment.
Duty of Loyalty
To meet the duty of loyalty appointed volunteers must act in good faith and must not allow personal interests to prevail over the interests of AMTA. Appointed volunteers agree to:

Be for the interest of the entire membership and AMTA not for special interest groups within the membership and AMTA.
Duty of Care
Requires appointed volunteers to be diligent and prudent in managing their assignments and charges including direction setting, cultural improvement, and where applicable, appointed volunteer oversight. Appointed volunteers are charged with governing and must handle the organizational duties with such care, as an ordinary prudent person would use under similar circumstances.

III. Conflict of Interest
Appointed volunteers will:

At all times act in the best interests of the American Massage Therapy Association and subordinate personal, individual business, third-party, and other interests to the welfare and best interests of AMTA.
Be honest and fully disclose, explore, and obtain direction and supervision from the Committee chair and/or Board Supervisor and/or appropriate staff liaison on any/all issues, business or personal, in activities where there is an actual or perceived conflict of interest. This process will take place before the appointed volunteer’s service/continued service and/or participation in any decision where there is actual or perceived conflict of interest.
Follow the AMTA’s Conflict of Interest policy as stated in the AMTA Policy Manual. Make full disclosure of training, credentials, and experience, professional intentions, and business, financial and organizational associations as they relate to carrying out AMTA duties.
To avoid conflict of interest, appointed volunteers will:

Not deal or conduct any private business or personal services between any appointed volunteers and the AMTA, except as procedurally controlled, to assure openness, competitive opportunity, and equal access to public information.
Not use appointed volunteer position(s) to obtain employment for themselves, family members, and/or close associates. Should appointed volunteers desire employment, they must first resign from the position being held.
Immediately disclose in writing to the National Board of Directors and Executive Director any plans for personal involvement(s) with other massage and non-massage organizations, vendors, and associations that may be an actual or perceived conflict of interest to AMTA business.
Appointed volunteers will not attempt to exercise individual authority over AMTA except as explicitly set forth in the bylaws and/or policy, including:

During interactions with the public, media or other entities. Appointed volunteers must recognize the limitations set forth in Board policy and/or bylaws and may not speak on behalf of or for the Board except to repeat explicitly stated Board decisions.
Appointed volunteers will participate in Board decisions only and not have day to day operational management authority or responsibility for the association. It is the staff under the direction of the Executive Director who is responsible for managing the association on a day to day basis.
IV. Confidentiality
Appointed volunteers will respect confidential information acquired in the course of their service as follows:

Respect the confidentiality of written and verbal communications, including issues of a sensitive nature, except when authorized by the President or legally required to disclose such information.
Treat as AMTA’s intellectual property all work that is generated as part of any AMTA sponsored project including, but not limited to Board and committee work and deliberation. Permission to reuse or reprint such work must be authorized by the Board, Executive Committee, or compelled by legal requirement.
Only publicly comment on matters of fact that have been approved to be released by the Board.
Not use confidential information for personal or professional advantage.
V. General Application of the code
The Board of Directors will regularly review the scope and implementation of the code of conduct to ensure the code remains mutually beneficial to AMTA and its appointed volunteers.

VI. Authority
I understand that any violation of this code of conduct may result in my removal from my volunteer position(s) or other disciplinary action up to and including termination of my membership in AMTA.

VII. Return of AMTA Property
If directed, appointed volunteers must return AMTA property (information, tools or equipment) within 10 business days.

VIII. Statement of Commitment to the Code of Conduct
As an appointed volunteer for the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), I have read and I understand the above stated code of conduct. I solemnly affirm to honestly and faithfully execute the position to which I am appointed and agree that it is my individual responsibility to abide by the appointed volunteer code of conduct, AMTA Code of Ethics, and Standards of Practice. I commit myself to ethical conduct at all times as a professional and in my appointed volunteer role.