Code of Ethics

Personal Integrity

A personal commitment to integrity in all circumstances benefits each individual as well as the organization. Heart of Illinois United Way volunteers and employees:

• Respect and seek out the truth and avoid misrepresentation.
• Ensure fairness and objectivity in all activities.
• Set an example, as volunteers and employees of a leading nonprofit organization, for high standards of professionalism.
• Honor the right of privacy of all people, including volunteers, coworkers, contributors, and beneficiaries.

Personal Excellence

The Heart of Illinois United Way promotes professional excellence and encourages open and honest communication among all volunteers and employees to create an atmosphere conducive to personal growth and career development.


Heart of Illinois United Way's Management:

• Encourages volunteer and employee development to help them achieve their goals and increase their self-esteem.
• Evaluates volunteers and employees on a fair and consistent basis so everyone knows what is expected of them and how they are progressing toward fulfilling expectations.
• Shows respect and empathy for volunteers and employees and is considerate while being mindful of responsibilities.
• Regularly solicits and respects opinions of volunteers and employees.

Heart of Illinois United Way's Volunteers and Employees:

• Strive to meet standards at the highest level.
• Refuse to engage in, or tolerate, any fraud, misuse, abuse or waste of Heart of Illinois United Way resources.
• Encourage growth and self-improvement in themselves and their fellow volunteers and coworkers.
• Exhibit respect for volunteers and coworkers and all those they come into contact with.
• Have the courage to face situations squarely and offer a minority opinion when necessary.
• Examine all alternatives with the understanding that the easiest action is not always in the best interest of the organization.
• Comply with all legal requirements concerning substance abuse.
• Comply with all other laws and regulations affecting the organization and their personal obligations.
• Discuss any questions concerning interpretations or compliance with the Code of Ethics.
• Encourage the reporting of breaches of the Code and protect those who report.

Accountability and Efficiency

The Heart of Illinois United Way has responsibilities to its customers including donors, collaborating organizations, and other stakeholders. These customers have placed faith in Heart of Illinois United Way. To uphold this trust, Heart of Illinois United Way volunteers and employees:

• Make full and fair disclosure of all relevant information to customers who have a right to know how their dollars are spent.
• Are good stewards of donations spending the money wisely, efficiently, and in a way that advances Heart of Illinois United Way’s mission.

Responsibilities to Volunteers

Volunteers who serve Heart of Illinois United Way through its Board of Directors and Committees are crucial to the success of the organization. In order to support volunteers to serve effectively and to obtain satisfaction from their service, Heart of Illinois United Way employees:

• Support volunteers so they can perform to the highest level of their contribution and personal satisfaction.
• Treat all volunteers with fairness, equity, and respect, providing appropriate mechanisms for their views and interests to be expressed.
• Involve volunteers at appropriate levels and phases of the decision-making process.
• Assist in the development and the understanding of the roles of volunteers and employees, respectively; set clear standards of performance for volunteers and appropriately recognize their contributions.
• Provide benefits and perquisites to volunteers which are consistent with the spirit of voluntarism.

Responsibilities of Volunteers

Volunteers also represent Heart of Illinois United Way and set examples through their ethical conduct and professionalism. Volunteers:

• Review the Code of Ethics of Heart of Illinois United Way and ensure that they adhere to the spirit of the Code when making policy or otherwise managing the affairs of the organization.
• Do not knowingly take any action or make any statement intended to influence the conduct of Heart of Illinois United Way in such a way as to confer any financial benefit on such volunteers, their immediate family members, or any corporation in which they or their family members have a significant interest as stockholders, directors, or officers.

In the event that there comes before the Board of Directors a matter for consideration or decision that raises a potential conflict of interest for any member of the board, the member shall disclose the potential conflict of interest as soon as he or she becomes aware of it and shall withdraw from the meeting during discussion, review, and voting in connection with the matter. The disclosure and withdrawal shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.

Each Board member shall file annual disclosures of potential conflicts.

Vendor Relations

Vendors are treated fairly to avoid favoritism or appearances of impropriety. Heart of Illinois United Way:

• Affords all vendors the opportunity to offer or qualify their products or services on a competitive basis.
• Conducts all competitive bidding in a fair and professional manner.
• Purchases all products and services under its purchasing policy procedures, which adhere to this Code of Ethics.

Equal Opportunity

Heart of Illinois United Way is an equal opportunity employer/organization. Heart of Illinois United Way volunteers and employees:

• Respect all volunteers, coworkers, and all other individuals without regard to race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, national origin or ancestry, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, or status as a qualified disabled individual.
• Refuse to engage in, or tolerate in, others any form of sexual harassment, as provided in the organization’s policy against sexual harassment.
• Strive to create an environment conducive to professionalism.

Conflict(s) of Interest

To avoid even the appearance of a conflict(s) of interest which would tarnish the image of the organization and undermine the public’s trust in Heart of Illinois United Way and its volunteers and employees:

• Avoid any activity or outside interest which conflicts or appears to conflict with the best interest of Heart of Illinois United Way, including involvement with a current or potential Heart of Illinois United Way vendor, grantee, or competing organization unless disclosed to and approved by the employee’s supervisor.
• Refrain from participating in or influencing any decision or other action of Heart of Illinois United Way that could result in a direct or indirect benefit to his or her family or any organization with which the employee is substantially affiliated.

Personal Gain

No volunteer or employee should accept any gratuity or favor for fulfilling their responsibilities to our organization. Heart of Illinois United Way volunteers and employees:

• Do not solicit or accept gratuities, gifts, or favors, other than promotional gifts of nominal value, for themselves or their families.
• Do not accept food, transportation, lodging, or entertainment unless directly related to Heart of Illinois United Way.
• Do not use Heart of Illinois United Way resources for personal gain.

Other Activities

Volunteers and employees cannot use Heart of Illinois United Way resources to facilitate activities (including outside employment by HOIUW staff) that would interfere with their responsibilities to/within Heart of Illinois United Way and thereby adversely affect Heart of Illinois United Way.

Travel, Entertainment, and Related Expenses

Travel, entertainment, and related expenses are incurred on a basis consistent with the mission of Heart of Illinois United Way. Accordingly, expenses must have prior approval and comply with policies adopted by the Heart of Illinois United Way Board of Directors.

Favoritism

Favoritism based on family or close personal relationships is unfair to volunteers and employees. The appearance of favoritism is easily perceived, even in some cases of friendship, that otherwise are harmless. Accordingly:

• Persons related to Heart of Illinois United Way volunteers and employees by blood or marriage are not to be employed by our organization except under special circumstances that are clearly in the best interest of Heart of Illinois United Way and disclosed immediately to the Heart of Illinois United Way Board of Directors.
• Heart of Illinois United Way volunteers and employees do not supervise or exercise authority over volunteers and staff with whom they have a relationship that adversely affects impartiality.
• Heart of Illinois United Way volunteers and employees consider the nature and appearance of their relationships with other volunteers and employees to ensure that their decisions and actions are fair.
• Heart of Illinois United Way volunteers and employees with decision-making authority do not improperly influence the selection of new hires, consultants, or service providers who are affiliated with a person with whom they have a relationship that adversely affects impartiality.

Solicitations

Heart of Illinois United Way volunteers and employees:

• Do not solicit or distribute literature to fellow volunteers or employees for purposes inconsistent with the Heart of Illinois United Way mission during organization's events, meetings, and/or while on premises.
• Do not use Heart of Illinois United Way time commitments for non-Heart of Illinois United Way purposes.
• Are never required to contribute or respond to a solicitation for fear that their response will be a factor in their standing.

Confidential Information

Confidentiality is a hallmark of professionalism. Heart of Illinois United Way volunteers and employees:

• Ensure that all information which is confidential or privileged or which is not publicly available is not disclosed inappropriately.
• Ensure that all non-public information of other persons or firms acquired by Heart of Illinois United Way in dealing with outside firms on behalf of Heart of Illinois United Way is treated as confidential and not disclosed.

Disclosure(s)

Heart of Illinois United Way volunteers and employees are encouraged to disclose any perceived breaches of the Code of Ethics of which they are aware. Disclosure should be made to the President or immediate supervisor. Any reported breaches will be investigated and appropriate action, if needed, will be taken.

Confidentiality will be maintained for the volunteer and employee disclosing the breach, unless the matter raises serious legal implications. In such instances, the volunteer or employee disclosing the breach will be notified. Heart of Illinois United Way management will not take any adverse action against volunteers or employees solely for disclosing perceived breaches of the Code.

Heart of Illinois United Way encourages all volunteers and employees to be prompt, open, and forthright in reporting perceived breaches of the Code of Ethics.

Partner Agency Affiliations
Share your personal, professional, volunteer, financial, or other affiliation(s) with Heart of Illinois United Way partner agency(-ies).

Code of Ethics Acknowledgment

This comprehensive Code of Ethics was developed and approved by the Board of Directors of the Heart of Illinois United Way. Volunteers and employees for Heart of Illinois United Way set an example for other nonprofit organizations by their high standards of performance, professionalism, and ethical conduct.

By submitting this form, I acknowledge my responsibility to: 1) maintain objectivity and impartiality and recuse myself from discussions, actions, and decisions where I have a disclosed conflict of interest; 2) represent the interests of all individuals served by HOIUW, its partner agencies, and funded programming; and 3) maintain the confidentiality of information written, presented, or discussed.

I have read, understand, and agree to abide by this Code of Ethics.