The Credit Research Foundation Member Code of Conduct

The mission and founding principal of the Credit Research Foundation is:

… To provide education and research for today’s credit risk management professionals and service providers and/or professionals serving the risk management, procure-to-pay, order-to-cash, shared services and/or other adjacent disciplines (hereinafter referred to as “the Community”) by communicating the value of credit and receivables management in businesses around the world. CRF promotes leadership and provides dialogue between practice and education. As a professional organization, CRF serves its diverse membership by recognizing excellence, promoting the exchange of information and fostering innovation. The Credit Research Foundation is dedicated to communicating the value of business-to-business credit and receivable management to business leaders and senior financial managers.

The Credit Research Foundation has long been dedicated to those individuals and organizations within the Community and those that meet their needs. In 2003, the Board of Trustees of CRF developed a Code of Conduct to demonstrate the ethical standards by which members must comply to maintain their affiliation with the Credit Research Foundation. It is understood that CRF has, as some of its members, service providers to the credit and A/R field. The Board realizes the value these service providers can bring to the various projects and products that CRF develops through their specific expertise in certain fields. We encourage input by all practitioners and service providers when appropriate so that everyone’s input and expertise can add value to any project.

It must be understood, however, in accordance with this Code of Conduct and the general mission of the Foundation, no service provider member may promote their product or service in a manner that is objectionable to members and that does not comply with the spirit of this Code or the general welfare or detriment of the Foundation. Further, CRF has developed the Platinum Sponsorship that permits a limited number of members to be recognized as financial supporters of the Foundation. In return, Platinum members are granted a number of unique benefits, receive specific verbal and written attribution for their support and a prioritized opportunity to engage in educational programs that are critical to the community. Similar opportunities are afforded to the attorney firms comprising the Friends of the Foundation.

Hence, this Code serves to create awareness and boundaries for not only members of the Foundation but the Foundation itself.  It is intended to identify and assess unethical or unacceptable behavior from other CRF members. To ensure protection, each member will be evaluated annually in accordance with this Code, and to the extent that any member does not meet compliance, they will be asked to sever their membership with the Credit Research Foundation.

Also, in observance of this Code, CRF will not disclose to any non-member organization, a list that includes the name of any individual or company member including their address, phone number or email address other than what is sanctioned by the Foundation as a member benefit.

Guiding Principles & Responsibilities:

Solicitation: It will be against the Code of Conduct for any member of the Credit Research Foundation to solicit business, in a manner that is deemed unacceptable to the receiving party, prior, during or after any CRF sponsored activity, particularly in relationship to that activity. This includes the Credit and Accounts Receivable Open Forum, any project meetings, or any social event hosted by the Credit Research Foundation.

Misuse and unauthorized use of work: All Credit Research Foundation material in any form (electronic or paper) is copyrighted material and the intellectual property of the Credit Research Foundation. It will be against the Code of Conduct for any member to misuse either in part or its entirety any publications, software, data, Internet based, educational or other similar material, made available to members by CRF and which is received as a member benefit or through an alternate source. Similarly:

• Members will adhere to the copyright laws and will not remove any Copyright Statements from any CRF owned/copyrighted material.
• Members will ensure the security and confidentiality of any copy released to them, and will not make any further copies from it, or knowingly permit others to do so, unless permitted to do so as instructed in writing by the Credit Research Foundation.
• Members will not incorporate CRF products, in part or whole, in any work, program or article produced by them, unless permitted to do so as instructed by the Credit Research Foundation.

Who is covered: The Credit Research Foundation Code of Conduct applies to:

• All CRF members within the previously defined Community.
• All Trustees and office holders of the Credit Research Foundation.
• All CRF employees and temporary employees of the Credit Research Foundation.

Any member company, or individual representative of the member company, acting without regard to the above principles and responsibilities is subject to immediate termination of membership without refund.

For Service Providers applying for membership, print this page, sign below and fax back to Angela at 443-821-3627 or scan and email to angelam@crfonline.org

Company Name: ___________________________________________________________

Company Representative: ____________________________________________________

Date:  ______________________________