By using the platform and accepting consulting engagements, consultants agree to abide by the Code of Conduct below:

 

Integrity and Ethics: 

 

Integrity: Act with honesty, transparency, and integrity in all professional relationships and transactions.

 

Conflict of interest: Disclose any potential conflicts of interest and address them transparently to avoid compromising objectivity.

 

Honest and consistent pricing: Use fair and transparent pricing practices, avoiding overcharging or hidden fees, or changing the fees according from one foundation to another.

 

Compliance with law: Adhere to all applicable laws, regulations, and professional standards in the jurisdiction where you operate.

 

Avoid creating dependencies: Avoid creating dependencies on your services; empower clients with the skills and tools necessary for self-sufficiency.

 

Non-discrimination: Uphold principles of non-discrimination and treat all clients and colleagues fairly and with respect. 

 

Cultural sensitivity: Demonstrate cultural sensitivity and awareness when working with grantees from diverse backgrounds. Seek support from Nonprofit Builder if needed.

 

Environmentally pesponsible: Consider and integrate environmentally responsible practices into consulting services when applicable.

 

Mutual termination right: Acknowledge and respect the grantee's right to terminate the collaboration at any point. Likewise, you have the duty to stop the consulting and report to Nonprofit Builder if it becomes meaningless, for example if the client becomes unresponsive or fails to deliver their part of the project.

Professionalism and Quality: 

 

Quality of work: Deliver high-quality work that meets or exceeds client expectations within agreed-upon timelines.

 

Professional communications: Maintain a high standard of courtesy and professionalism in all interactions with grantees, Nonprofit Builder staff, other consultants, foundation staff, and all other stakeholders. Respond quickly to the client and Nonprofit Builder staff, report on time and with sufficient care, and reach out proactively if there is a problem.

 

Communication and responsiveness: Maintain open and clear communication with clients, ensuring responsiveness and regular updates on project progress.

 

Adapt the service to each client: Customize services to meet the specific needs and goals of the grantee, avoiding the use of generic or recycled solutions.

 

Vendor lock-in disclosure: Disclose any potential vendor lock-in situations, especially when recommending proprietary tools with recurring subscription costs.

 

Receive feedback constructively: Welcome and act upon constructive feedback from grantees, and Nonprofit Builder staff, to continuously improve performance. If you cannot accept feedback, there can be no working relationship.

 

Proactive communication of issues: Promptly communicate any challenges or issues encountered with the grantees to enable collaborative problem-solving and resolution.

 

Continuously learn and develop yourself: Commit to ongoing professional development, staying informed about industry trends and improving skills and methodologies.

 

Know and adhere to organizational policies: read and comply with the policies and guidelines of the Nonprofit Builder platform, including the terms of service, this code of conduct, the whistleblowing policy, the safeguarding policy, the whistleblowing policy, the personal data policy

 

Honest and candid feedback: Provide candid and constructive feedback to Nonprofit Builder, particularly regarding any identified shortcomings and suggestions for improvement in the consulting process. We also want to improve! We practice a non-retaliation policy.

 

Confidentiality (with duty to report violations and abuse)

 

Confidentiality of the consultant/client relationship: The relationship between consultant and client is based on mutual honesty, so as a consultant you will be privy to weaknesses in your clients organizational development. You are not required to report these weaknesses to Nonprofit Builder or the client’s funder, as this relationship is confidential, indeed we require you to check with the client before communicating anything that may damage their reputation. 

 

Intellectual property issues: do not use proprietary information of the client without authorization. This could involve clients using a consultant's methodologies without permission or proper attribution.

 

Duty to report abuse: As a consultant, you have the duty to report the following to the CEO of the Nonprofit Builder via email or a voice call. 

• Violations of the law that you observe on the part of your grantee clients or Nonprofit Builder, such as theft or fraud.
• If you are abused yourself, for example if you are bullied, or pressured to collaborate in fraud. Nonprofit Builder has a zero tolerance policy of abuse - see the safeguarding policy for details.
• If you observe abuse of children or vulnerable adults, whether sexually, physical, or psychological, by the personnel or volunteers or the client, or the Nonprofit Builder, by other consultants. Again, refer to the safeguarding policy.

 

Last modified: 11 July 2024