To continue deserving the unique trust placed in United Fund for Belgium (UFB) by our donors and the associations that we support, UFB Board members, staff and volunteers have the responsibility to uphold the highest of ethical standards. We are conducting our activities with honesty, integrity and in the interest of the organizations that we serve.

This Code of Ethics provides guidance for adherence to these principles.

1. Integrity

We have a commitment to integrity in all circumstances, both as individuals and as an organization. We therefore:

• Always act in the interest of the organizations and community that we serve;
• Communicate honestly, timely, transparently and without misrepresentations;
• Promote a working environment where honesty, open communication and minority opinions are valued;
• Strive to meet a high standard of performance, quality and service in all our activities;
• Comply with all applicable laws and regulations, as well as UFB governance rules and internal policies.

2. Accountability

UFB is responsible to its stakeholders, which include its members, donors, staff and the associations that it supports. We are committed to make the best use and promote good stewardship of UFB resources. We report regularly on the utilisation of these resources to the Board and the UFB members, as well as to independent parties that promote ethical fundraising and to regulators as required.
We refrain from using UFB resources for purposes that would not be aligned with UFB mission of promoting social inclusion.

3. Diversity and inclusion

We value and promote diversity and inclusion in all our activities. To live up to this principle, we:

• Embrace and champion inclusion in all aspects of our activities and ensure that the voices of minorities are heard;
• Respect others regardless of race, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, culture or national origin and do not tolerate any form of discrimination based on those;
• Do not tolerate any form of harassment;
• Strive to achieve a balanced distribution of our donations across all regions and provinces of Belgium;
• Aim to achieve a diverse representation in our Board.

4. Sustainability

We aim to conduct our activities in a sustainable way, taking the environmental impact into account in all our decisions.

5. Conflict of interests

UFB Board members, staff and volunteers should avoid placing themselves in a situation where there might be a conflict of interests or an appearance of conflict of interests. In that respect, we:

• Avoid any activity or outside interest which conflicts or appears to conflict with the best interest of UFB;
• Refrain from participating in discussions or decisions involving parties to which we are directly or indirectly related;
• Refrain from influencing the selection of staff, consultants or vendors who are relatives, personal friends or hold any type of relationship that may adversely affect the appearance of impartiality;
• Do not take any action within our UFB activities that may confer any financial or other benefit to ourselves;
• Report any situation that may give rise to a conflict of interest or appearance thereof to the Chairperson of the Board.

6. Confidentiality and Privacy

• We ensure compliance with all applicable data privacy regulations, in particular but not limited to the European Union Global Data Protection Regulation.
• We ensure that all information that is confidential, privileged or non-public is not inappropriately disclosed;
• We respect the privacy rights of all individuals and associations in their interactions with UFB.

7. Disclosure

Any known or suspected breach of the code of ethics should be reported to the Chairperson of the Board, the Deputy Chairperson of the Board or the Chairperson of the Audit & Finance Committee. All reported breaches will be treated confidentially in as far as allowed by the law. If confidentiality cannot be maintained either by law or for the need of the investigation, the individual disclosing the breach will be notified.

All reported breaches will be investigated and the conclusions presented to the Board.

8. Acknowledgement & Commitment

All Board Members, staff and volunteers will receive a copy of the Code of Ethics and be required to sign for acknowledgement and commitment to comply. Board members will be requested to re-affirm their commitment upon renewal of their mandate.