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THE MEMBERSHIP CODE OF ETHICS
The ICT SMME Chamber is an industry body registered as a not-for profit entity and works for the benefit of all the ICT SMME sector across all the divides including race, colour, creed, gender, age and physical abilities irrespective of their status or standing with regards membership or not.
CODE OF ETHICS AND CONDUCT
All Members of the ICT SMMES Chamber (the Chamber), Beneficiaries of the Chamber initiatives, Projects and Programmes shall automatically, upon accepting membership of the Chamber, association with the Chamber and benefits accruing by the Chamber, become subject to this ICT SMME Chamber Code of Ethics and Conduct, as a condition of Chamber membership, association and or beneficiary of any Chamber benefits. The Membership Code of Ethics (the Code) is a mandatory code of ethical business conduct to which members of the Chamber and Beneficiaries of its Programmes and Projects subscribe and shall adhere to. The overriding vision and mission of the Chamber is to reposition the South African ICT (Information, Communication and Technology) sector as South Africa’s pre-eminent industrial sector and to double real investment in the ICTs for the SMMS by 2030. This is an ICT SMME sector strategy that will be owned by all Chamber members and beneficiaries with the overriding objective of building a trust based social pact with key stakeholders, creating an overwhelmingly positive investment and operating environment for the sector that makes the global investment community and ICT industry recognise that South Africa has emerged into an investment destination of choice for the ICTs generally and the ICT SMME sector specifically. The benefits of achieving this vision are incalculable and will be a game changer for the country and its ability to achieve the National Development Plan (NDP) objectives, to which ICT SMME Sector subscribes.
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE CODE OF ETHICAL CONDUCT
The main objective of the code of conduct is the way in which all ICT SMME’s behave to achieve the goals set by the Chamber. The primary objective of the ICT SMME members, sympathizers, beneficiaries and associates of the Chamber is to ensure that the ICT industry is able to realise its latent growth potential and to contribute meaningfully to the national objectives for sustainable development, radical transformation and the growth of the South African economy.
This is balanced on the following three pillars:
• Building trust relations with key stakeholders of the ICT industry;
• Radically transforming the ICT industry;
• Partnering with ICT activities in local, national, regional, continental and international communities.
CODE OF CONDUCT VALUES
Members and Beneficiaries of the ICT SMME Chamber are obliged to conduct their business according to these Chamber values. These values merely dictate the minimum standards of conduct required in order to become a member or to benefit from the Chamber programmes and projects, or to remain a member of the ICT SMME Chamber.
The ICT SMME Chamber Value Statement We value… and affirm the sanctity of our country’s Constitution and the rule of Law. We care for our members, the beneficiaries, clients and their enterprises alike. Whilst we advocate for the small businessman and businesswoman who is active in the ICT space, the Chamber organizes and thinks like a business partner. We value the ideals for our SMME sector’s development and growth aspirations. Based on our Values, all members of the ICT SMME Chamber shall at all times abide by the Code of Ethics and Conduct in that they should:
1. Conform to the ideals and respect the rules and regulations set by the ICT chamber from time to time;
2. Attend meetings and execute the functions set for them for the success of the ICT sector in general and members in particular;
3. Abide by the sanctions if any that are imposed upon them as a failure to adhere to the rules and regulations;
4. Contribute to the founding and continuous improvement of rules that will ensure the success of the ICT Chambers.
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
The ICT SMME Chamber members, beneficiaries, sympathizers and associates commit to compliance with all relevant legislation and to making every possible effort to comply with meeting or bettering, the targets as outlined in the ICT BBB-EE Charter. Chamber members also subscribe to the principles and commitments outlined in various agreements in the ICT Industry.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE CODE
The guiding principles are a framework to enable the ICT SMME Chamber members to achieve the objectives of this Code of Ethics. Chamber members, beneficiaries, sympathizers and associates undertake to integrate the guiding principles into their enterprise management systems to ensure consistent application across all their operations. The following ten (10) guiding principles demonstrate the commitment of members to manage their operations in a responsible manner.
ICT SMME Members and Beneficiaries commit that in all aspects of their business and operations, they will ensure the following: 1. Implement and maintain ethical business practices and sound systems of corporate governance; 2. Strive to achieve Zero Harm in respect of site-operations’ health and safety by complying with the client Health and Safety Standards; 3. Integrate sustainable development considerations within the corporate decision-making process; 4. Respect fundamental human rights and respect cultures, customs and values in dealing with employees, customers and other ICT stakeholders who are affected by their activities; 5. Implement risk management strategies based on valid data and sound science; 6. Seek continual improvement of the site environmental and safety standards; 7. Facilitate and encourage responsible electronic product design, use, re-use, recycling and disposal of these electronic devices and products; 8. Strive to increase Women and Youth participation in the ICTs broadly and in their own operations in line with the targets of the ICT BBB-EE Charter; 9. Contribute to the social, economic, and institutional development of the communities in which they operate, and in the labour sending areas; 10. Implement effective and transparent engagement, communication and independently verified reporting arrangements with their stakeholders.ICT SMME CHAMBER PROCESSES
Members of the Chamber recognise that the Chamber operates on the basis of mandates. While it is the case that positions adopted by individual companies must be aligned to their overarching strategic objectives and that these may differ from company to company, the positions adopted by the Chamber will apply to all its members. In this regard, the members of the Chamber agree that they will: • Uphold the confidentiality of the discussions in the ICT SMME Chamber’s structures; • At all times possible, engage honestly and in good faith; 5 • Strive to reach agreed positions that will improve the development, growth and sustainability of the ICT SMMEs in South Africa; • Timeously provide information to the ICT SMME Chamber to allow it to develop wellinformed positions for the ICT SMMEs’ consideration (the Chamber will treat sensitive information on a confidential basis); • Respect the sanctity of the ICT SMME sector-mandated positions and not express divergent and contradictory views; • Accept that mandated positions can only be changed after any contrary views have been debated by the Chamber’s Steering Committee (the Council) and agreed upon; • Undertake to support the ICT SMME Chamber and its mandated positions in outside structures and in the public domain.
REVIEWING OF THE ICT SMME CODE OF ETHIC
The Code of Conduct is a living document and will be continuously refined and developed following on consultation with members.
BREACHING THE CODE OF CONDUCT
In the event that a member or beneficiary is found to have not complied with the Code, the Chamber Chairman, the Ombuds WG Chairman, Entrepreneurs WG Chairman as well as the Market Access WG Chairman shall meet the breaching member or beneficiary to communicate the breach, its implications and discuss the reason why the member or beneficiary is noncompliant. They shall agree on a corrective process whereby the member can comply as soon as possible and communicate the corrective measure to the affected party/parties. If the member fails to adhere to the process agreed upon and/or fails to take active steps to comply with the ICT SMME Code of Ethics within a reasonable time, the Steering Committee Council shall be entitled, at its sole discretion, to suspend the member for a period of time until the member complies with the ICT SMME Code’s obligations. Should the member continue with such non-compliance, the Chamber shall, in its sole discretion, either extend the period of suspension or cancel the membership of such member, or reverse the benefits expended. The cancellation of a member’s membership of the Chamber will be published on the Chamber website. As part of the corrective measures, the Chamber may impose a penalty that will be regulated and be a norm to the members and beneficiaries.