CODE OF ETHICS (Revised and Adopted February 24, 2015) 

Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct Guidelines

As a professional association, the adherence to a Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct Guidelines by membership is essential.

A Code of Ethics is a significant indicator of individual responsibility, character and professionalism. The Code of Ethics is legally enforceable and membership sanctions can be implemented if violated. 

Professional Conduct Guidelines encourage the highest standards of conduct among the membership of NE-SFMA. These guidelines are a companion document to the NE-SFMA Code of Ethics. While professional conduct guidelines may not be enforced with membership sanctions, noncompliance with these guidelines should be noted and self-policed by fellow NE-SFMA members, officials and affiliated chapters. In assessing one’s actions, all sports turf managers should ask the question, “Would my actions meet with the approval of other sports turf managers?”

 

NE-SFMA Code of Ethics

As a member of the New England Sports Field Management Association, I accept and fully agree to abide by this Code of Ethics and pledge myself to:

1. Participate in Association activities and my daily sports turf job-related duties in a manner that brings credit to the Association and the profession.
2. Observe and exercise protocols that enhance and promote sound athletic field turf management practices during the performance of my job.
3. Strive to maintain the highest standards of professional conduct to credibly reflect upon, and to increase the stature of, the sports turf management profession.

      4.   Strive to improve my knowledge and effectiveness by freely sharing and exchanging information, experiences and ideas with fellow members and by availing myself of all opportunities for improvement.

5.   Strive to maintain cordial and courteous relationships with employers, employees, peers and associates and to assure that all employees adhere to established standards and policies and take pride in the work they perform.

6.     Assist my fellow sports turf managers in all ways consistent with my abilities, only when called upon to do so, and with my supervisors’ knowledge, participation and acceptance.

7.     Honor all requests for technical assistance from sports turf facilities only when channeled through the sports turf manager of the facility making the request.

8.     Abstain from the debasement of or encroachment upon the professional reputation and/or practices of another sports turf manager.

9.     Abstain from applying for or otherwise seeking employment in a dishonest manner.  For the purpose of this section of the Code, a member seeks employment in a dishonest manner if he or she does one or more of the following in connection with prospective employment:

(a)    provides false or misleading information to a prospective employer;

(b)    makes false, slanderous or defamatory statements concerning a fellow sports turf manager;

(c)    attempts to undermine or improperly influence the staff of a fellow sports turf manager;

(d)    attempts to deceive, mislead or misinform a fellow sports turf manager’s employer, supervisor or fellow employees;

(e)    makes misleading, deceptive or false statements or claims about his or her professional qualifications, experience or performance; or

(f)     makes misleading, deceptive or false statements or claims about a member sports turf manager’s professional qualifications, experience or performance.

(a)    Refrain from accepting employment, as a consultant, in a dishonest manner.  For the purpose of this section

of the Code, a consultant accepts employment in a dishonest manner if he or she does one or more of the following in connection with such consulting:

(b)    provides false or misleading information to a prospective employer;

(c)    makes false, slanderous or defamatory statements concerning a fellow sports turf manager;

            (c)  attempts to undermine or improperly influence the staff of a fellow sports  turf manager;

            (d)  attempts to deceive, mislead or misinform a fellow sports turf manager’s employer, supervisor or fellow employees;

(e) makes misleading, deceptive or false statements or claims about his or her professional     qualifications, experience or performance; or

            (f)   makes misleading, deceptive or false statements or claims about a member sports turf manager’s professional qualifications, experience or performance.

10.   Base endorsements of products, equipment or procedures strictly upon satisfactory personal experience with the specific item or procedure.

11.   No member, board member or officer may, on behalf of the NE-SFMA, sell or promote a product or service or otherwise benefit personally on behalf of a commercial company unless directed by the Board of Directors to do so on behalf of the NE-SFMA.

12.   Uphold the integrity and dignity of NE-SFMA in all internal and external activities and relationships, including the use of pictures and information in any form of print or broadcast media or product endorsement.

13.   Support the NE-SFMA commercial affiliates and assist them in maintaining product integrity.

14.   Express professional opinions on technical subjects publicly only when the opinion is founded upon adequate knowledge of the facts and competence in the subject matter.

15.   Abstain from conduct constituting a crime under federal, state, or local law, the penalty for which is, or may be imprisonment, including but not limited to, crimes of moral turpitude and dishonesty. For the purposes of the Code, a member’s conviction of such a crime will be considered conclusive evidence that the member committed that crime.

16.   Abstain from knowingly making false statements or knowingly failing to disclose a material fact requested in connection with application or renewal for NE-SFMA membership or membership in an affiliated chapter.

17.   Members have the right to report and are urged to report all known or suspected violations of the Code of Ethics and to voluntarily participate as a witness and present information in all proceedings to determine the possibility of a violation of this Code of Ethics.

NE-SFMA Professional Conduct Guidelines

1.   A member should always contact a fellow sports turf manager prior to visiting his or her facility regardless of the reason for the visit, other than when attending an educational meeting, association event or as a spectator at a public event at the facility.

2.   A member should only submit an application for a position and/or accept an interview for a position currently held by a fellow sports turf manager if the applicant has contacted the current sports turf manager to verify the position is open, or if the applicant has learned about the opening through an open position listing or through direct contact to the applicant by the facility’s personnel.

3.   A member should only accept a consulting assignment at a sports field facility if the current sports turf manager at that facility is aware of such impending consulting activity.

4.   A member should make verbal consulting recommendations for a facility only with the knowledge of the current sports turf manager or make written recommendations only when issuing a copy of such recommendations to the current sports turf manager.

5.     Commercial members, soliciting business for their company’s products and services, should channel such solicitations through the current sports turf manager of the facility or ensure the current sports turf manager at that facility is aware of such impending solicitation.

6.     Members should always conduct themselves in the highest professional manner at all sports turf related events and other public events where the member is representing the sports turf management profession.

7.     A member should not render negative opinions or comments about fellow members.