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Professional Excellence

• We strive for excellence, efficiency, accuracy and reliability in the performance of work-related activities.
• We operate within the parameters of our job roles and responsibilities, while recognizing our skills, knowledge, and areas of competence.
• We keep abreast of developments in our fields, and endeavour to improve and expand our skills and competencies.
• We actively promote the role of the information and referral services, and encourage and foster the continued development of the profession.
• We work in co-operation with other community service providers, recognizing and acknowledging their expertise and contributions.
• We act in accordance with Canadian laws; we do not participate in or condone dishonesty, fraud, or deception.

Personal Integrity

• We represent accurately the professional qualifications, affiliations, education, skills, and accomplishments of the individual and/or of ISV.
• We take individual responsibility and credit only for work actually performed by ourselves, or to which we have contributed.
• We work toward self-awareness so as to minimize personal bias in our dealings with others and to maximize clarity about our individual needs and contributions in the workplace.
• We refrain from exploitive relationships.
• We abstain from use of substances (i.e. alcohol or drugs) when at work or participating in other work-related activities, with the exception of substances taken for medical purposes.

Responsibility to Clients and Customers

• We believe that information and referral clients have the right and capacity to determine their own needs and how they will get them met, and we work to support this end.
• We supply information and referral clients with accurate and relevant referrals and information about resources, the system of service, and the options available to the client. We may advocate on their behalf.
• We help clients/customers in a non-judgmental way and non-partisan way, without stigmatization or bias. All are served equally and with dignity, regardless of race, age, religion, gender, sexual preference, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, or disabling condition.
• We employ a friendly, courteous, respectful, empathetic, and professional manner in providing service.
• We aim to communicate clearly to ensure mutual comprehension, asking relevant, clarifying questions that promote understanding of service needs.
• We strive to ensure that clients with special needs have equal access to our service.
• We maintain confidentiality except when disclosure is compelled by law; identifying written or electronic information is protected.

Responsibility to Community and Society

• We encourage respect for cultural and social diversity in our society by promoting policies and practices that safeguard rights for all people.
• We seek to reflect the diversity of gender, race, culture, age, sexual orientation, and other distinguishing features of people in the greater community in ISV staff, volunteers, and board members.
• We keep informed about current social issues and the community services network as they affect clients, customers, and the community at large.
• We identify needs that are not met by existing community services and communicate this information to appropriate organizations such as government and funding bodies or otherwise advocate to get service gaps addressed.

Responsibility to Colleagues

• We treat colleagues with consideration and respect, appreciating differences in opinion and styles of working. We do not tolerate discrimination, unwarranted negative criticism, or any kind of abuse.
• We work co-operatively and supportively to advance the services and objectives of ISV.
• We acknowledge the work and contributions made by others.
• We strive for good communication and clear understanding of expectations.
• We maintain confidentiality with respect to personal information about our colleagues.

Responsibility to ISV

• We provide service consistent with ISV’s mission statement, philosophy, and goals as determined by the board and/or management.
• We support and uphold ISV’s reputation in the community.
• We do not use our positions in association with ISV for personal gain. We acknowledge conflicts of interest and voluntarily withdraw from any such situations.
• We treat the workplace and ISV property in a respectful and non-wasteful manner.
• We recognize that materials prepared in the course of employment or association with ISV are the property of ISV.
• We uphold confidentiality with respect to the maintenance, storage, retrieval, use and disposition of ISV information, files, and materials.