CODE OF ETHICS AND STANDARDS OF ORGANIZATIONAL CONDUCT

Preamble

The African Views Organization Code of Ethics and Standards of Organizational Conduct reflects the core values of African Views and is fundamental to achieving its mission of global leadership through education, integrity, and organizational excellence. High ethical standards are essential to maintaining the trust of the public and partner institutions in every country where AVO operates.

These Code and Standards uphold the integrity of African Views Organization members and serve as a global benchmark for ethical conduct — regardless of job function, cultural context, or local laws and regulations.

All AVO members — including directors, partners, and associates holding the AV® designation — and all AV candidates must abide by the Code and Standards and are encouraged to inform their employers of this responsibility. Violations may result in disciplinary sanctions, including revocation of membership, revocation of candidacy in the AV Program, or revocation of the right to use the AV designation.

THE CODE OF ETHICS

Members of African Views Organization and candidates for the AV designation ("Directors and Associates") must:

• Act with integrity, competence, diligence, and respect in all dealings with the public, communities, employers, employees, colleagues, and other participants in global sustainable development activities.

• Place the integrity of the organization and the interests of the communities it serves above their own personal interests.

• Exercise reasonable care and independent judgment when conducting research, making recommendations, taking action, and engaging in all other organizational activities.

• Practice — and encourage others to practice — in a manner that reflects credit on themselves and on the organization.

• Promote the integrity of, and uphold the rules governing, nonprofit organizations.

• Continuously develop their own organizational competence and actively support the professional growth of colleagues and peers in the field.

I. ORGANIZATIONAL CONDUCT

A. Knowledge of the Law

Directors and Associates must understand and comply with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations — including the AVO Code of Ethics and Standards — of any government, regulatory body, licensing agency, or legal authority governing their activities. Where conflicts exist between applicable laws, Directors and Associates must comply with the stricter standard. Directors and Associates must not knowingly participate in, assist with, or fail to dissociate from any violation of such laws, rules, or regulations.

B. Independence and Objectivity

Directors and Associates must exercise reasonable care and judgment to achieve and maintain independence and objectivity in all organizational activities. They must not offer, solicit, or accept any gift, benefit, compensation, or consideration that could reasonably be expected to compromise their own independence or that of others.

C. Misrepresentation

Directors and Associates must not knowingly make any misrepresentation relating to research, recommendations, actions, or any other organizational activities.

D. Misconduct

Directors and Associates must not engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, or deceit, or commit any act that reflects adversely on their professional reputation, integrity, or competence.

II. INTEGRITY OF THE ORGANIZATION

A. Material Nonpublic Information

Directors and Associates who possess material nonpublic information that could affect the standing or operations of AVO must not act — or cause others to act — on that information.

B. Manipulation

Directors and Associates must not engage in practices that distort results, misrepresent outcomes, or artificially inflate reported activity with the intent to mislead authorities, the public, or the communities AVO serves.

III. DUTIES TO COMMUNITY

A. Loyalty, Prudence, and Care

Directors and Associates have a duty of loyalty to the communities they serve and must act with reasonable care and prudent judgment. They must act in the best interests of those communities, placing community interests above those of any employer or personal interest.

B. Fair Dealing

Directors and Associates must deal fairly and objectively with all community members and stakeholders when providing research, making recommendations, or engaging in any organizational activity.

C. Suitability

1. When Directors and Associates are in an advisory relationship with a partner or stakeholder, they must: a. Make reasonable inquiry into the partner's or stakeholder's experience, objectives, and constraints prior to making any recommendation or taking action, and must reassess this information regularly. b. Ensure that any recommendation or proposed action is suitable to the stakeholder's situation and consistent with AVO's objectives, mandates, and constraints. c. Evaluate suitability in the context of the stakeholder's overall goals and circumstances.

2. When Directors and Associates are responsible for managing a program or portfolio aligned with a specific mandate or strategy, they must take only actions consistent with the stated objectives and constraints of that mandate.

D. Performance Presentation

When communicating program results or organizational performance, Directors and Associates must make reasonable efforts to ensure that all information presented is fair, accurate, and complete.

E. Preservation of Confidentiality

Directors and Associates must keep information about current, former, and prospective community partners confidential unless:

1. The information concerns illegal activity on the part of the partner or stakeholder,

2. Disclosure is required by law, or

3. The partner or stakeholder has consented to disclosure.

IV. DUTIES TO EMPLOYERS

A. Loyalty

In matters related to their employment, Directors and Associates must act for the benefit of AVO and must not deprive the organization of the value of their skills and abilities, divulge confidential information, or otherwise cause harm to the organization.

B. Additional Compensation Arrangements

Directors and Associates must not accept gifts, benefits, compensation, or consideration that competes with — or could reasonably be expected to create a conflict of interest with — AVO's interests, unless written consent is obtained from all relevant parties.

C. Responsibilities of Supervisors

Directors and Associates in supervisory roles must make reasonable efforts to detect and prevent violations of applicable laws, rules, regulations, and the Code and Standards by anyone under their supervision or authority. AVO country chapters are supervised by AVO Headquarters. Student chapters are supervised by their respective AVO country chapter designations.

V. RESEARCH, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND ACTIONS

A. Diligence and Reasonable Basis

Directors and Associates must:

1. Exercise diligence, independence, and thoroughness in conducting research, forming recommendations, and taking action.

2. Maintain a reasonable and adequate basis — supported by appropriate research and investigation — for any recommendation, conclusion, or action taken.

B. Communication with Community and Stakeholders

Directors and Associates must:

1. Disclose to community partners and stakeholders the basic processes and principles used in conducting research and developing programs, and promptly disclose any changes that may materially affect those processes.

2. Use reasonable judgment in identifying factors relevant to their analyses and recommendations, and ensure those factors are clearly communicated.

3. Distinguish clearly between fact and opinion in the presentation of research and analysis.

C. Record Retention

Directors and Associates must develop and maintain appropriate records to support their research, recommendations, actions, and all related communications with community partners and stakeholders.

VI. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

A. Disclosure of Conflicts

Directors and Associates must make full and fair disclosure of all matters that could reasonably be expected to impair their independence and objectivity or interfere with their duties to community partners, stakeholders, or employers. Such disclosures must be clear, prominent, written in plain language, and communicated effectively.

B. Priority of Obligations

Actions taken on behalf of community partners and AVO must take priority over any transactions or activities in which a Director or Associate has a personal interest.

C. Referral Fees

Directors and Associates must disclose to their employer, community partners, and stakeholders — as appropriate — any compensation, consideration, or benefit received from or paid to others in connection with the recommendation of products or services.

VII. RESPONSIBILITIES AS AVO DIRECTORS AND ASSOCIATES

A. Conduct Within the Organization

Directors and Associates must not engage in any conduct that compromises the reputation, integrity, or operational security of African Views Organization or the AV designation.

B. Reference to African Views Organization and the AV Designation

When referring to African Views Organization, AVO membership, the AV designation, or candidacy in the AV Program, Directors and Associates must not misrepresent or exaggerate the meaning or implications of membership, designation, or candidacy in any communication or public forum.