INTERNATIONALBENCHMARKINGCLEARINGHOUSECODEOFCONDUCTThefollowingisthebenchmarkingcodeofconductthattheInternationalBenchmarkingClearinghousepublishes.WeareafoundermemberoftheInternationalBenchmarkingClearingHouse.Assuch,itiscriticalthatweadheretoallaspectsoftheCodewhenperformingbenchmarkingstudies.PreambleBenchmarking-theprocessofidentifyingandlearningfromthebestpracticesanywhereintheworld-isapowerfultoolinthequestforcontinuousimprovement.Toguidebenchmarkingencountersandtoadvancetheprofessionalismandeffectivenessofbenchmarking,theInternationalBenchmarkingClearinghouse,aserviceoftheAmericanProductivity&QualityCentre,andtheStrategicPlanningInstituteCouncilonBenchmarkinghaveadoptedthiscommonCodeofConduct.WeencourageallorganisationsandindividualsinvolvedinbenchmarkingtoabidebythisCodeofConduct.Adherencetotheseprincipleswillcontributetoefficient,effective,andethicalbenchmarking.ThiseditionoftheCodeofConducthasbeenexpandedtoprovidegreaterguidanceontheprotocolofbenchmarkingforbeginners.BenchmarkingCodeofConductIndividualsagreeforthemselvesandtheircompanytoabidebythefollowingprinciplesforbenchmarkingwithotherorganisations.1.PrincipleofLegality1.1Ifthereisanypotentialquestiononthelegalityofanactivity,don'tdoit.1.2Avoiddiscussionsoractionsthatcouldleadtoorimplyaninterestinrestraintoftrade,marketand/orcustomerallocationschemes,pricefixing,dealingarrangements,bidrigging,orbribery.Don'tdiscusscostswithcompetitorsifcostsareaselementofpricing.1.3Refrainfromtheacquisitionoftradesecretsfromanymeansthatcouldbeinterpretedasimproper,includingthebreachorinducementofabreachofanydutytomaintainsecrecy.Donotdiscloseoruseanytradesecretthatmayhavebeenobtainedthroughimpropermeansorthatwasdisclosedbyanotherinviolationofadutytomaintainitssecrecyorlimititsuse.1.4Donot,asaconsultantorclient,extendonebenchmarkingstudy'sfindingstoanothercompanywithoutfirstobtainingthepermissionofthepartiestothefirststudy.2.PrincipleofExchange2.1Bewillingtoprovidethesametypeandlevelofinformationthatyourequestfromyourbenchmarkingpartnertoyourbenchmarkingpartner.2.2Communicatefullyandearlyintherelationshiptoclarifyexpectations,avoidmisunderstandingandestablishmutualinterestinthebenchmarkingexchange.2.3Behonestandcomplete.3.PrincipleofConfidentiality3.1Treatbenchmarkinginterchangeasconfidentialtotheindividualsandcompaniesinvolved.Informationmustnotbecommunicatedoutsidethepartneringorganisationswithoutthepriorconsentofthebenchmarkingpartnerwhosharedtheinformation.3.2Acompany'sparticipationinastudyisconfidentialandshouldnotbecommunicatedexternallywithouttheirpriorpermission.4.PrincipleofUse4.1Useinformationobtainedthroughbenchmarkingonlyforpurposesofformulatingimprovementofoperationsorprocesseswithinthecompaniesparticipatinginthebenchmarkingstudy.4.2Theuseorcommunicationofabenchmarkingpartner'snamewiththedataobtainedorpracticesobservedrequiresthepriorpermissionofthatpartner.4.3Donotusebenchmarkinginformationoranyinformationresultingfromabenchmarkingexchange,orbenchmarkingrelatednetworkingasameanstomarketorsell.4.4ContactlistsorothercontactinformationprovidedbytheInternationalBenchmarkingClearinghouseinanyformmaynotbeusedformarketinginanyway.5.PrincipleofFirstPartyContact5.1Initiatebenchmarkingcontacts,wheneverpossible,throughabenchmarkingcontactdesignatedbythepartnercompany.5.2Respectthecorporatecultureofpartnercompaniesandworkwithinmutuallyagreedprocedures.5.3Obtainmutualagreementwiththedesignatedbenchmarkingcontactonanyhand-offofcommunicationorresponsibilitytootherparties.6.PrincipleofThirdPartyContact6.1Obtainanindividual'spermissionbeforeprovidinghisorhernameinresponsetoacontactrequest.6.2Avoidcommunicatingacontact'snameinanopenforumwithoutthecontact'spriorpermission.7.PrincipleofPreparation7.1Demonstratecommitmenttotheefficiencyandeffectivenessofbenchmarkingbybeingpreparedpriortomakinganinitialbenchmarkingcontact.7.2Makethemostofyourbenchmarkingpartner'stimebybeingfullypreparedforeachexchange.7.3Helpyourbenchmarkingpartnerspreparebyprovidingthemwithaquestionnaireandagendapriortobenchmarkingvisits.8.PrincipleofCompletion8.1Followthroughwitheachcommitmentmadetoyourbenchmarkingpartnerinatimelymanner.8.2Completeeachbenchmarkingstudytothesatisfactionofallbenchmarkingpartnersasmutuallyagreed.9.PrincipleoftheUnderstandingandAction9.1Understandhowyourbenchmarkingpartnerwouldliketobetreated.9.2Treatyourbenchmarkingpartnerinthewaythatyourbenchmarkingpartnerwouldwanttreated.9.3Understandhowyourbenchmarkingpartnerwouldliketohavetheinformationheorsheprovideshandledandused,andhandleanduseitinthatmanner.
