About Us

Code of Ethics

 
Corporate Responsibility
 
The United Way of the Piedmont (UWP) has a unique role as a community leader of philanthropy to benefit human services and as a major resource to local non-profit organizations.  Since 1936, United Way of the Piedmont has strived to earn the public trust through ethical, honest and responsible service.  The continued success of United Way depends upon ethical conduct of its employees, volunteers, and representatives.
 
United Way places the highest priority on its relationship with the community.  As part of this relationship, United Way responds to, serves, and supports the community by working to increase the organized capacity of people to care for one another.  In an effort to achieve this goal, United Way strives to create a vision and direction that will generate leadership and encourage the community to be the best it can be.
 
United Way employees should set an example for other nonprofit organizations by their high standards of performance, professionalism, volunteer and charitable activities, and ethical conduct.
 
This Code of Ethics is the policy of United Way of the Piedmont and expresses fundamental values.  Accordingly, this Code guides the conduct of all employees, volunteers, and representatives of UWP, and is intended to foster an environment that promotes ethical conduct in carrying out their responsibilities.

Personal Integrity
 
A personal commitment to integrity in all circumstances benefits each individual as well as the organization.  United Way employees:
  • Respect and seek out the truth and avoid misrepresentation
  • Ensure fairness and objectivity in all activities
  • Set an example, as employees of a leading nonprofit organization, for high standards of professionalism
  • Honor the right of privacy of all people, including co-workers, contributors, and beneficiaries
  • Exhibit respect and fairness toward all those with whom we come into contact
Professional Excellence
 
As an employer, United Way of the Piedmont promotes professional excellence and encourages open and honest communication among all employees to create an atmosphere conductive to personal growth and career development.
 
United Way management:
  • Encourages employee development, and communicates with personnel to help them achieve their goals.
  • Evaluates employees on a fair and consistent basis, so that all employees know what is expected of them and how they are progressing toward fulfilling expectations.
  • Shows respect and empathy for employees, and is considerate while being mindful of managerial responsibilities
  • Promotes a working environment where honesty, open communication and minority opinions are valued.
United Way employees:
  • Strive to meet performance standards at the highest level.
  • Refuse to engage in or tolerate any fraud, misuse, abuse or waste of United Way resources.
  • Encourage growth and self-improvement in themselves and their co-workers.
  • Exhibit respect for co-workers and all those they come into contact with.
  • Examine all alternatives with the understanding that the easiest action is not always in the best interest of the organization.
Accountability
 
United Way of the Piedmont has a responsibility to its customers which include donors, participating agencies, users of services, volunteers and the entire community.  These customers have placed faith in UWP.  To uphold this trust, United Way employees:
  • Make full and fair disclosure of all relevant information to customers, who have a right to know how their dollars are spent.
  • Use customer resources wisely, efficiently and objectively.
  • Are good stewards of all contributions and grants that are utilized by United Way to pay operating expenses, salaries and employee benefits, and refrain from allowing expenditures of United Way funds that, by nature or amount, do not directly advance United Way’s vision and mission.
  • Observe and comply with all laws and regulations affecting United Way of the Piedmont.
Voluntary Giving
 
United Way of the Piedmont believes in voluntary and informed giving.  We believe that the most responsive contributors are those who have the opportunity to become informed and involved.  We commit to a fund raising approach that is always conducted in a voluntary manner.  Giving is a personal matter and decision; no form of coercion is acceptable.  We believe that coercion creates animosity, hinders communications and understanding, and eventually leads to decreased support.  The coercion of donors, whether real or implied, is contrary to the operating principles of the United Way of the Piedmont.
 
Responsibilities to Volunteers
 
Volunteers who serve United Way of the Piedmont through its Board of Directors or in other ways are crucial to the success of the United Way.  In order to assist volunteers to serve effectively and to obtain satisfaction from their service, all United Way employees:
  • Support volunteers so they can perform to the highest level of their contribution and personal satisfaction.
  • Treat all volunteers with fairness, equity and respect, providing appropriate mechanisms for their views and interests to be expressed.
  • Involve volunteers at appropriate levels of the decision-making process.
  • Assist in the development and the understanding of the roles of volunteers and employees, respectively; set clear standards of performance for volunteers; and appropriately recognize their contributions.
Responsibilities of Volunteers
 
Volunteers also represent United Way of the Piedmont and set examples through their ethical conduct and professionalism.  UWP asks their volunteers to:
  • Review the Code of Ethics of the United Way and ensure that they adhere to the spirit of the Code when making policy or otherwise managing the affairs of the organization.
  • Refrain from taking any action or making any statement intended to influence the
    conduct of United Way in such a way as to confer any financial benefit on such volunteers, their immediate family members, or any corporation in which they or their family members have a significant interest as stockholders, directors or officers.
  • Disclose all known conflicts or potential conflicts of interest in any manner before the
    Board of Directors (if they are Board members), or any committee upon which they serve.  The Volunteer should withdraw from discussion, review, and voting in connection with the matter. 
  • The disclosure and withdrawal shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting; and annual disclosure of potential conflicts shall be filed with the Board by each member.
Equal Opportunity
 
United Way of the Piedmont is an equal opportunity employer.  United Way employees:
  • Respect all co-workers and all other individuals without regard to race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, national origin or ancestry, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, or status as a qualified disabled or handicapped individual.
  • Support affirmative action and equal employment opportunity programs throughout United Way.
  • Refuse to engage in, or tolerate in others, any form of sexual harassment.
The United Way of the Piedmont is fully committed to the funding of programs that provide equal opportunity and access for all, without regard to race, creed, color, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, sex, age, or national origin.  In the implementation of this policy, UWP will continue to provide funding to programs that target specific populations.  Programs supported by United Way funds must be open to all people within that targeted population and programs may not discriminate within that specific targeted population.  The intent of this policy is to provide funding to meet the needs of, and support the diversity of our community.
 
The United Way of the Piedmont is fully committed to the recruitment of volunteers to fill all volunteer positions within the organization without regard to race, creed, color, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, sex, age, or national origin.  UWP will seek volunteers from the community who reflect and acknowledge the value of diversity.

Conflict of Interest
 
To avoid even the appearance of a conflict which could tarnish the reputation of the United Way of the Piedmont and/or undermine the public’s trust, United Way of the Piedmont volunteers, staff and representatives act in an ethical manner:
  • We will ensure that travel, entertainment and related expenses are incurred on a
    basis consistent with the mission of UWP and not for personal gain or interests.
  • We will decline any gift, gratuity or favor in the performance of UWP duties except
    for promotional items of nominal value, and any food, transportation, lodging or entertainment unless directly related to UWP business.
  • We will refrain from influencing the selection of staff, consultants, or vendors who
    are relatives or personal friends or affiliated with, employ, or employed by a person with whom they have a relationship that adversely affects the appearance of impartiality.
  • We will refrain from participating in or influencing any decision or other action of
    the UWP that could result in a direct or indirect benefit to his or her family or any organization with which the employee, volunteer or representative is substantially affiliated.
  • We will ensure that outside employment and other activities do not adversely affect
    the performance of their UWP duties or the achievement of the UWP’s mission.  An employee is encouraged to inform her or his supervisor of any significant outside activities.  An employee should avoid using the UWP to facilitate any outside employment or activity.
Personal Loans
 
It is the policy of the United Way of the Piedmont to prohibit extending any personal loans to staff or volunteers.  It is also the policy to prohibit any cash advances of payroll checks to United Way of the Piedmont staff. 
Confidentiality 
 
Confidentiality is a hallmark of professionalism.  United Way of the Piedmont employees, volunteers and representatives:
  • Ensure that all information which is confidential or privileged or which is not publicly
    available is not disclosed inappropriately.
  • Ensure that all non-public information of other persons or firms acquired by United
    Way personnel in dealing with outside firms on behalf of United Way is treated as confidential and not disclosed.
Disclosure
 
United Way of the Piedmont employees, volunteers and representatives are encouraged to disclose any perceived breaches of the Code of Ethics of which they are aware.  Disclosure should be made to a supervisor, or to the Board of Directors.  Any reported breaches will be investigated and appropriate action, if need, will be taken.  Confidentiality will be maintained, unless the matter raises serious legal implications.   United Way management will not take any adverse action against employees solely for disclosing perceived breaches of the Code.  United Way encourages all employees and volunteers to be prompt, open, and forthright in reporting perceived breaches of the Code of Ethics.