Culture
Our
Mission
We distribute food and grocery products through a nationwide certified member network, increase public awareness of domestic hunger and advocate for public policies that benefit America's hungry.
Code of Ethics
America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food
Bank Network was founded for the public good.
We are always mindful that our ability to achieve this
mission relies upon the faith and trust of the general public. As an
organization we constantly strive to meet the highest standards of excellence
and operate under a code of business and professional ethics that honors our
public support. Ethical conduct is part of every employee’s job and a
source of public confidence. It is the benchmark against which everyone
must ultimately test all decisions.
Foundation for the Code of Ethics
America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network has adopted a shared set of core values that give guidance to the organization as to how to achieve our vision of creating a hunger-free America. These values provide a standard of expected behavior and a framework for decision-making for the staff, volunteers and partners. They are, therefore, the foundation of our Code of Ethics.
Who is Responsible for America’s Second Harvest, The Nation’s Food Bank Network Code of Ethics
All America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network employees are required to adhere to accepted business standards of conduct while on the organization’s premises or engaged in organizational business. We may not engage in any illegal, fraudulent, dishonest, negligent or otherwise unethical action in connection with America’s Second Harvest, The Nation’s Food Bank Network operations or activities.
Each of us is responsible for the professional integrity of our own work. We are also responsible for reporting wrongdoing. If a law or organization policy has been broken, all employees have a duty to report this, verbally or in writing, promptly and confidentially through the line of administrative supervision. When the alleged impropriety appears to involve a management employee, reports should be referred to the Vice President of Human Resources or the President/CEO. Reports of suspected financial irregularities should be reported directly to the Chief Financial Officer and President/CEO. Any department supervisor alerted to such an incident must immediately notify the Vice President of Human Resources.
VALUE - Collaboration
We believe in
the power of community. We collaborate and build strong relationships, based on
trust, with and among those who share our vision of creating a hunger-free
America. We work together to accomplish the vision at the national and local
levels, valuing each other’s roles and using an open process and honest
communication. We seek out and are responsive to the input and counsel of our
partners.
Specific Guidelines:
- America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network recognizes that creating a hunger-free America requires collaboration across a diverse constituency. That constituency includes the public, government, individual donors, institutions, corporations, affiliates and Board members.
- America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network will work to build and strengthen relationships with our constituency to support our mission.
- Staff and volunteers will respect and honor the work of our colleagues, recognizing that diminishing an individual diminishes the entire organization.
- Staff and volunteers will support decisions made by America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network and work to implement its strategic direction.
Specific Guidelines:
- America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network staff and volunteers will treat all people: colleagues, stakeholders, the general public and the people we serve, with respect and dignity.
- America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network values its staff and volunteers and respects their diversity, education, training, professional experience and commitment to excellence.
- America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network is committed to the total inclusion and participation of all people in advancing our vision of creating a hunger-free America.
- America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network fosters cultural and ethnic diversity.
- America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network will apply
confidentiality and anonymity in professional relationships with regard to
privileged information.
Specific Guidelines:
- America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network complies with all federal, state and local laws, requirements and regulations.
- Our food and product donors donate all products in good faith. America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network will only distribute products that are safe to consume.
- All employees and volunteers are expected to put America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network’s philanthropic mission above their own personal interests or gain with respect to activities that relate to America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network.
- America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network will be truthful in communicating with the public and other interested persons and will seek to provide objective, factually correct, and current information and avoid misrepresentation through the omission of pertinent data.
- Staff and volunteers have a responsibility to investigate the accuracy and source of information before allowing it to be used.
- America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network staff and volunteers will seek expert guidance if ever in doubt about the ethical propriety of an activity or situation.
- America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network will make requested documents, reports, data and transactions available to public scrutiny, wherever reasonable, while respecting the rights of our partners and customers.
Specific Guidelines:
- America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network believes that a fundamental requirement of human service organizations is that service to others comes before self-interest.
- A2H is committed to legendary customer service that exceeds the expectations of our constituencies.
- America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network will secure the best service and price available for processing and transportation on behalf of its affiliates.
- All food and product donors will be informed, upon request, in an accurately and timely manner of where their national donations are distributed.
- America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network will give donors the opportunity to have their names removed from lists that are sold to, rented to or exchanged with other organizations.
- America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network has the responsibility to assist employees in their professional development, including improving technical skills and competencies and acquiring managerial and leadership capabilities.
VALUE – Stewardship and Accountability
Specific Guidelines:
- America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network will ensure that contributions are used in accordance with donors’ intentions.
- America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network financial resources will be used only in the furtherance of A2H’s charitable purpose and mission.
- America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network will not engage in practices or activities that allow the development of fiscal jeopardy or put the organization’s tax exempt status at risk.
- America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network will not intentionally expose America’s Second Harvest, Board, staff and affiliates to unnecessary risk or claims of liability.
- America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network will not compensate fundraising staff based on a percentage of charitable contributions raised.
- America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network maintains a set of accounting books and records that comply with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, and that are accurate and provide management with timely information relevant to informed decision-making.
Specific Guidelines:
- All food and product donors can be assured that America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network will move products within the donor’s guidelines to the best of America's Second Harvest's ability.
- America’s Second Harvest will respond to crises and disasters quickly and effectively.
- All financial, food and grocery products and in-kind donors will receive accurate and timely receipts from America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network.
- All inquiries, whether internal or external, will be responded to within 24 hours.
