Code of Conduct

CORE ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES

Mission   

Inspiring all girls to be Strong, Smart and Bold.    

Vision   

Empowered girls in an equitable Memphis.   

Core Values   

Accountable, Brave, Inclusive, Joyful  

 

EMPLOYEE CONDUCT   

The agency expects its employees to adhere to accepted standards of good behavior. Employees should demonstrate the highest degree of integrity, responsibility, and professional conduct at all times. All employees of GIM are expected to display personal and professional behavior suitable for girls and young women to emulate, have a positive self-concept, and are goal-directed.   

  Violations of agency policies and rules may constitute misconduct for which an employee may be immediately suspended with pay, pending complete investigation.  Final discipline can include verbal and written warnings, suspensions from work with pay or without pay, and termination.    

Although the following list is not all-inclusive, the specific violations listed below may result in severe disciplinary actions up to and including termination:   

  • Falsifying your employment application or other employment records such as time sheets and/or expense reimbursement forms   
  • Excessive or habitual absenteeism or tardiness from work   
  • Using obscene, abusive or threatening language or gestures while on the agency’s premises   
  • Failure to maintain the confidentiality of the agency or participant information   
  • Failure to comply with a known policy of the agency   
  • Repeated failure to be at a workstation ready to begin work at the appointed starting time   
  • Performing personal work on the agency’s time   
  • Unauthorized possession of or removal of, or cooperation in the unauthorized possession of or removal of property or possessions belonging to coworkers, participants, or the agency or applying to your own use, any property, record or document of the agency or of coworkers   
  • Persistent verbal or physical harassment (this includes cyber, text, email harassment  
  • Physical fighting or threats of violence  
  • Physically or verbally attacking another GIM employee or guest  
  • Threat of or actual retaliation of any kind with participants, staff or guests  
  • Any other act obviously and significantly detrimental to the best interest of the agency and/or fellow employees as determined by management.   

The President/CEO is the only person authorized to make public statements representing any part of GIM. All employees shall exercise the utmost discretion in regard to all matters of official records and business. Any information which has been received by an employee on a confidential basis must be maintained in confidence unless such information is required to be disclosed in compliance with an existing local, state or federal law or stated agency policy.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION POLICY  

Statement  

Girls Inc. of Memphis has a commitment to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. As an organization founded on providing access and support to young women and girls, we are committed to disrupting structural racism and institutional systems that are not in service of marginalized members of the community. Our work at Girls Inc. is driven by our mission of inspiring girls to be strong, smart, and bold, our vision of empowered girls in an equitable Memphis and lived out through our core values of being: accountable, inclusive, brave and joyful.  This work and purpose demand intentional and strategic support to girls and young women to challenge systems, structures and policies that reduce their contributions or minimize their voices in decisions that impact them and their communities.  

Commitments  

As a result of our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, Girls Inc. of Memphis will ensure that:  

  • GIM Board and staff, and volunteers complete training on our mission, vision, core values, strategic plan and public policy and advocacy platform.  
  • Lead, model and engage in ways that prioritize inclusive spaces where girls and non-gender conforming youth feel a strong sense of community and belonging.  
  • Our board will regularly assess board to achieve diverse representation in alignment with program participants and/or the community, and values multifaceted individual contributions beyond fundraising to be more inclusive to potential board members.   
  • Staff leadership will regularly assess staff makeup to achieve diverse representation in leadership roles in alignment with program participants and/or the community.   
  • We will strive to ensure that we implement a decision-making model that is clearly communicated and informed by DEI considerations and input from staff at different levels, volunteers, community members, and participants when appropriate . 
  • We will elevate programming aligned with our “bold” pillar providing an opportunity for girls to exercise leadership, social responsibility and resiliency needed to take on challenges of racial and gender injustice within their communities.  
  • We will hire, retain, and personally and professionally support talented people who come from a wide range of races, ethnicities, cultures, nationalities, ages, gender identities, sexual orientations, religions, socioeconomic backgrounds, and abilities.  
  • We will hold ourselves accountable to measurable outcomes, and the environments necessary to make them possible, by continuously tracking progress toward goals.  
  • We will be intentional about the policies and practices that underpin the workplace we are creating, and we will invest time, energy, and human and financial resources that will get us to and maintain the desired state. 

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY   

GIM views social media and networking sites as powerful tools to strengthen our brand and to further personal reputations.    

When you are participating in social networking, you are representing both yourself and GIM. It is not our intention to restrict your ability to have an online presence or to mandate what you post on social media. We believe social networking is a very valuable tool and continue to advocate the responsible involvement of all agency employees in this space. While we encourage this online collaboration, we will provide you with an agency set of guidelines for appropriate online conduct and to avoid misuse of this communication medium.    

POLICY GUIDELINES   

The use of social media at work is a privilege that comes with responsibilities.    

  • Social media must not interfere with the optimum performance of your job.    
  • Do not use social media to harass, discriminate or retaliate against another person or GIM.    
  • Do not use photos of participants.    
  • Do not share trade secrets and confidential information on social media sites.    
  • The agency will monitor the use of the systems and the hardware.    
  • The agency expects high ethical standards.    
  • Do not post any financial, confidential, sensitive or proprietary information about GIM or any of our participants.  
  • If you are posting to personal networking sites and are speaking about job related content or about the agency, identify yourself as a GIM employee, use a disclaimer and make it clear that these views are not reflective of the views of the agency. For example, employees may post that “the opinions expressed on this site are my own and do not necessarily represent the views of Girls Inc. Memphis.”  

  VIOLATIONS   

Employees who violate this policy may be subject to discipline, up to and including termination of employment. If you have any questions about this policy or specific postings on the web, please contact your supervisor.    

INFORMATION SYSTEMS USE POLICY   

E-mail, voice mail and internet are resources which provide unique communication tools for the agency’s employees and are available so that we may better communicate as an organization in the pursuit of accomplishing our organizational goals. Unacceptable usage of our information systems can place the agency and others at risk. These policies and procedures define acceptable usage of all information systems at GIM.    

POLICY REQUIREMENTS   

It is your responsibility as a GIM employee to comply with this policy. Check with your supervisor if you have any questions about compliance.    

Your ID and password are assigned to you and only you are authorized to use them. Likewise, you should not use another employee’s ID and password.   

You are responsible for all activity generated using your user ID and password. Do not allow others to use your user ID and do not give out your system password(s).   

You are responsible for protecting the confidentiality of participant information and the agency’s information.   

All data residing on the agency’s computers is the property of GIM and subject to search and review at any time without notice.        

GENERAL SYSTEM PROHIBITIONS   

Attempting to access resources to which you have not been authorized to access.    

Using someone else’s ID or password.   

Engaging in activities which waste resources (people, networks, and computers) or may cause a disruption or denial of service. Disruptions include, but are not limited to, personal emails, telephone calls, attempting unauthorized entry into computer and network resources, using the internet for personal business or interests, and loading or downloading unauthorized software.    

Using computer or network resources to access or distribute offensive, obscene, threatening, or harassing material or any activities which violate the law, regulations, or agency policy.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST   

Employees must avoid any relationship or activity that might impair, or even appear to impair, their ability to make objective and fair decisions when performing their jobs. Agency employees are explicitly prohibited from soliciting or lending any gift, loan or other item of substantial monetary benefit (more than $20) for personal benefit from or to any agency employee, client, vendor or other individual with whom the agency does business, whether existing or prospective. Meals of reasonable and normal value provided to employees on agency business may be accepted if extended by the vendor. Further, gifts of small value from vendors such as calendars, pens, and pads are not prohibited by this policy. Tickets to events (such as sports, arts, etc.) are acceptable if offered by the vendor and the vendor accompanies the employee to the event. These are not to be solicited by agency employees and must be approved by the President/CEO.