PREAMBLE

Aware that the quality of professional background screening ultimately depends upon the willingness of practitioners to observe special standards of conduct and to manifest good faith in professional relationships, the National Association of Professional Background Screeners, adopts the following Code of Conduct and recommends its conscientious observance by employees of all member companies.

CODE

All Employees of Member Companies shall:
1. Perform professional duties in accordance with the law and the highest moral principles.
2. Observe the precepts of truthfulness, honesty and integrity.
3. Be faithful and diligent in discharging professional responsibilities.
4. Be competent in discharging professional responsibilities.
5. Safeguard confidential information and exercise due care to prevent its improper disclosure.
6. Avoid injuring the professional reputation or practice of colleagues, clients or employers. However, nothing in this
code limits a member from engaging in fair, competitive business practices.

EXPLANATIONS

Individuals shall:
1.1 Uphold the law of the land in which the services are rendered and perform all duties in an honorable manner.
1.2. Not knowingly become associated in responsibility for work with colleagues who do not conform to the law and these ethical standards.
1.3. Be just and respect the rights of others in performing professional responsibilities.

Individuals shall:
2.1. Disclose all relevant information to those having the right to know.
2.2. Define "right to know" as a legally enforceable claim or demand by a person for disclosure of information. Such a right does not depend upon prior knowledge by the person of the existence of the information to be disclosed.
2.3. Not knowingly release misleading information nor encourage or otherwise participate in the release of such information.

Individuals shall:
3.1. Be deemed faithful when fair and steadfast in adherence to promises and commitments.
3.2. Be deemed diligent when employing best efforts in an assignment.
3.3. Not act in matters involving conflicts of interest without appropriate disclosure and approval.
3.4. Represent services or products fairly and truthfully. Individuals shall:
4.1. Be deemed competent who possess and apply the skills and knowledge required for the task.
4.2. Not accept a task beyond the member's competence nor shall competence be claimed when not possessed.

Individuals shall:
5.1. Accept that "due care" requires the professional must not knowingly reveal confidential information, or use a confidence to the disadvantage of the principal or to the advantage of the member or a third person, unless the principal consents after full disclosure of all the facts. This confidentiality continues after the business relationship between the member and his principal has terminated.
5.2. Not be bound by confidentiality if they have not agreed to do so. Individuals are not bound by confidential disclosures made of acts or omissions which constitute a violation of the law.
5.3. Understand confidential disclosures made by principals are not recognized by law as privileged in a legal proceeding. Individuals may be required to testify in a legal proceeding to the information received in confidence from a principal over the objection of that principal's counsel.
5.4. Not disclose confidential information for personal gain without appropriate authorization.

Individuals shall:
6.1 Not comment falsely and with malice concerning a colleague's competence, performance or professional capabilities.