Transaprency International Albania

Preface

Transparency International Albania, in Albania:

Aspires the enforcement of democracy and good governance;

Aims the enforcement of civil society and the increase of transparency in order to increase the trust in the citizens, and that;

Can trigger the fight against corruption according to the national and international standards;

Through the signing of this Code, the TIA  is  engaged with its owun free will to protect values and principles of freedom, integrity, equality, tolerance, diversity, respect, responsibility, transparency, and professionalism.

CODE OF ETHICS

The Code is a group of standards that addresses in general: the governing if TIA, the financial management, the aspect of transparency toward the members and the public, the enumeration system, relations with the supporters and donors, addressing conflicts of interest.

The Code is a self-regulatory system that is planned based on the free will of any given group,

TIA functions according to governmental law, agreements, and international conventions where Albania aderades and the truthful respect for the signed agreement(s) singed with TRANSPERANCY INTERNATIONAL.

The members signatories to this Code are led into their work by principles specified within the Code.  They promise their engagement for the protection of these standards, therefore, they sign the dispositions of this Code.

AIM OF THE CODE

Code of Ethics

Secures transparency and responsibility in the functioning of TIA;

Improves the quality of services offered by the TIA by applying high standard of conduct ethics, and more effective procedures on decision-making;

Improves the communication between the TIA members and with other actors;

Betters the TIA performance by stimulating the experience exchange between its members and by learning from better practices

LEADING PRINCIPLES OF THE TIA’S CODE OF ETHICS

Continuing, are listed the main principles where the members of TIA should be based within the aspect of the Code of Ethics, and in its respect.  These principles are divided in two main categories:

1. Principles for Internal Affairs;

2. Principles for External Affairs.

1. PRINCIPLES OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS

GOOD GOVERNANCE

Good governance is the process through which the Board secures TIA is following an effective and accurate working practice.  The principle of the good and democratic governance is the level of the Board.  These principles are implemented based on some engagements;

• The engagment of TIA to implement the governing procedures and rules of conduct.

• The commitment of TIA to be independent form any political power or party;

• The commitment of TIA to be transparent and responsible toward all the supporters;

• The engagement of TIA to secure and respect all worker rights;

• The engagement of TIA to work with its beneficiaries on basis of all-inclusion, honesty, and non-discrimination.

INDEPENDENCE AND EVALUATION

TIA independently acts and makes decisions, away from political party influences or private companies.   The TIA activities are based in its mission.  The activities of the Organization are approved by the Board and are evaluated regularly to secure the compliance with its mission for which it was created.

MISSION

The aim of the Organization, decisive and approved by the Board of Directors, is announced formally and specifically.  The activities of TIA are in accordance with the précised aim.

EVALUATION

Organizational evaluation

TIA must to evaluated if the mission needs to be modified, in order to reflect society changes, if the actual programs should be reviewed or concluded, or if there is the need to implement new programs always within its focus, activity, and the reason of its creation.

Professional Service

TIA acts with full professionalism and treats with respect the persons to which it serves, during the implementation its programs and services.  TIA specifies politics protecting the confidentiality of the personal information, when this is needed.

INTEGRITY

The TIA members should not undertake activities which aim the degradation of other agencies, or make untrue public announcements toward other agencies.

The Board and members of TIA should act in the best of Organizations’ interests and in the fulfillment of personal interests, or those of a third party.

TIA has clear politics that it should implement systematically in order to prevent possible conflicts of interests.  This politics should be applied by the members of the Board, the staff, and the voluntaries who have independent authority in the decision-making for the resources of the Organization.

A summery of the basic rules, connected to the prevention of conflict of interests, in the Board level, includes:

• If a board member has another interest (not primary but is included because of other circumstances), that does not include a risk for the continuance of the process, but it can lead others to think that it can influence the decision in its favor, the precise board member should declare the interest nature and let the Board members decide whether he/she should be included in the decision-making process.

• No one from the members should have more than one position within the TIA’s structure or to be a staff and board member at once. 

Declaration on Conflict of Interests

The members of TIA should declare in each case the aspects that deal with Conflict of Interest.

PRATCTICES OF THE STAFF AND MANAGMENT

The volunteers take a special place in TIA by serving in the governance, administration, and programming.

The TIA politics with the human resources include employers and voluntaries.  These politics should be fair and should precise clearly the positions and duties, and to secure the evaluation of duty achievements in most effective and meaningful manner. 

Employers Orientation

The new workers of the Organization should participate in an orientation which includes a presentation of the standards provisioned within the Code of Ethics. 

NON-DISCRIMINATION

Discrimination can initiate in any situation where an individual or group of people are treated in an unjust/non-favorable manner based on their gender, racial, ethnic, religious, political, group age, or people with limited capabilities.  TIA should take the leadership to assist and organize all the people, based in principles of equality and equal opportunities.

In its work with the beneficiaries and internal decision-making, especially in the recruitment, staff evaluation, and conduct within the organization, TIA should not discriminate individuals based on their gender, religious, and ethnic, people with limited capabilities or political belief, pertinence.

PRINCIPLES OF External  AFFAIRS

PRINCIPLE

RESPONSIBILITY TOWARD ALL THE SUPPORTERS AND BENIFICIARIES OF TIA's ACTIVITIES

Responsibility means to be capable to secure justifications for the activities or conduct of TIA or any of its representatives in any case.

TRANCEPRANCY OF TIA ACTVITIES AND COMMINICATION

Transparency means to be open on the organization’s decision-making and the work in relation with the members, beneficiaries, donors, government, organizations, other institutions, and the wide range public. The printed literature (publications, information materials, reports), the presence and coverage in the media and the web, should communicate and provide for each individual, organization, or interested institution the information as listed below:

• TIA’s mission, objectives, and values by which it acts;

• TIA’s principles;

• The methodology of its work, activities and achievements including the Organization’s evaluations and analysis;

• Its organizational structure and manner of governance and management;

TIA should give the opportunity to each person to express the interest in Organization’s issues and to communicate with one of its representatives.

FINANCIAL TRANCPERANCY

TIA should practice modern financial management methods and to work in accordance with all the gamma of legal and regulatory demands.  The TIA’s financial system should secure the registration of financial data and other data that can prove that the financial resources of the organization are used to fulfill the non-profitable goals of the Organization.  TIA should conduct periodical evaluations in order to address different problems connected to the rules in general. 

Financial Responsibility

• TIA should prepare and protect financial reports periodically, which mirror in detail the financial activity of the Organization;
• Compliance of the financial reports should be evaluated by an AUDIT
• TIA should secure to the employers a confidential possibility to report the suspected financial dissatisfaction or the bad use of Organization’s resources.
• Responsibility and legal agreements
• TIA should recognize and act in accordance with the Albanian government laws.  This can include, but it is not binded only in the following activities: respect for the law and rules connected with fund raising, licensing, financial responsibilities, human resources, lobbying, or political support and taxes.
• TIA should conduct periodically a internal evaluation of the Organization’s accordance with the known reporting legal requests, regulatory and financial, and should present a summery of the evaluations results to the Directors Board Members

PARTICIPATION AND PARTNERSHIP

TIA recognizes the need for the increase and enforcement of the stable partnerships based on equality, trust, and honesty.  The supporters and partners are a great part of society/terrain on which TIA operates.

For the most effective work and product:

• TIA should engage to develop continuous consulting processes with the supporters.  The culture of continuing consulting is important in order to be in contact and communicate with the beneficiaries, government, other (private) sectors, organizations, and to be more transparent.
• TIA should be engaged in the development of partnerships with the supporters.  More coordinated work in partnership held by TIA, will lead to the doubling of the activities achieved. 
• TIA should respect the engagements undertaken toward all the supporters, beneficiaries, and partners.  Also, it should recognize and respect the authority of the ideas of others in any sector.
• TIA should respect individual institutional values, politics, visions, and objectives.  It should work together with other organizations to find solution for diverse problems and to achieve greater goals through complementary and diverse capabilities and experiences. 

TOLERANCE

TIA should be prompt to listen and consider new and different ideas form their own in order to act together toward the fulfillment of the goals. 

TIA should accept diversity thinking and differences between other organizations, their respective goals and the activity they conduct.

NETWORK, COORDINATION, COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION

The network, coordination, collaboration, and the communication between TIA and other organizations are based on common values and decisions.  TIA is engaged to better the collaboration and networking between other organizations especially in the subdivisions, by:

•Promoting and supporting network activities which ease the exchange of information and experiences between TIA and other actors.

• To better the communication with the staff, project representatives, and other supporters, as a strategy that secures to everyone the right information on its projects and activities.

• To improve the coordination between TIA and other organizations, especially those in similar acting fields, and beneficiaries.  This will reduce competition, activity duplications, and will increase the efficiency in the use of the resources.

• Will develop strategies to improve the coordination of TIA and other organizations.  Improvement of the coordination does not mean suppression of the institutional independence of each organization, of the rights and freedoms to express and act.