APPO Code of Ethics

This Code of Ethics is a set of principles to provide guidelines in our professional conduct with clients, colleagues, and community. As a member of the Association of Personal Photo Organizers, our members agree to conduct business honestly and ethically. We constantly strive to improve the quality of services and maintain a reputation for honesty, fairness, respect, responsibility, integrity, trust and sound business judgment. Our members agree to not compromise these principles for short-term advantage, and agree to the following:

• Serve clients with integrity, competence, and objectivity, and will treat them with respect and courtesy.
• Offer services in those areas in which the member is qualified and accurately represent those qualifications in both verbal and written communications.
• Recommend the services of other qualified organizers and/or other qualified professionals, when unable or unqualified to fulfill requests for services directly.
• Advertise services in an honest manner and represent the organizing profession accurately.
• Keep confidential all client information, both business and personal.
• Use proprietary client information only with the client’s permission.
• Refrain from using client confidential information for personal or business gain.
• Independently determine and communicate fees and expenses directly to client.
• Charge reasonable fees and expenses that are legitimate, and commensurate with member’s level of experience, services delivered, and the responsibility accepted.
• Make recommendations for products and services with the client’s best interests in mind.
• Seek and maintain an equitable, honorable, and cooperative association with all colleagues, treating them with respect and courtesy.
• Respect the intellectual and artistic property rights (professional photographs, materials, titles, and thematic creations) of colleagues, and other firms and individuals, and not use proprietary information or methodologies without permission.
• Act and speak on a high professional level so as not to bring discredit to the organizing profession.