Our Policies
Anti-Harassment/Anti-Discrimination Policy
Global Philosophy Statement:
The Oakville Chamber of Commerce is committed to providing a work environment that is free from any unlawful harassment or discrimination.
Chamber policy prohibits harassment or discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, physical or mental disability, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), gender, gender identification, gender expression or, any other basis protected by law.
The Oakville Chamber of Commerce also recognizes ‘sexual’ harassment under the same policy. Sexual harassment means unwelcomed sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, written or physical conduct of a sexual nature when submission to or rejection of such advances, requests or conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly. Prohibited conduct includes: unwelcome sexual advances, leering, whistling, brushing against the body, sexual gestures, suggestive or insulting comments, sexual jokes, written or oral references to sexual conduct, gossiping regarding one’s sex life, display of sexually suggestive objects, pictures or electronic images, sexual discussion, and unwanted touching or flirtation.
Forms of Harassment and Discrimination
Harassment and discrimination are considered to be unwelcome verbal, physical, written, visual, personally offensive, or any other form of harassment or discrimination that acts to prevent the harassed or discriminated employee/worker from performing his or her duties, is unwanted or unsolicited by the employee/worker, serves to threaten or intimidate the employee/worker, impairs morale, and/or produces a hostile, intimidating or offensive work environment.
Unlawful harassment or discrimination of employees/workers by other employees/workers will not be tolerated.
Reporting Procedure
An employee or worker who feels that they have been the subject of unlawful harassment or discrimination is advised to take the following action:
1. Make it clear to the offending person that the behavior is unwanted and/or offensive. If this would present a physical danger or undue suffering for the employee/worker, then notification of the Chamber President, Executive Vice President or Officers of the Board of Directors is required immediately. The Chamber President, Executive Vice President and Officers of the Board of Directors are all available to receive a complaint of harassment or discrimination.
2. Immediately bring the matter to the attention of the appropriate Chamber President, the Executive Vice President or the Officers of the Board of Directors. Employees/workers are not required to report harassment/discrimination to their immediate supervisors.
Complaints of unlawful harassment or discrimination will be promptly, thoroughly and impartially investigated. Reasonable efforts will be made to maintain confidentiality and the dignity of all parties involved. After the initial conversation with the Chamber President, the Executive Vice President or the Officers of the Board of Directors, the employee/worker may be asked to document their complaint.
All parties have the responsibility of maintaining the dignity and confidentiality of anyone concerned before, during, and after any formal investigation.
Oakville Chamber of Commerce Response
If the Oakville Chamber of Commerce determines that unlawful discrimination or harassment has occurred, appropriate action will be taken commensurate with the severity of the offense. Appropriate action will also be taken to deter any future discrimination or harassment. The Chamber President oversees enforcement of the equal employment opportunity and unlawful discrimination and harassment policies and can answer any questions or concerns regarding these policies.
In the event that the Oakville Chamber of Commerce reasonably believes that inappropriate sexual behavior and/or discrimination has occurred, appropriate disciplinary actions will be taken. Such disciplinary action may include immediate termination of employment for cause.
Policy on Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities
1. Our mission
Is to foster a healthy, engaged and sustainable business environment and economy in Oakville.
2. Our commitment In fulfilling our mission
The Oakville Chamber of Commerce strives at all times to provide our services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. We are also committed to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our services and allowing them to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as other members.
3. Providing goods and service to people with disabilities
The Oakville Chamber of Commerce is committed to excellence in serving all members including people with disabilities and we will carry out our functions and responsibilities in the following areas:
3.1 Communication
We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability. We will train staff who communicate with members on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.
3.2 Telephone services
We are committed to providing fully accessible telephone service to our members. We will train staff to communicate with members over the telephone in clear and plain language and to speak clearly and slowly. We will offer to communicate with members by email, fax or regular mail if telephone communication is not suitable to their communication needs or is not available.
3.3 Billing
We are committed to providing accessible invoices to all of our members. We will answer any questions members may have about the content of the invoice in person, by telephone or email.
4. Use of service animals and support persons
We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal on the parts of our premises that are open to the public and other third parties. We will also ensure that all staff, volunteers and others dealing with the public are properly trained in how to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal. We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter the Oakville Chamber of Commerce’s premises with his or her support person. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on our premises.
Oakville Chamber of Commerce Corporate Social Responsibility Policy
The Chamber’s Corporate Social Responsibility policy’s guiding principle is to encourage a positive impact on our employees, members and our community through our activities in the following five key areas:
- Membership
- Employee Health and Safety
- Community Engagement
- Environmental Stewardship
- Local Sourcing
1. Membership
As an organization, the Oakville Chamber of Commerce strives to conduct our business in a socially responsible manner. The Oakville Chamber of Commerce understands that our success is only possible through the active engagement of our members. We will leverage our resources, expertise, products and services, affinity benefits and relationships for the benefit of our members and the Oakville community through advocacy, networking and educational opportunities. We are accountable through the following examples: Advocacy initiatives related to municipal, regional, provincial and federal issues and working in partnership on issues with the Canadian and Ontario Chambers of Commerce Providing networking, informational and educational opportunities at Chamber events including Business After Hours, Good Morning Oakville, Small Business Week, Golf Tournament, Insight Gala, Oakville Business Awards, seminars and roundtables with elected officials and guest speakers
2. Employee Engagement, Health and Safety
We strive to be an employer of choice for talented, dedicated people. Our employees are the Chamber’s most valuable asset. We thrive on the diverse talents of our employees, and we treat those talents with dignity and respect. Yet we know that having diversity in our workforce is not enough. We must create an inclusive environment where all people can contribute their best work. Our goal is to ensure our employees work in a safe environment free from violence or harassment. We are accountable through the following examples:
- Flexible work environment
- Year-end performance awards
- Yearly staff performance reviews
- Encourage and cover the cost of staff development
- Staff input is actively solicited as part of our major decision making process
- Health and Safety Officer on staff
The Oakville Chamber of Commerce Privacy Policy
Introduction
Protecting your privacy and the confidentiality of your information – over the Internet, on the telephone, or through our offices – has always been fundamental to the way we do business at the Oakville Chamber of Commerce. We operate on the basis of a Privacy Policy and related procedures that guide the handling of the personal information we collect. We have created this privacy statement in order to demonstrate our firm commitment to protecting the privacy of our members, partners and potential Web site visitors. This policy and related procedures are consistent with the Canadian Standards Association Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information (herein “CSA Model Code”) and applicable privacy legislation.
Privacy Statement
The Oakville Chamber is the collective membership of the Oakville business community. We provide member benefits including advocacy, corporate benefits, networking opportunities, business development and educational forums. Representing 900 members, with over 33,000 employees, we contribute to growth by connecting member businesses to each other and we serve as an effective advocate for economic vitality. Our mission is to foster a healthy, engaged and sustainable business environment and economy in Oakville.
Good privacy practices build consumer confidence, protect the integrity of your business’ brand, increase customer loyalty, and are an integral part of accountability and corporate governance.
As technology advances and business systems and processes become increasingly complex, more and more personal information is being collected. Privacy is a growing concern to consumers and, as such, has become a risk management issue for all businesses.
The Government of Canada enacted the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) which came into effect for most businesses on January 1, 2004. PIPEDA regulates the collection, use and disclosure of personal information by private sector organizations and others in the course of their commercial activities. Organizations, including corporations, individuals, associations, partnerships and trade unions, are generally subject to the provisions of this legislation if they collect, use or disclose personal information in the course of their commercial activities. Under PIPEDA, personal information must be:
• collected for identifiable purposes and with consent
• used and disclosed for the limited purpose for which it was collected
• accurate
• accessible for inspection and correction
• safeguarded
The Oakville Chamber of Commerce generally does not sell products or services. We engage in sponsorship, fundraising, and other membership activities. To promote local business, we provide information about your business based on requests from members and the public. We do not share our mailing list or any personal information with other organizations.
Occasionally, we do take the information you provide us with and remove any identifying details (including your name, street address, phone number and email address), then combine the balance of this anonymous information with that of other Oakville Chamber of Commerce members. We do this in order to identify important trends or issues with respect to business matters.
If you have any questions, you may contact our Privacy Officer francefournier@oakvillechamber.com or 905-464-7876
Accountability
The Oakville Chamber of Commerce (herein “the Chamber”) is accountable for all personal information under its control. The Chamber’s privacy officer is the president who is designated as responsible for the Chamber’s privacy policy. The privacy officer can be reached by: francefournier@oakvillechamber.com or 905-464-7876 Any questions about the Chamber’s handling of personal information should be directed to the privacy officer. Please see below for more information about the process for referring questions about the Chamber’s handling of personal information.
Purpose of Personal Information
The purpose for which the Chamber collects personal information will be identified at or before the time the information is collected. The Chamber may collect personal information for the purposes of: administering membership and providing member services; registering for Chamber events, for example the Annual General Meeting; purchasing various Chamber products or services; processing and administering the above or other purposes as necessary. The Chamber will not use personal information for any other purpose than identified at or before the time of collection.
Consent
The Chamber seeks consent for all personal information we collect, use and disclose through information provided to individuals prior to collection, or at the time of collection. If you have voluntarily provided information, you have consented to the collection, use and disclosure of your personally identifiable information as described in this privacy policy. As required by the CSA Model Code, the Chamber will not use personal information for any purpose other than that for which you consented. Should the Chamber require personal information for a new purpose, we will contact you to seek consent for that new use.
The Oakville Chamber of Commerce Social Media Policy
The Oakville Chamber of Commerce’s social media platforms will adhere to the basic tenets of good online form: courteous, respectful, lawful, honest representation and communication.
The following guidelines provide details on adherence to this social media policy:
1. The Oakville Chamber will always be prepared and willing to substantiate any claims that are made on the Internet and will not engage in knowing dishonesty.
2. The Oakville Chamber welcomes comments on any blog postings. Discussions about comments posted to this blog will be polite and respectful and will not engage in antagonistic behaviour.
3. The Oakville Chamber requests that users of this blog do not engage in spam activity and do not go off-topic or use offensive terms or tactics when commenting.
4. The Oakville Chamber will not disclose private conversations or confidential information without the consent of those parties involved.
5. The Oakville Chamber will respect fair use and copyright laws. Use of others’ information will always be acknowledged and cited.
6. The Oakville Chamber will write informally but not improperly. Grammar and syntax will be observed.
Conflict of Interest Policy for Directors and Committee Members of the Oakville Chamber of Commerce
1.0 Application 1.1 This policy applies to the volunteer board of directors (the “Board”) and committee members of the Oakville Chamber of Commerce (the “Chamber”).
2.0 Definition of Conflict 2.1 A “conflict of interest” is any situation where: (a) Your personal interests (financial, political or otherwise), or (b) Those of a close friend, family member, business associate, corporation or partnership in which you hold a significant interest or a person to whom you owe an obligation, could influence your decisions and impair your ability to: (i) Act in the Chamber’s best interests and the best interests of its members, or (ii) Represent the Chamber fairly, impartially and without bias.
2.2 It is important to note that a “conflict of interest” exists if a decision could be, or could appear to be influenced – it is not necessary that influence actually takes place. This is typically known as the “appearance of a conflict of interest”.
2.3 The “appearance of a conflict of interest“, must be included in the definition of “conflict of interest”, and occurs when a reasonably well informed person properly could have a reasonable perception that you are making decisions on behalf of the Chamber that promote your personal interests or those of a person described in paragraph 2.1(b) rather than those of the Chamber and its members.
3.0 General Duties
3.1 Unless authorized to do so by the Board, or by a person the Board designates, you may not: (a) act on behalf of the Chamber, or deal with the Chamber, in any matter where you are in a conflict of interest or appear to be in a conflict of interest, nor (b) use your position, office or affiliation with the Chamber to pursue or advance your personal interests (financial, political or otherwise) or those of a person described in paragraph 2.1(b).
3.2 You must immediately disclose a conflict of interest to the Board either in writing or as minuted at a Board or committee meeting. It is important to make the disclosure when the conflict first becomes known. If you do not become aware of the conflict until after a matter is concluded, you must still make the disclosure immediately upon becoming aware.
3.3 If you are in doubt about whether you are or may be in a conflict of interest, you must request the advice of the Board or a person the Board designates.
3.4 You must immediately take steps to resolve the conflict of interest or remove the suspicion that it exists, by conducting yourself as follows: (a) Promptly declare the conflict of interest to the Board or committee and ask that such declaration be recorded in the minutes; (b) After declaring the conflict, you may provide information that is relevant to the matter giving rise to the conflict, but only prior to any discussion of the matter. You must then excuse yourself from the portion of the meeting where the matter giving rise to the conflict of interest is being discussed; (c) Notwithstanding paragraph 3.4(b) above, and with respect only to a meeting of the Board, the Board may, in its discretion acting unanimously, permit you to participate in the discussion giving rise to the conflict. However, if that discretion is exercised by the Board, you must then excuse yourself for a period of discussion amongst the Board without you present; (c) You must, in any event, refrain from voting on the matter giving rise to the conflict of interest at any meeting of the Board or committee meeting.
4.0 Avoiding a Conflict of Interest
4.1 You must not use your position as a Director or committee member to: (a) personally benefit from any business activity involving the Chamber, except where authorized by the Board following disclosure of the benefit; (b) confer a benefit on a person described in paragraph 2.1(b), except where authorized by the Board following disclosure of the benefit; or (b) receive an indirect benefit from any business activity involving the Chamber, except where authorized by the Board following disclosure of the benefit.