MEMBER CODE OF CONDUCT

To ensure the most productive and comfortable possible experience for all members and everyone we work with at PBFA, we have instituted a set of core organizational values and an accompanying code of conduct. By joining this community, you agree that you have read and will abide by these values and guidelines. We encourage all members to take a moment to internalize them.

PBFA Values

WE ADOPT: A collaborative, systems-based, social justice-centered approach to food system transformation.

WE FOSTER: An inclusive community that values the diverse perspectives and interests of the people, communities, economies, and ecosystems that comprise a thriving plant-based foods industry.

WE THINK: Strategically and holistically.

WE EMBRACE: A mindset of constant learning and evaluation.

WE OPERATE: With transparency, respect, integrity, compassion, and focus.

WE COMMIT: To being adaptive, curious, and bold; and to implement innovative and impactful solutions.

PBFA Code of Conduct

As members of the The Plant Based Foods Association, we have responsibility to our customers, employees, industry, and the Association. We strive to:

  • Be fair and respectful to employer(s), employees, associates, competitors, customers, the public, and all business or professional relations.
  • Maintain the highest standards of business conduct via only legal and ethical means in all business activity.
  • Actively promote and encourage the highest level of integrity within the plant-based industry.
  • Commit to communicating honestly in advertising and in all representations to the public concerning plant-based agriculture, plant-based foods, and plant-based industry activity.
  • Conduct Association activities alongside potential business competitors in a lawful manner:
    • Acknowledge that other PBFA members will compete for business.
    • Never engage in any legally improper communication or enter into unlawful agreements with competitors.
    • Never make false statements about competitors.
    • Abide by all applicable antitrust and other laws regarding agreements with competitors to: fix prices or other sales terms; divide or assign sales territories, customers, or product lines; or coordinate bids and agreements with customers to fix resale prices. Members are prohibited from discussing anything related to pricing, whether or not to deal with another company, or any competitively sensitive information of any kind regarding your own company or a competitor’s company.

In addition, participants are asked to adhere to the following rules:

  • Inspired by the Chatham House Rule we expect to be followed when in a Member Support Call, participants are allowed to use the information shared, but without identifying the speaker, other participants, or their affiliations. The recording or transmission of any education sessions, presentations, demos, videos, or content in any format is strictly prohibited.
  • Disruption of presentations during any session or PBFA-organized virtual event is prohibited. All participants must comply with the instructions of the moderator and any PBFA virtual event staff.
  • Presentations, postings, and messages should not contain promotional materials, special offers, job offers, product announcements, or solicitation for services. PBFA reserves the right to remove such messages and potentially ban sources of those solicitations. Affiliate members are permitted to engage in networking and promotional activity within appropriate, authorized PBFA forums, such as our member portal form.
  • Any direct selling of products/services offered by speakers, industry partners, or consultants in any public area of the virtual platform is prohibited. Many of the conversations held at PBFA events are based on expertise, and are not categorized as a direct sales pitch. All sales activity must be conducted during mutually agreed upon private video, audio, or text conversations.
  • Participants should not copy or take screenshots of any Q&A or chat room activity that takes place in a virtual space.

PBFA reserves the right to take any action deemed necessary and appropriate, including immediate removal from our membership or event without warning or refund, in response to any incident of unacceptable behavior.

If you have any concerns or need to report an incident, please contact Maddie Segal, PBFA’s Associate Director of Member Relations, at maddie@plantbasedfoods.org.

Download a PDF version of our Member Code of Conduct here.