Ethics Process Participant Agreement

We've added an additional step to the Dispute Resolution Process to require that both parties in an Ethics dispute agree to the terms of the process before participating.

The new Ethics Process Participant Agreement briefly describes the process and outlines both the rights and obligations of the parties involved. Before filing an Ethics complaint, the complainant must review the agreement and click the checkbox at the bottom of the Ethics Complaint form before filing the complaint. Defendants in Ethics cases can't respond to the complaint or post comments until they also agree to the terms.

We always try to resolve Ethics complaints amicably. Thanks to the new blog format that facilitates communication, we're often able to quickly mediate disputes. But if those efforts fail, cases are referred to the Ethics Committee for discussion and a vote.

We had an incident recently where someone participated in the process, disagreed with the outcome, and threatened to sue all parties involved. Even a frivolous lawsuit can consume time and money, and we don't want to put anyone at risk. When you participate in the Ethics Process, you have to accept that the Ethics Committee might not vote in your favor.

As a condition of membership, all Tradeloop members are required to abide by Tradeloop's Code of Ethics. This includes participating in the Ethics process when a complaint is filed and cooperating with the Ethics Committee. The new participation agreement doesn't change anything about the process. However, it does make sure that both parties understand their responsibilities and agree to participate fully.