Code Of Ethics
Our Paramount responsibility is to our customer, our community, and our country.
Honesty is our guiding business policy.
High standards of health, safety and sanitation shall be built into every home.
Members shall deal fairly with their respective employees, subcontractors, and suppliers.
As members of a progressive industry, we encourage research to develop new materials, new building techniques, new building material equipment and improved methods of home financing. To that end, every home buyer may get the greatest value possible for every dollar.
All sound legislative proposals affecting our industry and the people we serve shall have our informed and vigorous support.
We hold inviolate the free enterprise system and the American way of life.
We pledge our support to our associates, our local, state, and national associations and all related industries concerned with the preservation of legitimate rights and freedoms.
Prohibition Against Anti-Trust Activities
It should be the policy of the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Harrisburg (the “Association”), its officers, directors, agents, and employees to be in strict compliance at all times with all federal and state anti-trust statutes, rules, and regulations as are enacted and amended from time to time. This policy shall apply to all membership, board, committee or other meetings of the Association and/or its members to include all other meetings participated in by representatives of the Association on behalf of the Association.
1. Price Fixing and Non-Price Restrictions
Discussion, or any action relative to prices, standardization of prices, or uniformity of prices or price levels in any form, degree or type is strictly prohibited. Furthermore, no discussion or communication in any form shall be permitted, of any elements of a member’s operations which may influence price such as:
a. Cost of operations, supplies, labor or services;
b. Allowance for discounts;
c. Terms of sale, including credit arrangements;
d. Profit margins and mark ups, provided this limitation shall not extend to discussions of methods of operation, maintenance, and similar matters in which cost or efficiency is merely incidental.
In addition, discussions of business terms, restrictions or standardization in any manner of non-price elements shall likewise be strictly prohibited.
2. Geographical/Territorial Allocation
Discussion of non-competition, divisions, territories, customers, or limitations and the nature of business carried on, or products sold or permitted in any manner, form or degree in any area is strictly prohibited.
3. Tying Arrangements
Discussion of tying arrangements regarding marketing, pricing or any other sort of business cross-purchasing is strictly prohibited.
4. Boycotts
Boycotts, insofar as the Association is concerned, are in any form unlawful. Discussion relating to boycotts is prohibited, including discussions about blacklisting or unfavorable reports about particular companies including their financial situation.
5. Membership Restrictions
The Association shall not have any known unduly burdensome entrance or membership requirements.
6. Product Certifications
While product certifications concerning minimum standards of product can, in certain circumstances, be useful by establishing fair and honest performance standards but there shall occur no discussions or actions that would, in any degree or form, undermine the integrity, transparency and open form of any standard setting process. Particularly, that would have any false or inequitable standard setting that potentially could be theorized or construed to exclude or fail the competition and does not therefore have at its prime fundamental process the establishment of objective standards.
7. Lobbying
While there shall be no discussions or acts by the Association with regard to improper lobbying as prohibited by federal or state statute, rule or regulation to specifically include lobbying directed to non-governmental bodies.
8. Publication of Policy
It is the Association’s policy that a copy of these Anti-trust Compliance Policies and Procedures are to be given to each officer, director, committee member, official representative of member companies and Association employees annually and that the same be read, published/made available or understood at all meetings of the membership of the Association.