IL SORRISO DI BRIGHT ODV

Foreword

The Code of Ethics of the Association Il Sorriso di Bright (The Smile of Bright) stems from the need to establish ethical reference criteria for all those who are part of the Association and for those who approach it, so that anyone who wishes to contribute their enthusiasm to its mission can learn about it,  understand and necessarily share the fundamental and non-negotiable values and principles on which it is founded.

The mission of the Association Il Sorriso di Bright is to protect the rights of parentless, homeless children and destitute families, so that no one is left alone in their time of need.

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What is the Ethical Code

A primary value for the Association Il Sorriso di Bright is the observance of ethics, perceived as honesty, loyalty and fairness, which enables it to preserve the heritage of reliability and credibility that its founders have earned over time.

This Code of Ethics is therefore a set of guiding principles which must inspire the behaviour of all those who in various ways contribute to the mission of Il Sorriso di Bright, their way of relating to each other inside and outside the Association, in a complex context which doesn’t always allow one to distinguish precisely what is right from what is not.

The Code of Ethics is therefore a reference and guiding tool, specifying the rights, duties and responsibilities of all those who work within the Association.

This Code of Ethics supplements what is not explicitly stated in the Association's Articles of Association.

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Principles-Guide

Whereas we are responsible citizens and respect the laws of this country, we are also committed to ethical principles and human rights that may go beyond compliance with existing laws.

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• AUTONOMY

Il Sorriso di Bright affirms its autonomy from any economic, political, confessional, social or scientific conditioning, which could in any way undermine its independence. Il Sorriso di Bright relates with representatives of the institutions regardless of their political affiliation.

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• FAIRNESS AND INTEGRATION

When welcoming people and volunteers, Il Sorriso di Bright does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, religion or economic status. It regards diversity as a strength and wealth and encourages integration between guests and volunteers. Each volunteer must undertake not to establish privileged relationships with guests, in the knowledge that they are fulfilling their role as a representative of the Association.

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• RESPECT

Mutual respect is fundamental. Even towards those who think differently. Respect is also owed in the use of facilities and in the administration of the Association's assets, in the knowledge that they have been laboriously acquired and are intended to accommodate the children and families of today and tomorrow.

Respect also means confidentiality, especially when dealing with children and families.

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•   PROTECTION OF INFORMATION AND CONFIDENTIALITY

All members of the association (staff, volunteers, collaborators) must guarantee the correct use of the personal and corporate information to which they have access, respecting the laws on privacy and the dignity of individuals. In particular, it is not permitted to publish and/or comment on one's personal social media profile, information related to events and/or images of the home of Il Sorriso di Bright and its guests, in order to protect their privacy.

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• FREE OF CHARGE

Each volunteer offers his or her time and effort free of charge, without seeking any kind of personal advantage. Where situations of potential conflict of interest arise, the Board of Directors must be informed.

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•  TRANSPARENCY

Il Sorriso di Bright undertakes to guarantee to each of the subjects, who in various capacities deal with the Association, access by means of appropriate information and communication systems, to every sector of its activity, disseminating to all members those decisions of the Board of Directors that have particular relevance to the life of the Association.

The financial resources, required for the functioning of the Association, must be found in a transparent manner, according to the exclusive interest of the Association and never for personal benefit or the benefit of third parties.

All resources must be used according to the criteria of good management for purposes in accordance with those indicated in the Articles of Association and proper to the Association's mission, and, if they are manifested, respecting the donors' indications.

With the publication of the annual financial statements, Il Sorriso di Bright discloses the use of the funds allocated to the Association's activities, through accurate accounting records that must be a faithful representation of the assets/financial situation and management activities.

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•  RELATIONS WITH DONORS

Il Sorriso di Bright intends to carefully analyse supporters who offer financial aid, excluding those donors who could affect the autonomy of the Association, or for whom it has been ascertained, or publicly known, that they are likely to be involved in situations that are ethically reprehensible or in any case in conflict with the values promoted by the Association. For example, Il Sorriso di Bright will not accept funding from companies that produce tobacco or weapons, from those that exploit child labour or cause environmental damage. The logo of Il Sorriso di Bright must represent added value for the image of the supporting company, but must not be exploited by it commercially.

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• RELATIONS WITH THE PRESS

Il Sorriso di Bright only deals with the press and mass media through the internal delegated managers, who operate with the utmost fairness, availability and transparency, in compliance with the communication policy established by the Board of Directors. Communication must be truthful, non-violent, and respectful of the rights and dignity of the person: the spectacularisation of cases or the exploitation of the pain of others is not permitted. The dignity of the person is non-negotiable.

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• MOTIVATION, TRAINING AND CONTINUOUS GROWTH

Given the delicate field in which Il Sorriso di Bright operates, both staff and volunteers must be driven by a strong motivational drive and great balance: this will help them to overcome all the inevitable difficulties they will encounter in their work. This is why, in order to serve in the Association as a volunteer, it is necessary to participate in basic training and, throughout the duration of service in the Association, in ongoing training sessions, intended as moments of confrontation, growth and support.

Please find attached, as an integral part of this code, the guiding principles of volunteering in Il Sorriso di Bright transmitted to volunteers during basic training.

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• MORAL INTEGRITY

Moral integrity must always prevail in any context of the Association's life. Compromises are not acceptable, whatever the intent, even if the dilemma is between secure advantage and fairness.

Even if written rules are not sufficient to settle the multitude of practical cases that may arise, they are nevertheless a valid indication for the choices to be made.

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Adherence to the Code of Ethics

All the Association's collaborators, whether volunteers or employees, must adhere to and espouse the values proposed in this code, undertaking not to damage, through their behaviour, the value and image profile that Il Sorriso di Bright has built up over time.

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The Board of Directors, guarantor of the Code of Ethics

The members of the Board of Directors promote the dissemination of the principles of this Code of Ethics and take note of the volunteers' commitment to observe them.

Any member of the Association, who becomes aware of conduct that may be contrary to the ethical principles listed above, is obliged to report it to the Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors acts as a preventive recommendation in cases where certain behaviour, although not a clear breach of the principles listed above, is not fully in line with the ethics of the Association.

The Board of Directors expresses opinions on the application of the Code of Ethics, verifies the actual and concrete existence of a specific breach and defines the modalities of an interview with the person concerned for a verbal warning. In the event of repeated breaches of the Code of Ethics or particularly serious violations, further decisions may be taken, up to and including expulsion, to be notified to the Assembly.

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Entry into force of the Code of Ethics

This Code of Ethics was adopted by resolution of the General Meeting of the Association The Smile of Bright on 7 November 2019.

In order to maintain its effectiveness, the Code of Ethics may be revised and amended at regular intervals.

Any updates, amendments or additions to this Code of Ethics must be approved by the Members' Meeting. This Code of Ethics is available for consultation in electronic format on the website as well as in hard copy at the Association's offices.

In order to promote knowledge of and therefore respect for this Code of Ethics, the Association promotes initiatives and collegial occasions for reflection on the principles contained herein, in which all volunteers are required to participate.

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Appendix

Principles set out in the Volunteer Guide:

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Reciprocity

 It is the first value of the relationship. In fact, the encounter is always between two people who have a different life, culture, experience, but equal dignity. The attitude between the one who "gives" and the one who "receives", between "assisted" and "assistant" does not make sense, because the exchange, the enrichment of humanity is reciprocal. The commitment must not only be in the relationship with the assisted, but also with other volunteers, to work better as a team.

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Hospitality

This is the second value of the relationship. Welcoming means 'being with', opening oneself to the other with a non-judgmental attitude and acceptance of diversity. This is a step that presupposes that I myself have managed to welcome myself with my limitations and strengths.

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Ability to listen
It is a human capacity that must be developed patiently and participatively, with empathy, without intrusiveness. Listening means paying emotional and mental attention to what the other person brings to us, as opposed to feeling, which remains at a more superficial level of communication.

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Gratuity
Gratuity is the founding value of the world of volunteering and implies the free and conscious choice to donate not only one's time, but also and above all one's willingness and commitment to be there with the necessary motivation and enthusiasm.

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Competence
It means giving a quality response, which necessarily implies adequate training and therefore growth. We cannot make those in distress pay for our amateurism and superficiality. A 'good heart' and 'good will' are important, but they are not enough for a true helping relationship.

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Equality
Every volunteer is of equal importance because, although the association is structured in different, well-defined organisational roles, they are all indispensable to the goal of providing care and welcome to children and families. Every member of the association is a piece in a mosaic, so no envy nor attitude of superiority, but the ability to empathise with others; to always desire to question oneself; to learn with humility and with the awareness that no-one is perfect; not to feel like a hero for the good deeds done.