House Rules

Each HAT member must comply with the articles mentioned below:

• Act always with diligence, care, integrity, honesty, and respect

• Seek to advance and maintain all professional knowledge, skills, and competences

• Observe and adhere fully to local and international legislation, regulation, laws, relevant market practice, and business principles applicable to own activities 

• Disclose immediately to all stakeholders any conflict of interest

• Always ensure that issues of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, size,  religion, country of origin, disability, or any other form of discrimination have no place in HAT
   

Should the Board of Association take the knowledge that a member has acted in breach of any part of the code of Ethics, the Board shall take any immediate action it regards as appropriate, having due regard to the relevant member’s legal and civil rights. 

In case of an actual or potential conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest as a result of HAT membership in relation to his/her employment, the HAT member shall take all appropriate measures to avoid or resolve such conflict. Such measures include, but are not limited to, not receiving relevant documents, not attending meetings, and, if circumstances so require, abstaining from the exercise of any voting rights, and resigning from his/her HAT position or from his/her employment. A HAT member should make clear that he/she is not acting on behalf of their employer but only in his/her personal capacity. For members of the Board, approval from his/her employer is required. 

Members are obliged to pay an annual membership fee.  The amount of the fee is determined by the General Assembly and is disclosed on the website of the Association. Honorary members do not owe any dues. Members are also required to comply with the statutes, House Rules, and decisions of the Association. In the event that a member has outstanding membership fees, the member shall receive two monthly notifications and otherwise be suspended at the end of the third month. 

A HAT member shall not act as a public spokesman or formal representative by virtue of his/her HAT membership in court proceedings, arbitrations, public hearings or other situations that could create increased public exposure for HAT unless required by law or unless approval has been granted by the Board.

Despite any authorization he/she may have to represent his/her employer, a HAT member shall not sign agreements, deeds, participate in any decision process, or otherwise represent his/her employer in relation to HAT membership unless approved by the Board and by his/her employer. 

A HAT member remains personally responsible for due compliance with applicable (local) laws and regulations related to the exercise of his membership.

A HAT member shall never be involved in - nor use his/her position with his/her company of employment  - to influence any negotiations, casting of votes, agreements or any business decisions regarding the relationship between his/her employer and HAT.

A HAT member shall not use or distribute any non-public information that he/she may have because of his/her professional position in fulfilling his/her role as a HAT member. The rule also applies to any non-public information that he/she may have because of his/her HAT membership.