Code of conduct

SURF regards integrity as a precondition for the proper performance of its activities. SURF expects employees, directors, and supervisory directors to behave with integrity. In their actions, they should be aware that SURF carries out its activities with the aid of subsidies and money from member institutions, and they should feel responsible for dealing with this carefully.

SURF has drawn up a code of conduct with which it sets out the standards and values for behaving with integrity. The SURF Code of Conduct is public and is published on the website. SURF is committed to being as transparent as possible as an organisation. Decisions taken by, for example, the Members' Council, Supervisory Board, or Executive Board are communicated to those directly concerned via appropriate channels such as the website, newsletters, or the intranet. In carrying out its activities, SURF takes account of the interests of its stakeholders and the impact on society and the environment. Sustainability is an explicit and propagated principle of SURF, both within its own organisation and in its services, activities, and projects. Sustainable ICT, for example, is one of the focal points of SURF's Strategic Plan.

Code of conduct SURF

In some situations, rules of conduct provide additional guidance for actions or omissions in certain situations not covered by legislation or regulations. The rules of conduct set out below can help employees, directors, and supervisory directors to assess risks and vulnerabilities and to avoid situations in which appearances could turn against them or SURF.

1. Outside activities/conflicts of interest
   
   Every employee, director or supervisory director is required to report any outside activities, paid or unpaid, that could lead to a conflict of interest. Directors and employees must seek permission from their manager, who will only refuse on reasonable grounds. Ancillary activities of members of the Board of Directors and Supervisory Board will be published on the SURF website.
   
   
   
   An employee who has a personal, non-business relationship with a supplier of goods or services to SURF will refrain from participating in the decision-making process regarding the order in question.
   
    

2. Gifts and gratuities
   
   An employee, director or supervisory director shall not accept from third parties, within the scope of his/her employment or activities, any remuneration, payment or gift exceeding a value of €50.
   
    
3. Invitations from suppliers

   It regularly happens that employees of SURF receive invitations from suppliers. In the performance of his/her duties, the employee and manager will maintain a distance that safeguards professional independence and integrity. A careful assessment is made of whether to accept invitations from third parties.
   
   SURF distinguishes between invitations that are issued during the selection phase (first category) and invitations that are issued after a contract has been signed (second category).

   SURF's policy regarding invitations from the first category is that these will not be accepted. During the selection process, contacts are limited to business contacts with suppliers. If an exception is made because the invitation is of a very interesting or necessary nature, SURF will bear the costs in full.

   With respect to invitations in the second category, SURF's policy is that such invitations will only be accepted if they are appropriate in the light of the relationship with the supplier and the task to be performed for the supplier. In case of doubt, the employee will always consult with his/her manager.
   
    

4. Handling of information, secrecy and confidentiality of documents

   1. Employees, directors and supervisory directors shall refrain from making any statement to anyone about information which they know or ought to know is confidential in respect of all matters concerning SURF, irrespective of how they came to their knowledge.

   2. This obligation of confidentiality shall continue to apply until the termination of the employment or the term of appointment.

   3. An employee, member of the Board of Directors or Supervisory Board member will only retain documents, correspondence, information carriers and/or copies thereof belonging to SURF in his/her possession in so far as and for as long as this is necessary for the performance of his/her duties.

   4. An employee, member of the Board of Directors or Supervisory Board member is obliged, at the request of SURF, to immediately hand over documents, correspondence, information carriers and/or copies thereof to SURF at the end of the contract of employment, or in the event of inactivity or suspension.

   5. Employees, directors, and supervisory directors of SURF handle information with care and confidentiality. The privacy of stakeholders is respected, information is stored properly, and available knowledge is not used inappropriately.
      
       

5. Dealing with applicants
   
   SURF is committed to a transparent and fair recruitment process. When recruiting, we apply the recruitment code of the NVP (Dutch Association for Personnel Management). This code was drawn up in consultation with the Labour Foundation (Stichting van de Arbeid).
   
   
   
   The basic principle of the code is that applicants should have a fair chance of being hired, that applicants should be provided with honest and accurate information, and that SURF should only ask applicants for information that is relevant to assessing their suitability for the job.

This Code of Conduct was adopted on 22 September 2015