SPINAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE – CODE OF CONDUCT

Overview

​At the Spinal Research Institute (SRI) we require that all of our employees, contractors and board members (“Staff”) conduct themselves according to the highest standards of ethics, integrity, and behaviour when dealing with our colleagues, service users, donors, suppliers and other stakeholders. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, full compliance with all legal obligations imposed by statute or any other source of law.

This Code of Conduct establishes the standards of behaviour that must be met by all Staff. Staff are required to be familiar with and comply with the terms of this Code at all times. Where these standards are not met, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken. In cases where the breach involves serious misconduct, this may result in summary dismissal. In cases where a breach of the Code involves a breach of any law, then the relevant government authorities or the police may be notified.

In so far as this policy imposes any obligations on the SRI, those obligations are not contractual and do not give rise to any contractual rights. To the extent that this policy describes benefits and entitlements for employees, they are discretionary in nature and are also not intended to be contractual. The terms and conditions of employment that are intended to be contractual are set out in an employee’s written employment contract.

The SRI may unilaterally introduce, vary, remove or replace this Code of Conduct at any time.

Standards of conduct

The standards expected of Staff include:

• Compliance with all SRI and workplace policies, procedures, rules, regulations and contracts;
• Compliance with all laws;
• Compliance with all reasonable and lawful instructions given by or on behalf of the SRI;
• Devotion of the employee’s entire time, attention and skill during normal working hours, and at other times as reasonably necessary for the employee to perform their duties;
• To be honest and fair in dealings with co-workers, service users, donors, suppliers, other stakeholders and the general public, and to treat them with courtesy and respect;
• To be faithful and diligent, and actively pursue the SRI’s best interests at all times;
• To work in a safe and compliant manner, and to observe all workplace health and safety rules and responsibilities;
• Refraining from any discriminatory, bullying or harassing behaviour toward co-workers, service users, donors, suppliers, other stakeholders and the general public;
• To not make any statements to the media about the SRI’s business, unless expressly authorised to do so by the SRI (requests for media statements should be referred to the Board);
• To not make any statements about the SRI on social media, or any other public platform, that may harm the SRI’s reputation;
• To not, in connection with the staff member’s role at the SRI, accept any financial or other non-financial benefit from any person or entity other than the SRI – unless acceptance of such benefit is in accordance with the SRI’s other workplace policies or is otherwise disclosed to the SRI and expressly permitted by the SRI;
• To not engage in any employment or provide any services to a supplier or competitor of the SRI, except with the SRI’s prior written consent;
• Immediately disclosing any potential, perceived or actual conflict of interest (whether direct or indirect) that may give rise to a conflict with the performance of the staff member’s obligations to the SRI, or the SRI’s business, confidential information or reputational interests. The SRI may direct staff members to take action to eliminate or reduce any such conflict, and staff members must comply with such directions;
• To not engage in conduct, whether during or after work hours, that in the opinion of the SRI causes damage or potential damage to the SRI’s property or reputation;
• To not use prohibited drugs and to not come to work while affected by use of alcohol or prohibited drugs;
• To not discriminate on the basis of personal characteristics including (but not limited to) sex, race, disability, pregnancy, age, marital status or sexual orientation;
• To ensure and maintain punctuality;
• To respect the SRI’s property;
• To dress in an appropriate manner and to ensure that appearance is presentable, clean, neat and tidy;
• To not use SRI devices or applications to access and/or download sexually explicit material or other offensive material;
• To not use SRI email to send sexually explicit or suggestive material, or other offensive or harassing material;
• To maintain both during employment and after termination of employment with the SRI, the confidentiality of any confidential information, records or other materials acquired during the course of employment;
• To maintain both during tenure as a Board member and after leaving the Board of the SRI, the confidentiality of any confidential information, records or other materials acquired during the course of Board tenure;
• At all times, behave in a way that upholds the SRI’s integrity and good reputation;
• Reporting the conduct of other workplace participants which is in breach of any of the above, or potentially in breach of any of the above, without delay.

Other policies

Staff are encouraged to read this policy in conjunction with other relevant SRI policies.

The list of relevant policies includes the following: Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Policy; Bullying Policy; Disciplinary Action and Termination Policy; Employee Handbook.

Last Updated:    30 August 2025