Trade Safe Code - Global ICT Connections

Unethical business practices have become a huge problem in the ICT marketplace with even main players voicing their concerns regarding them. Keeping this aspect in mind and due to the issues which have been raised by various distributors and suppliers, GICT has introduced a Trade Safe Code to ensure that all transactions and dealings are safe and secure.

Our main objective is to show that unethical or unprofessional conduct will not be acceptable from any person or company. All users of the GICT platform are requested to read through the “GICT Trade Safe Code.” Continued use of the GICT platform will mean that users are in compliance with all rules, regulations and details mentioned herein.

The Trade Safe Code

The Trade Safe Code is crafted to enhance the user experience and aid in using the GICT platform in accordance to standards of high professionalism, ethics and responsibility. The GICT Trade Safe Code emphasises healthy business practices and the importance of striving for quality and honesty in all their dealings on the GICT Platform.

Due to the backlash caused in the ICT market place by bad business practices and untrustworthy dealers, the GICT Trade Safe Code allows us to actively establish a more trustworthy and professional platform that can help to preserve the existence and reputation of the ICT industry.

Users can find details regarding the GICT platform, such as procedure for filing complaints, processing a complaint, time frame and the methodology applied to evaluate and resolve all alleged violations and sanctions if applicable.

Principles for Healthy and Ethical Business Practices with GICT

The Trade Safe Code incorporates the following principles for businesses and individuals making use of the GICT platform. Users are requested to go through these and apply them effectively.

Principle 1 – Acting in Good Faith

All dealings between members of GICT platform, in the capacity of buyers or sellers, shall be conducted in accordance to the highest level of professionalism and honoured in good faith. GICT expects members to:

Honour accepted offers in a timely manner.
Complete and follow through any agreement or contract that has been entered into, verbally, electronically or otherwise.
Accept responsibility to conclude transactions in a satisfactory manner once agreement has been reached to sell, buy, maintain, lease or install the equipment.
Use a single name for affiliation, identification as well as conducting business dealing and negations on the GICT platform for the sake of transparency.
Share information regarding the terms and conditions which are applicable according to their company.
Avoid making false statements, omissions and insinuations or indulge in malicious implications or other unlawful acts or omissions.These can seriously mar the reputation or character of companies or members on the GICT platform.
Provide full cooperation in good faith regarding alleged violations of the Code against themto help resolve and expedite the process.

Principle 2 – Being Ethical

All members are requested to conduct their business in accordance with the highest standards so as to improve and enhance the reputation and confidence in GICT and the ICT Industry. GICT expects members to:

Be accurate in providing information regarding their knowledge, skills, products and services.
Accept responsibility regarding the performance of their services and products.
Promote their products in a positive light which is in line with their professional demeanour and will enhance and improve the overall image of the ICT industry.
Avoid making intentionally offensive public claims or statements that are likely to cause injury or discredit their credibility.
Consider the consequences regarding public claims or statements that they release.

Principle 3 – Confidential Information

GICT understands that it is a public platform and users rely on us to enforce proper measures to ensure the security of confidential and personal details. GICT expects its members to:

Respect and keep all information confidential that has been shared with them consensually.
Sharing of information is allowed as long as it is essential for conducting business.
Confidential information can be disclosed, as needed for the proper filing of any complaint with GICT.
Misuse of information, in any manner, is not tolerated by GICT
Consider the consequences regarding public claims or statements that they release.

Filing for a Complaint with GICT

GICT takes all complaints seriously and requests members to follow the protocols in order to ensure that their complaints are addressed properly. Missing or incomplete complaint forms are not entertained. The complaint should be submitted in written form to GICT at: [email protected].

Eligibility Criteria

All members of the GICT platform can file a complaint at any time.

Filing Procedure

Please make sure to follow the points mentioned here for your complaint:

The date and all relevant details regarding the incident.
Names and details of individuals or companies involved. These include details of the complainant as well. Details pertaining to all matter of identity, such as the company name, the registered address, any contact person, position held, phone number, etc.
Please mention if a complaint has been filed with any other organisation.
Please mention all efforts that have been made by you to have the matter resolved before you reached out to us.
Mention supporting details such as the total amount of products or services. You are allowed to include supporting documents such as invoices, emails of correspondence and more.
Any proof of response received from the concerned parties in order to resolve the problem.
Suggestions regarding the solution you seek from filing a complaint.

Review of Complaint

The GICT Trade Safe Code relies on an Ethics Admin who is responsible for reviewing any violation, reported or unreported in accordance with our principles to sustain ethical behaviour and business practices. All complaints received need to be processed in the following manner:

GICT sends a confirmation receipt of the complaint to all the parties involved.
The GICT Ethicas Admin will take 5 working days to review the complaint. Their aim will be to gather relevant documents to determine if the facts stated reflect a violation of GICT’s Safe Trade Code.
If no violation is determined, no further action will be undertaken and the complainant will receive information regarding the decision.
If there is a violation, the GICT Ethics Admin will reach out to the offending party regarding the complaint with a request for an initial response, submitted in 3 working days.
If there is no response within the given timelines, the GICT Admin is well within their rights to consider the lack of response as a refusal or admission to the fault as stated in the complaint.
When there is a successful response from the offending party, the GICT Ethics Admin can try to mediate between parties, upon agreement from everyone involved.
If the complaint is successfully resolved privately, the complaint will be considered closed in the GICT database.
If an amicable settlement cannot be reached, the GICT Ethics Admin is well within their rights to request further information regarding the issues. Both parties are required to respond within 10 working days.
After submission, the GICT Ethics Admin will take a total of 7 working days to further investigate and analyse the complaint.
A willed committee member will also let the committee know regarding the complaint.
The committee will then take 7 working days to conduct their investigation into the complaint regarding the alleged violation.
After this, the committee will coordinate with the GICT Ethics Admin handling the complaint to review and access their findings and reach a mutually beneficial agreement for all parties involved.

Sanctions

Sanctions are applicable only if a violation is noted by the GICT Ethics Admin. This can either be individually noted or brought to the attention via a complaint. The following sanctions are upheld by GICT:

Sanction 1: Private
- Notification of the violation will be provided only to the parties involved.
Sanction 2: Public to the platform
- Notification of the violation will be provided to all members on the GICT platform.
Sanction 3: Suspension from the GICT Platform
- Notification of the violation will be provided to all members on the GICT platforms, followed by a temporary suspension of the offending company, from the use of GICT and its services for a certain period that does not exceed 12 months.
Sanction 4: Exclusion from the GICT Platform
- Notification of the violation will be provided to all members on the GICT platforms, followed by a permanent suspension of the offending company, from the use of GICT and its services.

Terms of Procedure

The terms of procedure mentioned herein are outlined for dealing with violations of the Trade Safe Code. The main purpose of this is to ensure that all members of GICT are in compliance with GICT’s code of conduct regarding ethical business practices:

GICT does not claim nor can it make any awards for damages caused in any form.
GICT is not liable and cannot be held accountable for omissions or overlooking of any acts for effective dispute resolution.
It is accepted that both parties are in compliance with the rulings and findings of the Ethics Admin.
These will be accepted as binding and will not be subject to any appeal.
All parties will agree to voluntarily comply with the Ethics Admin findings and ruling regarding the outcome of the complaint or the use sanctions.
Both parties will provide complete cooperation and avoid indulging in actions or omissions that may negatively affect or hinder the complaint process.
It is understood that all information and the status as well as the procedure shall be kept confidential and will only be between both parties and the Ethics Admin unless sanctions are being applied.