Volunteer Code of Conduct and Confidentiality Agreement

Last updated: November 5, 2024

Johns Hopkins volunteers are dedicated individuals who play a significant role in supporting and advancing the mission and goals of Johns Hopkins through their time, expertise, and generosity.  The institution values volunteers as ambassadors and advocates of our schools, divisions, departments, centers, and other parts of Johns Hopkins University and Medicine.

This conduct and confidentiality agreement is intended to assist our volunteers by clarifying institutional standards and processes.  By establishing a mutual understanding and common set of expectations, we will build a strong foundation for valuable and lasting relationships with our volunteers.

Volunteer Standards and Expectations

The actions of volunteers reflect on them individually as well as on the institution. These guidelines provide a common understanding of standards and expectations of Johns Hopkins volunteers.

Johns Hopkins volunteers should:

• Read through the following guidelines and agree to conduct oneself in alignment with these expectations.
• Maintain the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct, including but not limited to respectful and professional verbal and written communications with all Johns Hopkins affiliates.
• Abide by university policies on discrimination and harassment and sexual misconduct
• Read, acknowledge, and abide by Advisory Board/Council Member Confidentiality Statement.

Conflict of interest:

A conflict of interest situation exists whenever a board or council member may be influenced by an outside interest, such as personal financial gain. Individuals should not leverage their volunteer status for personal or commercial gain and any conflict of interest scenario should be avoided whenever possible. If a relationship is deemed a conflict of interest, volunteers will be asked to remove themselves from participating in any institutional decision with respect to those specific interests.

In the event of a potential conflict of interest, volunteers should:

• Disclose involvement with other relevant organizations, businesses, or individuals where the relationship might be viewed as an actual or potential conflict between personal interests and those of the institution.
• Alert Development and Alumni Relations staff immediately when personal or professional conflicts of interest may affect volunteering status.
• Avoid placing self-interest or any third party interest above that of the institution in the scope of conducting or assisting with Johns Hopkins business, or while volunteering for an institution sponsored activity, program, or event.

Social media:

• If a personal social media account mentions one’s volunteer affiliation with Johns Hopkins, it is advisable to place a written disclaimer on your account that views expressed are yours alone and do not reflect the views of the institution.
• Volunteers must not represent themselves as a spokesperson for any part of the institution unless given written permission from a Development and Alumni Relations staff member.

Endorsements:

• Volunteers should not endorse or appear to endorse any product, service, or person on behalf of Johns Hopkins nor can they enter into a contract on behalf of the institution.

Media inquiries:

• Should you receive any media requests, please forward those requests to the Office of Volunteer Engagement – [email protected] or 410-516-8243.
• Volunteers should not speak to the media about Johns Hopkins business on behalf of the institution unless given written permission from the Office of Volunteer Engagement. If permission is granted, the individual should identify himself or herself as a volunteer, not as an employee or official representative of the institution.

Use of the Johns Hopkins Name and Marks (Johns Hopkins branding):

• Volunteers may refer to their official board/council affiliation with Johns Hopkins for purposes of identifying their volunteer status within the institution.
• Additional use of associated Johns Hopkins logos, trademarks, insignias, and icons for personal or professional use (other than as part of one’s credentials on a resume, a biographical sketch or other similar document) is prohibited to avoid implying official Johns Hopkins endorsement, promotion, or approval.

Advisory Board/Council Member Confidentiality Statement

During the course of your service as a Johns Hopkins volunteer, you may receive confidential information about Johns Hopkins or its donors. Confidential information may include:

• Financial information regarding Johns Hopkins University and Medicine and/or the specific school, division, department, center, or program that your role supports.
• Constituent information such as addresses, phone numbers, and donation history.
• Non-public development, real estate, or strategic plans of Johns Hopkins.

We ask that you do not disclose confidential information to anyone outside of your fellow volunteer cohort(s), and that you use reasonable care to prevent the disclosure of confidential information – both during your volunteer service as well as after its conclusion.

In addition, volunteers are ineligible to receive access to non-public information regarding ongoing Johns Hopkins research or intellectual property during the course of their service.

Johns Hopkins reserves the right to terminate volunteer status at any time for individuals who do not adhere to the above guidelines, or whose actions are deemed inappropriate or unprofessional for their role. Volunteers may also withdraw from their role with the institution at any time if they believe that their expectations are not being met, their role is no longer fulfilling, or they no longer have capacity to serve the institution. Notice of such decisions should be communicated in writing to their immediate Development and Alumni Relations staff contact.

If you have questions about whether a specific piece of information is confidential, please contact the Office of Volunteer Engagement – [email protected] or 410-516-8243.

Thank you for your service to Johns Hopkins.