NBBI Meeting Code of Conduct

APPLICABLE TO ALL NBBI COMMITTEE MEETINGS

The National Board promotes fair, balanced, and professional conduct in all committee meetings, including, but not limited to:

• Board of Trustees
• National Board Inspection Code (NBIC)
• Committee for Qualifications on Inspection (CQI)
• Members

Upholding these standards ensures that all committee members and visitors experience a respectful, equitable, and productive meeting environment.

Individuals should raise their hands when wishing to speak and wait to be recognized by the Committee Chair. Each participant will be given reasonable time to present their perspective. Speakers should avoid repeating points or monopolizing the discussion, and all others should refrain from interrupting until the speaker has finished.

Chairs are strongly encouraged to take control of a meeting whenever the discussion becomes overly heated or when a participant displays excessive enthusiasm during a contentious issue.

Chairs should note whenever someone speaks out of turn and repeatedly seeks the floor to counter any opposing view. It is important for Chairs to take control of a meeting before a controversial issue can result in heated arguments by tactfully reminding the member or visitor of the proper meeting rules.

If the individual cedes control, no further action may be necessary.

If the disruptive behavior persists, the Chair should “call the individual to order.” If noncompliance persists, the Chair’s next step is to officially “name the offender,” instructing the secretary to record the action in the meeting minutes. This action should be taken as a last resort effort, which is the equivalent to pressing charges against the individual. NBBI upper management staff should be notified of any meeting disruptions. The disrupter’s behavior and/or words can be documented, and the individual may be asked to leave the meeting.

If order is restored, the committee members may decide whether to consider the matter closed or to impose a penalty. Chairs and committees are not authorized to impose penalties. The NBBI has procedures that cover the steps toward the formal resolution of these matters.

Individuals in leadership positions within the NBBI committee structure should exercise proper restraint and should not misuse their positions to dominate the discussion in any committee meeting. Dominance includes exerting authority or influence in a way that prevents fair and equitable consideration of other viewpoints.

Chairs should assess whether one or more persons, organizations, or interest groups are attempting to exclude fair and equitable consideration of other viewpoints. Some methods of exclusion are:

• Deliberately acting in a way which precludes others from having the opportunity to express their viewpoints;
• Submitting comments that are intended to or always cause a new vote; or
• Taking actions to "control" the agenda, the meeting schedule, ballot issuance, membership on the consensus body and/or related work groups.

It is important to note that disruptive behavior, if unresolved to the satisfaction of the NBIC Committee, may result in the NBBI losing its ANSI accreditation.