Members of the AEO undertake to observe the following Code of Conduct
1. Integrity: Statements made by Members with respect to any exhibition/event will be accurate and correct and will not seek to mislead or misrepresent.
2. Attendance: Members undertake to record and publish attendance/delegate figures at exhibitions/events accurately and to issue them to exhibitors/sponsors/partners on request.
3. Promotional: Literature undertakings or promises made by Members in all literature shall be adhered to. In the event of necessary change, notification will be given to actual or potential exhibitors/sponsors/partners.
4. Insurance: Members will carry a minimum of £5 million insurance cover in respect of public liability. Any exceptions to this are to be specifically agreed in writing by the AEO executive.
5. Contractors: In appointing official contractors for an exhibition/event, members will choose companies who, to the best of their knowledge, have sufficient capacity and experience to perform their duties satisfactorily. They will endeavour to protect exhibitors/sponsors/partners against overcharging or bad service from contractors. They will recommend that contractors be members of the Event Supplier & Services Association (ESSA) or other recognised trade body. They will ensure that contractors adhere to the provisions of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and any other statutory rules and regulations applying to Health & Safety.
6. Services: Members will cause to be provided recognised services including general security, experienced organising and attendant staff, general cleaning, rubbish removal and, where appropriate, press and foreign visitor facilities in accordance with the nature of the exhibition/event. During the build-up, open and breakdown periods of an exhibition/event, exhibitors/ sponsors/partners shall have access to at least one responsible executive of the organisers at all times during the normal working hours relating to those periods. Members will give due regard to AEO’s Health & Safety eGuide.
7. Tenancies: Members will provide reasonable times for installation and dismantling of their exhibition/event, dependent on availability of halls and on the nature of each exhibition/event. These times will be made known to prospective exhibitors/sponsors/partners before they enter into an agreement to participate.
8. Cancellation: In the event of the cancellation or lengthy deferment of an exhibition/event through any circumstances within the organiser’s control, he will abide by the Association’s policy to refund stand rentals and other revenues received from exhibitors/sponsors/partners. If the exhibition/event contains specialised sections which are cancelled the exhibition companies/sponsors/partners contracted specifically for the sections concerned must be advised immediately and given the option to withdraw from the exhibition/event without loss of stand rental and other revenue.
9. Working environment: Organisers must provide a safe, respectful, moral and appropriate working environment for everyone, including staff, customers and suppliers which is not discriminatory towards individuals or groups for reasons of age, disability, sexual orientation, class, ethnicity, race, colour, faith, marital status or gender.
10. Authority: In all matters concerning compliance or breach of this Code of Conduct a decision will be dealt with in accordance with AEO’s complaints procedure. Members undertake to furnish any documentation or information, which the AEO executive may require for this purpose within a stipulated period.
