Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct

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 Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct
UNIVERSAL | Designers, Students, Vendors and Directory-Only Businesses | Proposed effective date: Jan 1,
2027
1. Purpose and scope
Designers Meet (“DM”) is a professional community for designers, design students, vendors and allied industry
professionals. This Code applies to applicants, free and paid members, directory-only businesses, representatives
and guests while using DM events, portals, directories, communications or programs. All participants must uphold
integrity, professionalism, respect and responsible collaboration.
2. Honesty and professional integrity
Provide accurate credentials, affiliations, business information, services and qualifications. Do not misrepresent
licensing, certifications, product capabilities, pricing, availability or relationships with DM. Fulfill commitments in good
faith and comply with applicable law. Membership is not a DM certification or endorsement.
3. Respect and nondiscrimination
Treat all participants respectfully. Harassment, discrimination, bullying, threats, intimidation, abusive conduct and
retaliation against good-faith reporting are prohibited. Handle professional disagreements constructively and respect
personal boundaries.
4. Fair business conduct and collaboration
Credit the work and intellectual property of others. Be transparent about roles, scope, compensation and relevant
conflicts of interest. Do not knowingly misrepresent another person's work as your own or use deceptive or coercive
business practices. Members may compete lawfully and independently; DM does not set prices, commissions or
referral obligations.
5. Privacy and confidentiality
Respect private conversations and confidential client, project, pricing and business information. Do not share
screenshots, recordings, private contact lists or member-only content without appropriate permission. Do not scrape,
harvest, sell or export member data. Access to a person's contact details is not consent for promotional email or
mass messaging. Comply with applicable privacy and marketing laws.
6. Community communications and solicitation
DM chats and private spaces are for collaboration, referrals, knowledge-sharing and community discussion—not
unsolicited promotions. Advertising, mass outreach, repetitive sales posts, unsolicited recruitment into unrelated
groups and bulk direct messaging require express DM authorization where applicable. Respect opt-outs and do not
falsely present an opportunity as DM-sponsored.
7. Designer responsibilities

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Represent professional qualifications accurately; respect client confidentiality, project agreements, creative rights
and collaborators. Communicate services and financial arrangements honestly. Disclose material conflicts when
relevant. Designers are responsible for their independent contracts, insurance and legal compliance.
8. Vendor and directory participant responsibilities
Represent products, warranties, lead times, services and capabilities accurately. Respect designer-client
relationships and avoid aggressive solicitation. Vendor access to DM Meets and community spaces requires the
applicable approved paid vendor membership; purchasing a Directory Listing Only product grants listing privileges
only, not Meet admission, community access or designer contact records. Do not bypass access rules through
another account or improper registration.
9. Private vendor directory
The vendor directory is accessible only through the authenticated Designer Portal to approved designers, including
eligible free and student designers. Vendors may manage their own business profiles subject to review but may not
browse designer records or the private designer-facing directory. Listing information, logos and images must be
accurate, current and properly licensed. Inclusion is not an endorsement or guarantee of leads.
10. Events, education and DM programs
Register under the correct eligibility category, respect capacity limits, venue policies, safety instructions, speakers,
hosts and volunteers. Do not transfer restricted invitations or use another person's membership. Collaborative
programs, including ColLab, may require separate selection criteria and agreements; eligibility never guarantees
selection.
11. Brand, intellectual property and media
Do not reproduce DM trademarks, logos, proprietary materials or educational content without permission. Do not
imply agency, employment, sponsorship or endorsement without written approval. Active members may truthfully
describe their membership subject to brand guidelines. Event photography and recordings are governed by separate
notices and permissions; this Code is not a blanket media release.
12. Students and business representatives
Student applicants must truthfully verify current enrollment in design, architecture or a related field and update their
status when eligibility changes. Individuals applying for a business must have authority to do so; businesses are
responsible for representatives acting on their behalf at DM activities.
13. Reporting and review
Concerns may be submitted to DM administration with supporting details. DM may investigate, request responses,
issue warnings, require corrective action, restrict access, suspend privileges, remove listings or terminate
participation based on seriousness and applicable terms. Immediate interim restrictions may be imposed for safety or
serious misconduct. DM will handle concerns discreetly where practicable but cannot guarantee confidentiality.
Retaliation is prohibited.
14. Membership approval and termination

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Applications are reviewed and are not automatically approved by payment or submission. DM may decline, suspend
or terminate participation for material or repeated violations, consistently with applicable law and published terms.
Any refund rights are determined by the applicable Membership Terms or purchase agreement, not by this Code.
15. Independence and amendments
Members are independent businesses or individuals. DM does not guarantee referrals, quality, qualifications,
projects or business outcomes. DM may update this Code with reasonable notice of material changes and any
consent required by law. Nothing here waives non-waivable legal rights.
16. Mandatory acknowledgment
I confirm that I have read and understand the Designers Meet Membership Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct; I
agree to comply with it; I confirm my application information is accurate; and I understand that approval is required
and violations may lead to restricted access, suspension or termination. If applying for a business, I confirm that I am
authorized to act for it.