Business Support for Co-ops – peer mentor handbook
Code of conduct
Professional Conduct and Quality Assurance
By taking on the role the Mentor agrees to adhere to our professional standards and specific terms and conditions and will take steps to avoid any conflicts of interest. We abide by The Global Code of Ethics For Coaches, Mentors, and Supervisors.
By taking on this role, the mentor agrees:
- To always act in a professional way, providing consistently high quality, responsive and timely support to the client group
- Ensure transparency and open communication with Co-operative UK
- If a client group / organisation asks a mentor to deliver further support outside of the scope of work agreed under the Business Support for co-ops programme, we expect Mentors to inform Co-operatives UK and to provide details of the support being requested/supplied. This is because if any issues/complaints arise as a direct result of work carried out by the provider without prior knowledge or agreement with Co-operatives UK, this could create a reputational risk for Co-operatives UK and/or partners.
- Alert Co-operatives UK to any issues / concerns with a client group / organisation, particularly where this could affect their ability to deliver aims and objectives and milestones. Failure to report concerns / risks immediately could affect the terms of Co-operatives UK contract with The Cooperative Bank.
- To respond to complaints / issues / feedback immediately and update the Business Support for co-ops programme team accordingly
- To provide reports to the Business Support for co-ops programme team using the template that we provide
Recognising equity and diversity
- Mentors will abide by their respective bodies’ diversity statements and policies
- Mentors will avoid knowingly discriminating on any grounds and will seek to enhance their own awareness of possible areas of discrimination
- Mentors will be cognisant of the potential for unconscious bias and seek to ensure they take a respectful and inclusive approach, which embraces and explores individual difference
- Mentors will challenge in a supportive way any colleagues, employees, service providers, mentees or participants who are perceived to be using discriminatory behaviour
- Mentors will monitor their spoken, written and non-verbal communication for inadvertent discrimination
- Mentors will engage in developmental activities that are likely to increase their self- awareness in relation to equality and diversity
As part of our quality assurance processes, we will invite each client group / organisation to comment on the support provided during the programme lifetime (though the client group / organisation is able to comment or offer feedback on the direct support they receive at any time).