The BFA Code of Conduct set the levels every customer can expect from the florist members of the British Floristry Association. All members of the BFA are committed to achieving high levels of quality of product and of service and follow all of the BFA Codes of Conduct expected of them to give the best level of service to their customers. If you have flowers where the quality, product or service is below what you consider is satisfactory, we can help. We aim to ensure issues you face are resolved successfully.
The British Florist Association (BFA)
The BFA is the industry trade association for retail florists and represents them at local, national, and international level. It is a Company limited by guarantee and is recognised by Government both here and in the European Community. It was established over 50 years ago.
The Code of Conduct.
Guidance notes on the rules of professional conduct and their interpretation and application
The Code of Conduct is set for the members of the BFA the requirements that they have agreed to follow in order to attain the best level of service for their customers. By establishing the code, each BFA member has undertaken to adhere to its requirements. Those requirements are in addition to and in no way reduce the protection for consumers laid down by law. The Code contains a complaints provision (see paragraph 5) and lays down sanctions for any member who breaks it (see paragraph 6) The British Florist Association lays down the ethical and professional standards by which members should abide. The code applies to all members of The British Florist Association, irrespective of the professional role they fulfil.
Members should always be aware of their responsibility to the public good. A member’s obligations to their client can never override this and they should therefore not enter into undertakings which compromise this responsibility. These guidance notes are designed to help members interpret and apply the rules of professional conduct. They are not exhaustive and do not cover all contingencies
Members shall exercise professional skills and judgement to the best of their ability and discharge professional responsibilities safely and with integrity.
Members shall at all times so order their conduct as to uphold the dignity and reputation of their profession. Members should be competent in the work they undertake. They should ensure that they have the relevant knowledge and expertise. Where appropriate, this may include access to the knowledge and experience of others, or access to other relevant sources of knowledge.
- Exercise professional skills and judgement to the best of their ability and discharge professional responsibilities safely and with integrity.
- Have full regard for the enhancement of the practice of floristry and respectful to fellow florists.
- Always have full regard for the public interest.
- Support the associated objects of the British Florist Association, using any skills or knowledge they possess to further those objects.
- Commit to maintaining professional competence by undertaking appropriate continuing professional development and give all reasonable assistance to further the education training and professional development of others.
- Notify the British Florist Association of any breach of the Code of Conduct by another member and b, convicted of a serious criminal offence
Members commit to maintaining professional competence by undertaking appropriate continuing professional development and give all reasonable assistance to further the education training and professional development of others
Members should serve as an example to others. They should use their skills and experience to serve the needs of the environment and society.
All members have a duty to improve and update technical knowledge, and to keep abreast of relevant developments, including new or changed statutory provisions. Every member has a duty to be proactive in the training and continuing professional development of others, especially those for whom the member has line management responsibility.
Members should give professional opinions that are objective, reliable. They should not engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation or discrimination. They should ensure that their professional activities do not risk the health and safety of others.
Members should treat people on an equitable basis, without discrimination or bias on grounds of gender, marital status, race, ethnic origin, colour, nationality, national origin, disability, sexuality, religion or belief, or age. Members should encourage diversity and respect the customs, practices and reasonable ambitions of others. Members should treat colleagues on an equitable basis, without discrimination, recognising their specific needs, pressures, and problems.
Potential breaches of Rule 1 could include.
- Failing to carry out their professional duties with complete objectivity and impartiality, including failing to declare conflicts of interest or to acknowledge the work of others.
- Failing to have due regard to their duty of confidence in relation to all parties with whom they have dealings as part of their professional duties.
- Failing to carry appropriate insurance, either personally or through their employers, failing to advise their clients of the position before accepting the engagement.
- Maliciously or recklessly injuring or attempting to injure, directly or indirectly, the professional reputation of another.
- Having any form of involvement, whether direct or indirect, and whether for the benefit of the member, the member’s employer, or a third party, in bribery, extortion, fraud, deception, collusion or any other corrupt activity.
- Being guilty of any form of plagiarism or collusion.
- Failing to take all reasonable steps to protect the health and safety of members of the public and of those engaged in the project.
Members shall always have full regard for the public interest
Except when authorised in the national or public interest, members shall not do anything or sanction anything to be done of which the probable consequences would, in their professional judgement, pollute the environment, waste resources or degrade ecosystems or expose valuable property to the risk of destruction or serious damage.
Purchase/Placement of Orders
All members of the BFA are committed to achieving satisfactory levels of quality of a product and of service. Where a product is purchased as seen or ordered for delivery (as against purchased as seen) it must match in terms of quality and value the price paid for such product net of any delivery or other charges agreed with the customer. By way of example only, product purchased from one member for delivery by another to either the original purchaser (i.e. the customer) or some other recipient must fulfil the match required set out above. However, because flowers and plants are a natural product and can be in or out of season and can vary in colour (or in other natural ways) but still be the same product as purchased, the customer will have no valid complaint based on such variations.
Complaints
Should a customer be dissatisfied with the quality of the product and/or service and first having unsuccessfully complained to the BFA member they may complain by letter or by e-mail to the Association Manager of the BFA at the address in paragraph 3 above who will refer such complaint to the BFA Consumer Advice and Arbitration Service (the Service) for attention. Such attention shall follow the process set out hereunder:-
Upon receipt of a complaint the Service MUST deal with the complaint in the following manner:-
a) The complaint must be handled in a professional and expedient manner and in any event must be acknowledged within five working days of receipt.
b) In the event of the Service finding that there has been late, early or non-delivery of an order (unless incorrect delivery details have been given), the customer must receive delivery of a replacement item of equal value to the original order plus a complimentary selection of flowers together with a written apology.
C) In the event of the Service finding that there has been delivery of poor-quality product or under-value then a delivery of a replacement to the full order value must be made along with a written apology. In this case the reference to poor quality means product that has deteriorated within forty-eight hours of delivery.
The decision of the Consumer Advice and Arbitration Service will be final and binding on the member.
In the event that dealing with the complaint in the foregoing way does not produce resolution of the complaint to the customer’s satisfaction the customer may within ten days of receiving the decision of the Service refer the complaint to the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators https://www.ciarb.org/ requesting to appoint a suitable member of that Institute to act as Arbitrator in the matter. The provisions of the Arbitration Act 1996 shall apply. The cost of any such arbitration shall be borne by the unsuccessful party.
The BFA will keep a record of all complaints. The record will be available from its Offices by post on written request. It will not identify the complainants except with their written permission. It will draw conclusions and lessons from all complaints to improve the services of its members wherever possible.
Sanction upon Members
Should the member fail to observe a decision of the BFA Consumer Advice and Arbitration Service or of an appointed Arbitrator, the member’s failure shall be reported to the Board of the BFA which at its meeting next following such report shall decide the penalty to be imposed upon the member for such failure. The penalty may extend to termination or suspension of membership and removal of Find and Florist profile in accordance with Article 2.5 of the Articles of Association of the BFA which authorises the BFA to impose such penalty.
BFA and IPF Brand Guidelines
Incorrect use of the BFA logo
The logo is the foundation of our brand identity and an expression of our personality and values. As an important piece of intellectual property, the logo must be protected through proper use.
To ensure this:
- Do not change the colour of the logo.
- Do not alter the proportions of the logo.
- Do not place the logo in a shape.
Do not place the logo on cluttered photography or illustrations where the logo may be visually lost
Rights and Restrictions of Use of Logo
The goodwill and all intellectual property or other rights in and associated with the BFA logo, the BFA name and any other materials provided to you by us will at all times and for all purposes belong to us. You agree that you will not do anything to harm or undermine those rights and will not use any of the BFA logo, the BFA name or other materials provided to you by us except to promote your registration with BFA.
You must not use “British Florist Association” as part of your trading name.
If you wish to promote our floral designs (using pictures from design guides or other promotional material) on your own shop website, you must ensure that it clearly states that we own the copyright in such images. You will include any copyright notice that we ask to you include from time to time.
All signs, displays, leaflets and other materials incorporating the BFA logo, or the BFA name must be removed immediately from your premises, vehicles and website on termination of your membership with BFA.
Use of the BFA and IPF logo specifically must follow strictly the BFA and IPF Brand Guidelines as set out below. Failure to adhere to these guidelines could result in all or a combination of the following:
- withdrawal of the right of use of the BFA and IPF logo and materials
- suspension or termination of your membership with the BFA or IPF.
For further information on Brand guidelines go to https://britishfloristassociation.org/bfa-and-iopf-brand-guidelines/
Social Media .
You agree not to post any of the following:
- False, misleading, or deceptive comments.
- Materials that contain confidential material or violate a third party’s right of privacy
- Any photos or comments that include or depict profanity, pornography, threats, hate speech, personal attacks, illegal statements, or unsafe practices
- Content attempting to impersonate someone else including, but not limited to, customers, clients, BFA employees and directors, member florists, suppliers, partners, or other community members.
- Unauthorised commercial communications (spam).
- Viruses or other malicious codes
Be smart about protecting yourself, your privacy, and the privacy of others. Do not post personal or sensitive information about yourself or others, including bank account information, information that may be used to locate yourself or another, or information which could otherwise be deemed to constitute an invasion of another’s privacy.
Publicity
All publicity or advertising of product or services by the BFA or any member must be honest, truthful, and easily understandable and in accordance with the British Advertising Standards Authority requirements.
Obtaining the Code of Conduct
A PDF copy may be obtained from members’ premises or from the British Florist Association, PO Box 505, West Malling, ME6 9NQ tel: 02475 090326; email: info@britishfloristassociation.org; web site: www.britishfloristassociation.org
Registered in the UK Company Number 2751630, VAT Registration Number: 446 7950 12, Registered office: 75 Springfield Road, Chelmsford, CM2 6JB www.britishfloristassociation.org
