Member Portal Guide

This guide gives you an overview of:

The Member Portal
Implementing the Six Criteria & Annual Reporting

1. The Member Portal

Your online annual reporting is directly linked to your Member Portal therefore the reporting process will be much easier if you are already familiar with your portal. You can access your member portal any time throughout the year to update your implementation progress as you go.
This will be saved and automatically updated into your annual report when you begin, saving you time later.

1.1 Log into the Member Portal

To get started on your annual report, log into your member portal here. Enter your login information. You can find your login details in the welcome email that was sent to you upon approval of your membership with the subject line “Welcome to The Code”.

If you have forgotten your password, you can reset it at the login page. If you have changed e-mail addresses, you should contact the secretariat at info@thecode.org with your new details in order to get a new login.

1.2 Member Information

Member Information – click “Edit Profile” to update information

The Membership Information shows your contact records and membership history. This box also shows whether you have chosen to make your profile public on our site. You can edit your profile information by clicking the “Edit Profile” link in this box.

1.2.1 Company name

This is the company name that will appear on our website as a listed member of The Code.

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1.2.2 Address

This is the registered address field for your organization. Any items physically mailed to your organization will be sent to this address.

1.2.3 Revenue Category/Membership Fee

Our membership fees are based on the annual turnover of our members. This is because we want to ensure that all companies, regardless of their size, can become members. We ask all members to confirm their revenue category for the previous year to ensure that our next member fee invoice is correct.

1.2.4 Sector

We ask all members to identify which sector of the tourism industry they work in. This greatly helps with The Code’s annual reporting process and also allows us to accurately monitor implementation levels across each sector of the tourism industry.

1.2.5 Number of Staff

This number should include all staff (including part-time, contracted and agency staff). This figure should be updated annually. This is a required field for Top Members status.

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1.2.6 Implementing Countries

Please select the countries where have implemented the six criteria of The Code each year. Whenever you implement The Code in a new country, please update this list. This is a required field for Top Members status.

1.2.7 Company Logo

To upload your company logo to the site, click the browse button, select your company logo then select upload.

For an optimal logo display, logo files should be 50 x 50 pixels and either in JPEG or PNG format.

This task is required in order to reach Top Member status as your logo will be displayed on our site to increase your visibility.

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1.2.8 Make This Profile Public

By making your profile public, you will increase visibility and branding on our website. When visitors click on your company logo, they’ll be able to see:

Whether you have become a Top Member
The year you joined The Code
How many employees you have trained
Your annual report (if you have made this public)

Please note: No confidential information about your company will be shared on your public profile.

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1.2.9 Contact Person

Please ensure that the contact details of your account are kept up to date via this section of the Member Portal. Our newsletter updates, billing updates and other information will be sent to this primary account contact. Member portal username and password are securely stored on our system.

If you ever forget your login details, please use the “Change Password” link to have new login details generated. If you would like the email address associated with your login changed please email info@thecode.org.

1.3 Membership Status

This graphic displays your current membership status. Companies that have signed The Code in the past are listed as Signatories on the website. Only companies that have signed The Code and paid membership fee reach Member status with a link on the website and get access to the Member Portal and e-learning and other membership benefits.

To reach Top Member status your company needs to have signed The Code, paid the annual membership fee and implemented all six criteria to a high level. For more information on implementing the six criteria see Chapter 2, “Implementing the Six Criteria.”

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1.4 Tasks

The Tasks box will give you prompts throughout the year regarding your membership and implementation of the six criteria.

These tasks must be completed in order for you to maintain your membership information. To complete a task, just click the task title.

When the task is complete it will disappear from the task box.

1.5 Support

The support box provides links to guides and contact information.

The Download section provides links to important documents concerning your membership, including agreement and certificate documents as well as your historical reports.

1.6 Implementation Status

The implementation wheel shows your current implementation status. You can access more detail about any of the six criteria by clicking on the “more info” link underneath the criteria step.

For more information on implementing the six criteria see Chapter 2, “Implementing the Six Criteria.”

1.7 E-learning Statistics

This graphic displays a summary of your monthly training activity. The line tracks the number of your employees who have completed the online training module.

The left hand side statistics are based on the total number of staff that you input as part of your profile update.

In this example, the user has confirmed that there are 18 employees in the organization. We ask that our members train at least 1% of their staff each year. Therefore, only one person (over 1% of 18) per year in this organisation is required to complete the training.

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1.8 Course Completions

In addition to the summary table we also provide a numerical table of completions broken down by month. This table will track completions against the entire suite of e-learning modules that The Code offers.

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1.9 Implementing Countries

This world map displays the countries that you have indicated you are implementing The Code in. To update your implementing countries, edit your profile settings. Please ensure that you select the correct implementing countries, as this information is displayed on our public website.

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2. Implementing the Six Criteria & Annual Reporting

The purpose of your annual report is to highlight the great work that you have been doing to protect children and to promote your companies achievements in the process. It also gives you the opportunity to provide ideas and give feedback about how we may best support your company in
protecting children.

In the Member Portal, the “implementation wheel” shows your current status of implementation; it will be updated automatically as you progress through the six criteria based on the data and information that you enter into your member portal.

The six criteria of The Code:

Establish a policy and procedures against sexual exploitation of children.
Train employees in children’s rights, the prevention of sexual exploitation and how to report suspected cases.
Include a clause in contracts throughout the value chain stating a common repudiation and zero tolerance policy of sexual exploitation of children.
Provide information to travelers on children’s rights, the prevention of sexual exploitation of children and how to report suspected cases.
Support, collaborate and engage stakeholders in the prevention of sexual exploitation of children.
Report annually on their implementation of the six criteria of The Code.

2.1 Policy & Procedures

To meet criteria 1, you will need to include information about the policies and procedures against the sexual exploitation of children that your company has in place.

At a minimum this includes a policy that has: zero tolerance clearly stated; outlines responses procedures and that the policy has been explicitly communicated as well as uploaded to the Member Portal for review.

When drafting a company policy against the sexual exploitation of children, keep the document clear, simple and concise. The policy should also include a “procedure” for implementation, with the contact information of the staff or department responsible for the policy and its implementation. Here is a basic outline of a standard policy document:

2.1.1 Policy Title:

Your policy should include the name of the policy, issued date, policy number, effective date, authority approval, etc. Please review and update your policy periodically.

2.1.2 Purpose Statement:

The purpose statement should be concise, clearly stating the important policy content and briefly explaining the rationale for the policy, including appropriate references to external regulations if applicable.

Example: In order to fulfill our commitment as a responsible and ethical tourism company, Happy Tour repudiates the sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism. We have joined The Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism in order to take concrete actions to prevent this crime.

Our actions include the creation of this policy, elaboration of related procedures, appropriate training of all staff, provision of information to travellers, reporting of possible cases to local authorities/NGOs and submission of reports to The Code. The policy will serve as a guiding document with procedures for staff on how to proceed in the event of a child protection case or emergency. This policy is effective from 1 February 2013 onwards.

2.1.3 Procedures:

The procedures should be the policy implementation guide for your staff. It should clearly inform staff that the company supports their actions to prevent sexual exploitation of children and explain to them what to do if there is a possible case. Some companies have created a step-by-step procedure specific to each department of staff.

Example:

All staff is required to learn more about the sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism. Related to which, all staff must acknowledge that they understand this policy;
If staff has concerns related to the sexual exploitation of children, s/he should report to Manager X;
If a member of staff witnesses first hand a guest committing a child-related crime, s/he should report to Manager X;
Manager X will make an executive decision based on the information available whether to report to local authorities and/or send information to The Code.

2.1.4 Policy Authority:

The policy should also assign an authority/responsible staff member such as an HR director, with full contact information, to be the contact person should staff require assistance in understanding the policy and procedures — especially if there will be different staff appointed. This staff will also be responsible for reviewing and updating the policy and procedures when needed.

2.1.5 Examples of Policies & Procedures:

Tour Operator Policy Examples:

Our company condemns all forms of sexual exploitation of children and supports all acts of law made to prevent and punish such crimes. Thus, we demand that guests, partners and all members of staff refuse to take part in sexual exploitation of children, and that they report all cases of sexual exploitation of children of which they become aware. Breaching this policy may result in dismissal, reporting to the police and the end of ongoing collaboration.
One of our core corporate values is CARE. As a member of The Code, our company Travel promises to actively protect children from sexual exploitation.

Hotel Policy Examples:

Our company made its commitment by signing the “Code of Conduct for the protection of children against sexual exploitation in travel and tourism,” which sets the principles for an active policy against sexual exploitation of children in the hospitality sector.
Our company, as a major international hospitality company is deeply committed to supporting the protection of children from sexual exploitation along with its mission statement for responsible tourism and environmental protection.

Procedure Examples:

A. Hotel A’s Procedure:

All guests checking in the hotel with a minor (below 18 years old) will be requested to show any of the following documents to establish age of the child and relationship with the child: identification card, passport or birth certificate;
Failure to produce any of the above documents will result in our refusing entry of the minor to any of the hotel’s rooms, facilities or outlets;
Should circumstances make the said adult change his or her mind about staying in our hotel and request for assistance in making reservations in any other hotels, we will refuse to do so;
Should a registered guest be confronted in the company of a minor not previously registered, staff must ask for the child’s identification;
Should any problem arise in the implementation of this procedure, the concerned staff member can seek the assistance of superiors;
Should circumstances confirm that we have a case of child abuse, the GM or RM should be alerted in order to report the case to the proper authorities;
Should any service staff member, room attendants/supervisors or any other staff member notice anything suspicious under the same circumstances, follow step 5 or 6;
Should any staff member have questions regarding these policies and procedures, the staff member can seek the assistance of superiors or talk to HR.

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2.2 Staff Training

To meet criteria 2, you will need to include information about your company trains staff on the sexual exploitation of children.
At a minimum staff training should: be included in your company’s policy and procedures; include information about how to report suspected cases of child sexual exploitation; and your annual report should have clear information about the numbers of staff trained and the level of staff training over the past 12 months.

Click here to access the E-Learning Modules. Your company will have received a login code that all staff will need to use to access the training. Staff will then be asked to input their name and their email.

If you have forgotten your E-Learning Code you can find this in your member portal, under more info in the training section of your implementation wheel.

As a supplement to the e-learning, all members of The Code are urged to work with their Local Code Representative (where applicable) to train staff via training sessions or workshops on the sexual exploitation of children including how to prevent, respond and report as well as on the companies child protection policies and procedures.

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2.3 Introduction of a Clause in the Contracts with Suppliers

This criterion was intended to facilitate the integration of child protection into the industry supply chain

To meet criteria 3, you need to include information about your contact clauses against the sexual exploitation of children.

At a minimum you will need to: upload this clause to the Member Portal, or if your company does not have a clause you will need to explain why this is not applicable to your company.

The clause is usually very concise and done as part of the business contract/agreement between The Code member and their supplier or partner, stating very clearly that violation of the clause can result in the cancellation of the contract.

Here are some examples:

Our company has signed the CODE OF CONDUCT FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN FROM SEXUAL EXPLOITATION IN TRAVEL AND TOURISM and expects all of its partners to refuse involvement, both direct and indirect, in the commercial sexual exploitation of children.
Our company is committed to ensuring the highest ethical standards in conducting our business. As a member of The Code, we prioritize the protection of children from sexual exploitation, and we expect our suppliers to do the same.

Example of Clauses from Existing Code Members:

Kuoni Travel Holding Ltd. and all of its subsidiary companies (herein collectively referred to as ‘Kuoni’) acknowledge their responsibility towards society to be good corporate citizens. Kuoni takes action in four focus areas that consist of protecting children and adolescents from sexual exploitation in tourism, securing fair working conditions, ensuring good water supplies and mitigating the consequences of climate change.

In order to reach its goals for Corporate Responsibility, Kuoni cooperates closely with its own employees, customers, partners such as NGOs, locals at destinations and suppliers. Kuoni seeks to ensure that its hotel partners, cruise ships, excursion providers and any other suppliers (herein referred to as ‘Supplier’ or collectively as ‘Suppliers’) take part in this action towards more sustainable tourism.

This Supplier Code of Conduct forms an integral part of Kuoni’s contracts with its Suppliers. –

Compliance with Applicable Law in General: Kuoni expects its Suppliers to comply with all applicable international, national and local laws and regulations, industry minimum standards and any other relevant statutory requirements, whichever requirements are more stringent;
Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents: The Supplier allows or tolerates no child prostitution at the Supplier’s premises and facilities;
Any suspicious behavior from guests, employees, staff of the Supplier’s suppliers or any other person on the Suppliers premises, or during excursions, must be reported to the local authorities by the Supplier;
For the purpose of this section: A “child” is defined as a person younger than 18 years of age according to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
This Supplier Code of Conduct includes engaging our direct and indirect suppliers, vendors and contractors (collectively, our “Suppliers”) in our pursuit of ethical business performance, environmental quality and social responsibility in our own company as well as in our value chains. We therefore expect our Suppliers (and their affiliates) to acknowledge and comply with this Supplier Code of Conduct.

The following document outlines the behaviors, processes and procedures that we observe as the minimum standards for conducting business in a safe, professional, legal and ethical manner and in a way that demonstrates corporate social and environmental responsibility.

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2.4 Providing Information to Travellers

To meet criteria 4, you will need to provide information on how your company creates awareness and examples of how it provides information to customers and travellers on the issue of child sexual exploitation.

Examples might include online publicity, media or printed material on child protection. Some Code members display information on TV screens in hotel rooms, in the lobby or within the service directory in guest rooms.

Please be as specific and detailed as possible in providing examples.

Example materials:

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2.5 Supporting, collaborating and engaging with key stakeholders

To meet criteria 5, you will need provide information on how your company actively works to support, collaborate and engage with stakeholders to raise awareness on the sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism.

At a minimum your company will need to: demonstrate proven support, collaboration or engagement; include information about at least one awareness raising activity i.e promoting The Code or building networks for reporting cases.

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2.6 Annual Reporting

Annual reporting on the implementation of these criteria is the last requirement for Code members. With the new member’s portal, this is easily done as long as members of your staff enter accurate data into the system and keep it updated throughout the year.

When a report is due, a task will be displayed in your member portal and you will be able to click on “generate report” when prompted to save at the end.

In the annual report, in addition to confirming details about your policy clause, training etc., you are requested to note any child exploitation cases that you have reported in the past year. You should also inform us if you have had any additional feedback from staff or key persons since reporting the last case. You should note whether or not staff members feel positive about their abilities to help children or feel more aware of potentially suspicious activities.

Feedback can also include updates from local key persons regarding child victims and the prosecution of offenders.

2.7. Reporting Cases of Child Sexual Exploitation

Once you’ve completed all the questions for the first five criteria, you’ll be asked if your company has had any cases of sexual exploitation of children on your premises this past year. Whilst this may be confronting, we strongly encourage you to share these cases as there are many benefits:

It helps The Code provide you with support and to develop additional tools that can help you prevent child exploitation.
It creates an opportunity for you as an organisation to reflect on the lessons you have learnt through this experience, to demonstrate how you responded and how to move forward.
It creates a culture of reporting and transparency around the exploitation of children.
It provides The Code with key information and indicators of SECTT to assess the worldwide impact of The Code as well as the challenges for addressing SECTT.

We take your privacy seriously. The information in this section of the report is kept strictly confidential and any case you chose to share with The Code will not be shared under any circumstances.

It is important to note that some countries stipulate mandatory reporting for these sort of crimes. As always, any case of child sexual exploitation should be reported to the local authorities.

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