American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP BOC) Volunteer Code of Conduct 


The ASCP BOC expects all volunteers to treat others, and to be treated, professionally and with respect at all times. Volunteers have a duty of loyalty and are to conform to the legal and ethical standards that apply to the ASCP BOC. For this reason, the ASCP BOC Board of Governors (BOG) mandates that all volunteers abide by, and conform to, the ASCP BOC Volunteer Code of Conduct.   

Violations of the Volunteer Code of Conduct may result in sanctions.  

  • Each volunteer will abide in all respects by the Board of Certification Volunteer Code of Conduct, and by all other policies and procedures of the ASCP BOC. 
  • At all times, volunteers must put the overall interests of the ASCP BOC above the interests of any particular segment or constituency and above their own personal or professional interests. 
  • ASCP BOC volunteers will conduct the business affairs of the ASCP BOC in good faith and with honesty, integrity, due diligence, and reasonable competence. 
  • No ASCP BOC volunteer shall share, copy, reproduce, transmit, divulge or otherwise disclose any confidential information related to the affairs of the ASCP BOC and each volunteer will uphold the strict confidentiality of all meetings and other deliberations and communications of the ASCP BOC. Every ASCP BOC volunteer shall execute the ASCP BOC Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality form which further defines the types of confidential information relating to applicants, testing and certificants that volunteers are expected to protect. 
  • ASCP BOC volunteers will exercise proper authority and good judgment in their dealings with staff, other volunteers and the general public and will respond to the needs of the ASCP BOC certificants in a responsible, respectful and professional manner. 
  • No ASCP BOC volunteer will use any information provided by the ASCP BOC or acquired as a consequence of the volunteer’s service to the ASCP BOC in any manner other than in furtherance of his or her duties. Further, no ASCP BOC volunteer will misuse ASCP BOC property or resources and will at all times keep the ASCP BOC’s property secure and not allow any person not authorized by ASCP BOC to have or use such property. 
  • ASCP BOC volunteers will use his or her best efforts to regularly participate in ASCP BOC scheduled meetings and will perform his or her assigned duties in a professional and timely manner pursuant to the ASCP BOC’s direction and oversight. 
  • Upon termination of service, a retiring ASCP BOC volunteer will promptly return to the ASCP BOC all property entrusted to the volunteer for purpose of fulfilling his or her job responsibilities. Such return will not abrogate the continuing obligations of the retiring volunteer to maintain the confidentiality of the information acquired as a consequence of his or her tenure as a ASCP BOC volunteer. 
  • The ASCP BOC dedicates itself to leading by example in serving the needs of the ASCP BOC and its certificants, and in representing the interests of patients. 
  • The ASCP BOC volunteer must act at all times in the best interests of the ASCP BOC and not for personal or third-party gain or financial enrichment. When encountering potential conflicts of interest, volunteers will identify the conflict and as required, remove themselves from all discussion and voting on the matter. Specifically, volunteers shall not: 
    • Place one’s own self-interest or any third-party interest above that of the ASCP BOC; while the receipt of incidental personal or third-party benefit may necessarily flow from certain ASCP BOC activities, such benefit must be merely incidental to the primary benefit to the ASCP BOC and its purposes.
    • Abuse their volunteerism by improperly using their volunteer status or ASCP BOC staff, services, equipment, resources, or property for their personal or third-party gain or pleasure, and shall not represent to third parties that their authority as an ASCP BOC Volunteer extends any further than that which it actually extends.
    • Engage in any outside business, professional or other activities that would directly or indirectly materially adversely affect the ASCP BOC.
    • Engage in or facilitate any discriminatory or harassing, coercing, intimidating or threatening behavior directed toward the ASCP BOC staff, certificants, officers, directors, other volunteers or others in the context of activities relating to the ASCP BOC.
    • As a direct or indirect inducement to provide special treatment to such donor with respect to matters pertaining to the ASCP BOC, solicit or accept gifts, gratuities, free trips, honoraria, personal property, or any other item of value from any person or entity without fully disclosing such items to the ASCP BOC.
    • Willfully or deliberately violate or disregard health and safety rules or practices.
    • Falsify information or refuse to cooperate in any investigation conducted by the ASCP BOC.
    • Steal, destroy or damage property or engage in any other unlawful activity.
    • Conduct oneself in a lewd or lascivious manner.

    The ASCP BOC reserves the right to amend the Volunteer Code of Conduct as deemed necessary.