O.N.Z.C.D.A™ Advances, Promotes and Stands Beside the Code of Ethics

Click on the large or small 'A' above to increase or decrease multiple font sizes. Any page text and image links excluding those listed in our navigation menus will open in new windows unless otherwise stated.

Do you want to jump to certain content in this page? Access the relevant link below.

•  The O.N.Z.C.D.A™ Code of Ethics (CoE) Declaration
•  The (CoE) Creative Commons License
•  O.N.Z.C.D.A™ Code Of Ethics (CoE) Notes And Amendments
•  W3C and FAE Validations

I, Rhonda Serong, owner of the O.N.Z.C.D.A™ web site award program, do hereby declare on behalf of myself and any Staff who may be contracted at any time by O.N.Z.C.D.A™ to assess applications and/or carry out work for any O.N.Z.C.D.A™ sponsored award program that we agree to advance and promote the Code of Ethics (CoE) and that we will -

•  Take all measures necessary to maintain the honor and integrity of our applicants, staff, awards and award program.

•  Encourage and promote the use of original material for award program criteria and assessment processes and will assist, within reason, any person requesting advice concerning ethical assessments of web sites and the disbursement of awards.

•  Ensure that all web site critiques provided will be constructive in nature as positive comment is productive. We will refrain from criticism unless specifically requested by an applicant, and in such instances, will remain positive in an effort to promote goodwill and advance the level of quality within web sites.

•  Maintain a professional, friendly and positive manner in all communications held with applicants.

Top of Page

•  Permit eligibility to all applicants who meet our set (posted online, written = set) criteria of any particular award.

•  Be uniform in our eligibility requirements (criteria) fairly assessing all web site pages meeting our award program criteria.

•  Not discriminate on grounds of race, gender, nation of origin, religion, profession, age, mental or physical impairment, or any other reason which is not globally viewed as an illegal trait or manner of conduct. (For legal reasons this award program has a minimum applicant age level of fourteen (14) years upwards.)

•  Clearly display our criteria within our award program and will adhere to same at all times.

•  Ensure that any new or altered criteria items will be posted clearly within our award program two (2) weeks prior to becoming fully effective in order for applicants to familiarize themselves.

Top of Page

•  We will assess web sites under the criteria which is displayed at the date of application.

•  Immediately inform any criteria compliant applicant in writing, of a 'Refrain to Evaluate' if we find that a conflict of interest may occur during assessment of their web site. Example: This could occur upon being requested to assess the web site of a good friend or co-worker.

•  In the event an insufficient number of O.N.Z.C.D.A™ assessors are available to assess a web site, notice will be sent to the applicant offering an impartial assessment by a team of assessors arranged through the APEX or WebsAwards memberships.

•  We will assess all submitted web sites within four (4) to five (5) weeks from the date of our receipt of application. If this deadline cannot be met, we agree to suspend applications until we can again work within this time frame. In the case of bulk submissions from Award Submit or other similar bulk or mass application programs or award submission software this time deadline clause is not applicable.

•  We will maintain any individually owned web sites that include award programs to a standard that meets the criteria of the awards offered. In the case of any owned web sites that are outside the main subject of this award program all such web sites will be maintained to a high standard of integrity.

Top of Page

•  We will minimize the dimensions of awards offered as a courtesy to web site owners that will display them. We may offer larger sizes if desired, but winning web site owners will have a choice. If the maximum dimensions cannot be adhered to then a text only link will be permitted for award images larger than the maximum size. (Maximum size dimensions offered from this award program are no more than 115px H and 115px W.)

•  There will be no other applicant obligation in reference to the potential achievement of awards from our award program beyond meeting the displayed criteria. It is not, and never will be, mandatory at our web site to sign a guest book or to join a mailing list to achieve award consideration.

•  We will maintain a professional, friendly and positive manner in all communications held with applicants.

Signed: R. M. Serong, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. Dated: 24.12.1999.

Top of Page

The Code of Ethics (CoE) is licensed under a Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike United States License with credit being given to the  Award Community News in accordance with the terms of the License.

• Notes: The content of the Code of Ethics (CoE) is not covered by the O.N.Z.C.D.A™ Copyright.
• Amendments: 2003-05-08, 2003-04-11, 2004-02-11, 2005-04-02, 2005-05-02 and 2006-06-26.

The below image links will open in external new windows. To use the FAE validation process access the image link (below) and insert the URL of this web page.