Disciplinary Regulations

Under the IMASMA Disciplinary Regulations membership may be withdrawn, or other disciplinary action taken, if a Member is deemed guilty of unprofessional conduct, or of breaching the IMASMA Code of Conduct for Individual Members or Code of Conduct for Corporate Members as applicable.

The sanctions and their severity will be dependent upon the seriousness of the breach, whether it was committed intentionally or unintentionally, and whether the instance is an isolated one, or constitutes a repeated breach of the Code.

Disciplinary measures may be taken if a member is:

a) guilty of any act or conduct which, in the opinion of the IMASMA Advisory Committee or a body appointed by it, might bring discredit on the maritime marketing, sales or communications profession, the professional body or its Members;

b) found by the IMASMA Advisory Committee or a body appointed by it, to be guilty of any breach of any other regulations laid down from time-to-time by IMASMA

c) failing without good reason to assist IMASMA in the investigation of a complaint;

d) found to be in breach of the Data Protection Act 1998 or other comparable legislation applicable outside the UK. Or being found, by a body appointed by the IMASMA Advisory Committee, to have infringed any of the eight data protection principles set out in the Act or similar provisions set out in comparable legislation outside the UK.

All complaints against IMASMA individual or corporate members must be made in writing to the IMASMA Advisory Committee. Complainants must also be prepared to allow their name to be passed to the Member or Corporate Member complained against. Investigations will be conducted by a specifically convened Investigatory Committee and decisions will usually be given within three months of the initial complaint being received by IMASMA.

Should a Member or Corporate Member disagree with the findings of the IMASMA Investigatory Committee, they have the right to appeal against the decision. Any appeal must be made within 28 days of the Investigatory Committee’s decision and will be considered by the IMASMA Chairman whose decision will be final.