Code of Conduct

Code of Conduct Policy

Issued On: August 1, 2024 | Last Updated On: April 26, 2025

This Code of Conduct Policy (“Policy”) outlines the rules, professional standards, and ethical expectations for users (“you,” “your,” or “User”) using the Global Fashion Directory LLC (“GFD,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) platform. By accessing or using GFD’s services, you agree to comply with the terms of this Policy, along with all related GFD policies.

This Code of Conduct Policy is part of GFD’s Terms of Service and is incorporated by reference into those Terms. By accessing or using any part of the Platform, you agree to be bound by the Terms of Service and this Code of Conduct Policy.

Violations of this Policy may result in warnings, account suspension, or permanent termination.

1. General Code of Conduct

GFD is committed to fostering a professional and respectful environment for all members. You agree to:

  • Provide Accurate Information: Ensure that all profile details, business information, and contact data are complete, accurate, and up to date.
  • Engage Respectfully: Treat all members with respect and professionalism, especially during networking interactions and communications.
  • Comply with Applicable Laws: Adhere to all applicable laws and regulations related to your business and conduct on the platform.

2. Professional and Ethical Conduct

  • Respectful Engagement: Members must treat other members and GFD representatives with professionalism and respect in all interactions.
  • Accurate Representation: Members are required to provide truthful and accurate information in their profiles, communications, and listings.
  • Compliance with Laws: Members must comply with all applicable laws, including those addressing ethical labor practices, environmental sustainability, and safety standards.

(See full Forced and Child Labor Policy for labor-related compliance standards.)

3. Responsibilities in Member-to-Member Interactions

  • Members must maintain professionalism in all interactions, including networking, communications, and business dealings conducted through GFD’s platform.
  • Confidential information shared during member interactions must not be disclosed without explicit consent.
  • Members are encouraged to consider diversity and cultural sensitivity in all interactions.

(See full Terms of Service for details on member responsibilities.)

4. Interaction Guidelines for Members

To promote a positive experience for all members, GFD expects members to follow these interaction guidelines:

  • Respectful Networking: Approach other members professionally and courteously. Avoid aggressive or high-pressure tactics in networking or business inquiries.
  • Relevant Communications: Limit communications to relevant business opportunities, partnerships, or professional inquiries. Avoid sending unsolicited or irrelevant offers.
  • Confidentiality: Respect the privacy and confidentiality of other members. Do not share or publish information from other profiles without permission.

5. Platform Usage Guidelines and Prohibited Activities

Members must adhere to GFD’s Code of Conduct Policy, including the following standards to maintain the integrity and functionality of the GFD platform:

  • Provide Accurate Information: Members may not provide false, misleading, or deceptive information in their profiles, listings, or communications.
  • Spamming and Unsolicited Messaging: Members may not send unsolicited, irrelevant, or promotional messages to other members without prior consent. Visibility within the directory and appearing in directory searches is not considered unsolicited, as it is an intended feature of the platform. However, direct messaging or outreach must be conducted professionally and respectfully, adhering to GFD’s Code of Conduct Policy.
  • Harassment or Abusive Behavior: Any form of harassment, discrimination, or abusive language directed at other members is strictly prohibited.
  • Misrepresentation of Profile Information: Members may not provide false or misleading information about their company ownership, certifications, or any other business attributes. Inaccurate representation undermines the integrity of the directory and may result in profile suspension, removal, or corrective action.
  • Unauthorized Commercial Activities: Members must avoid unauthorized sales, promotions, or activities unrelated to the fashion industry. Only relevant, fashion-industry-focused interactions are permitted.
  • Intellectual Property Infringement: Members must respect the intellectual property rights of others. Members may not post content or use images, text, or logos that infringe upon another entity’s intellectual property rights.
  • Data Mining or Scraping: Members are prohibited from using automated tools, bots, or manual techniques to scrape data, harvest information, or perform any form of unauthorized data extraction on the GFD platform.
  • Engaging in Competitive Activities: Members may not use the GFD platform, onboarding forms, data, or proprietary tools to develop, operate, or support a competing directory, database, or service; solicit GFD members for participation in competing services; or use GFD resources to benefit a competing business.
  • Unlawful Activities: Any activities that are illegal, fraudulent, or violate local or international laws are strictly forbidden on the GFD platform.
  • Non-Compliance During Annual Review: Members who fail to meet the standards outlined in the Terms of Service, including during the annual verification process, may have their accounts suspended or terminated.
  • Misuse of the Match Engine™: Members may not exploit or reverse-engineer the functionality of GFD’s proprietary Match Engine™. This includes, but is not limited to, scraping matched partner results, replicating GFD’s matchmaking logic, or using matchmaking outputs to benefit a competing platform or service. Such actions undermine the fairness and confidentiality of GFD’s strategic services and are grounds for suspension or termination.

6. Ethical Labor and Supply Chain Practices

Members are required to reaffirm compliance with GFD’s ethical labor standards as part of the annual verification process. Non-compliance during the review may result in corrective actions as outlined in our Terms of Service.

  • Certification: Members certify that their operations and supply chains are free from forced labor, child labor, and other unethical practices.
  • Cooperation: Members agree to cooperate with GFD in any verification or compliance checks related to labor practices, such as providing documentation, participating in audits, or addressing identified risks.
  • Adherence to Policy: Members must adhere to GFD’s Forced and Child Labor Policy to uphold ethical labor standards.

7. Company Ownership Highlights

Members may choose to identify their company as women-owned, youth-led, veteran-led, or aligned with other ownership highlights that may be relevant to sourcing filters. These designations are optional and meant to improve visibility within the directory.

  • Accuracy: If you choose to self-identify with a company ownership category, please ensure that this information is truthful and up to date.
  • Professional Conduct: GFD expects members to engage respectfully and professionally across all backgrounds and business types.
  • Public Display: Ownership highlights may appear on your public profile if selected to assist in search filtering and business discovery.

8. Reporting Violations

If you believe another member has violated this Policy, you may report the issue to GFD’s support team at info@globalfashiondirectory.com.

GFD will review and investigate all reports and may take appropriate action, which may include issuing warnings, suspending accounts, or terminating memberships.

(See full Dispute Resolution Policy for dispute handling procedures.)

9. Consequences of Violations and Non-Compliance

Violating this Policy may result in one or more of the following actions, depending on the severity and frequency of the violation:

  • Warning: For minor or first-time violations, GFD may issue a warning to the member, detailing the nature of the violation and steps to avoid further issues.
  • Temporary Suspension: For repeated or severe violations, GFD may temporarily suspend the member’s account, restricting access until the issue is resolved.
  • Permanent Termination: For severe or repeated violations, GFD reserves the right to permanently terminate the member’s account and remove the profile from the directory.
  • Public Disclosure: GFD may publicly disclose verified violations where legally required.

10. Right to Modify or Update Policy GFD reserves the right to modify or update this Code of Conduct Policy at any time to address emerging ethical standards, legal requirements, platform needs, or to ensure compliance with evolving platform standards. Members will be notified of significant updates, and continued use of the GFD platform constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy.