The Charter of SAMPRO

1. PURPOSE

The purpose of the charter is to:

a) State

• the objectives and the nature of SAMPRO as organisation;
• the values and guiding principles of SAMPRO as organisation;
• the code of conduct of the members and officials of SAMPRO;

b) Contribute to efficient and effective action by SAMPRO and efficient and effective interaction between members of SAMPRO and between SAMPRO and other parties;

c) Communicate the objectives, nature and character of SAMPRO to other parties; and

d) Contribute to a realistic image of SAMPRO.

2. THE OBJECTIVES AND NATURE OF SAMPRO

The objectives of SAMPRO, as voluntary organisation of the secondary dairy industry in South Africa and of which the members are:

• processors of milk and manufacturers of dairy products; and
• competing with each other in the market for raw milk and in the markets for processed milk and other dairy products;

is to:

a) Support the balanced development of the secondary and primary dairy industries in South Africa in line with economic and social objectives of the South African society to the benefit of the dairy industry, the consumer and the South African society;

b) Act professionally on the basis of objective information and expert knowledge and interact in the same way with other industry organisations, organized consumers, institutions in the public sector and institutions in other countries; and

c) Deal in harmony with the Competition Act and other legal requirements with issues of common interest to members of SAMPRO.

3. VALUES AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES

SAMPRO as a voluntary organisation, the members of SAMPRO, and the officials of the office of SAMPRO, acknowledge:

a) That the purpose of economic activity is to increase the prosperity and wellbeing of all members of society;

b) The contribution that quality milk and other dairy products should make, from a health and nutritional point of view, to the wellbeing of the South African society;

c) The need to produce milk, to process milk, to manufacture dairy products and to supply processed milk and other dairy products to consumers in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner;

d) The importance of animal welfare;

e) That the members of SAMPRO are competing, and should compete, with each other in the market for raw milk and in the markets for processed milk and other dairy products;

f) The need for members to deal collectively with issues that are of common interest to members in terms of the objectives of SAMPRO;

g) The importance of a clear distinction between issues that should be dealt with through competition in the different markets in which members operate and issues which should be dealt with through the processes of consultation and decision-making provided by SAMPRO;

h) That the office of SAMPRO should:

• interact with each member and other parties in a professional, fair and impartial way;
• interact with each member and other parties on the basis of objective information and expert knowledge and in accordance with decisions of SAMPRO;
• interact with each member and other parties in a polite and helpful manner on the basis of the understanding that members and other parties are entitled to receive a high standard of service;
• respect and protect the constitution of SAMPRO and its implementation; and
• protect confidential information.

i) That the processes of SAMPRO regarding consultation and decision-making should

• be defined;
• be transparent;
• allow each member fair opportunity to be heard;
• be efficient and effective;
• deal positively and in a structured way, with conflict of opinion on the basis of objective information, expert knowledge and with protection of the dignity of every person involved; and

j) That consumers are entitled to objective information regarding each type of dairy product in order to make informed decisions and that products should not be promoted on the basis of misleading information.

4. THE CODE OF CONDUCT OF THE MEMBERS AND OFFICIALS OF SAMPRO

By signing the code of conduct the member or the official of SAMPRO express her or his commitment:

a) To act in harmony with the constitution of SAMPRO, in support of the objectives of SAMPRO, as described under section 2 of the Charter of SAMPRO, and in accordance with the values and guiding principles as described under section 3 of the Charter of SAMPRO; and

b) Not to engage in any activity which unjustly:

• harms the image of the secondary dairy industry;
• harms the image of any particular type of dairy product;
• harms the efficiency and effectiveness of SAMPRO; and
• promotes conflict in SAMPRO or in the dairy industry.