Toniic Code of Conduct

The following member Code of Conduct is intended to articulate the norms foundational to Toniic’s culture.  Clear expectations help us generously offer mutual support, disagree non-judgmentally, and share experiences candidly.

Code of Conduct Principles

  1. Honor confidentiality and privacy
  2. Demonstrate mutual respect
  3. Lead with our “asset owner” hat
  4. Share, don’t sell
  5. Be one of multiple voices in the room
  6. Amplify the impact of fellow members

1. Honor Confidentiality and Privacy

To maintain our extraordinary culture of trust, confidentiality is the baseline commitment of Toniic membership.  We promise one another that we will not divulge any confidential information of Toniic or another member to any person (including another member) without explicit consent.  Confidentiality obligations extend to all private information of other members, for example family information, contact information, investments previously made and being considered, and advisor relationships.

As our Member Agreement more fully describes, non-public Toniic products and services are for the use of members only. We promise not to share logins to Toniic systems, materials made available only to members, and invitations to members-only webinars,  with colleagues or others absent explicit prior approval from Toniic. We agree not to share investment opportunities presented by Toniic with any non-members of Toniic for any reason, except our own investment advisor for our personal investment purposes, absent written consent by the fund manager or enterprise in question.

2. Demonstrate Mutual Respect

A core shared value of Toniic membership is mutual respect. Toniic spans geographical, political, religious, ethnic, and racial differences.  We seek to consider how our lived experience, social position, and identities shape our worldview, and how that may be perceived by others whose experiences are different.  We strive to make Toniic a warm, welcoming, and diverse community for anyone seeking to use their capital for good across the political spectrum.  We welcome differences in ideas and approaches.  We express disagreements respectfully, without attacking, denigrating or belittling anyone.

We understand that we are on a long learning journey together.  We aim to practice humility.  We are prepared to adjust even fervent beliefs, recognizing they may be the product of unseen cognitive or emotional bias, or result in unintended consequences.  When assessing problems we see in the world, we include ourselves as possible inadvertent contributors, and take responsibility for our own reactivity when we are triggered.

Toniic supports public policies that favor impact investing, and encourages members to use political capital individually, but does not align itself with any political parties or candidates to the exclusion of any others.

3. Lead with our “Asset Owner Hat”

Toniic is primarily a community of asset owners.  In addition to investing our own capital, some Toniic members have other roles. In order to preserve the spirit of Toniic as an asset owner community, we lead with our “asset owner hat.“  If we are also a wealth manager, fund manager, consultant, or entrepreneur, we speak first and primarily from the point of view of being an asset owner (or manager of a members’ assets, if we are professional staff of a Family Office or Foundation).  This principle does not apply to Advisor Members and Supporters – please see the special rules for Advisor Members and Supporters below.

4. Share, Don’t Sell

We welcome members to share expertise.  We agree not to initiate a conversation or contact another member with the primary intention of selling an investment opportunity or services for which we will be compensated, except during a webinar or meeting where the intent to solicit is clear in advance, or in follow-up initiated by an interested member.  In those fundraising situations, we act with transparency, disclosing any direct or indirect financial interest in the opportunity being presented and any other potential conflicts of interest.

This also applies to ideas.  We share our perspectives as our own, sharing what we are doing and leading the way with our own capital rather than telling others what they should do.

5. Be One of Multiple Voices in the Room

We seek to be aware of how much we talk relative to others.  We remember to invite quieter members to contribute, and to respectfully listen to one another.  We attend to how others are receiving our words, to improve alignment with our intention to come from curiosity and care.  

We also seek to make room for the expression of all different perspectives on an issue.

6. Amplify the Impact of Fellow Members

We amplify fellow members’ impact, and articulate our desired impact so that others may reciprocate.

Special Rules for Advisor Members and Supporters

Although Toniic is primarily for asset owners, we invite select impact advisors recommended by members to join as Advisor Members and Supporters. Just as with  all members of Toniic, Advisor Members and Supporters are required to follow the norms of the Toniic Code of Conduct and the Toniic Member Agreement. There are also special rules that apply to Advisor Members, who are invited to learn, to share their knowledge, and to find and share investment opportunities (according to the principles described in the “honor privacy and confidentiality” section), but not to prospect for new clients among Toniic members. The invitation to join Toniic is made to an advisor personally, not to the institution they represent, and is not transferable.

Members who breach this Code of Conduct will receive one warning regarding their inappropriate behavior.  Breaches of confidentiality are subject to a “one strike” rule – a single clear breach of confidentiality is grounds for immediate termination of Toniic membership.

The Toniic team holds ultimate responsibility for enforcement of this Code of Conduct, but our community is strengthened when every member respectfully reminds their fellow members of these intentions when necessary.

Thank you for your whole-hearted engagement with our community!

Version 5.0, Toniic Code of Conduct