Code of Practice

When planning a conference you will want to find an organiser that fits your requirements and won’t disappoint.  ABPCO is here to help.  Our entry criteria ensure that only those with professional experience are awarded membership.  The ABPCO quality marque is an industry recognised standard that those working in the professional conference organising industry trust.  It is based on professional experience, peer assessment and references from both sides of the supply chain.  To find out more about the criteria for accreditation please click here.  On membership renewal they reconfirm their adherence to the code of practice and receive a dated membership logo.

Members must comply with the ABPCO Code of Practice, which defines the obligations of a Professional Conference or Event Organiser (PCO) and his/her relationship with clients, and sets up an accepted standard of professional practice.

• ABPCO members have a general duty of fair dealing towards their past and present clients, fellow members and the public

• ABPCO members have a duty to act prudently in all financial and legal matters and to protect their clients’ funds by acting in a professional manner at all times. Unless otherwise agreed between the parties, clients’ funds should be separately identifiable at all times in the running of an event and agreed event budgets should be adhered to

• ABPCO members shall be free to represent their capabilities and services to any potential client, either on their own initiative or at the behest of the client, provided that they do not seek to persuade the client to break an existing contract with any other ABPCO member already serving that client

• ABPCO members shall not engage in any practice nor be seen to conduct themselves in any manner detrimental to the reputation of ABPCO or the reputation and the interests of PCOs

• A member firm shall be free to accept commissions from persons other than a client, in connection with services for that client, provided they are not prejudicial to the interests of the client.

You can also download the ABPCO Code of Practice as a PDF.