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Program Guidelines

Program Guidelines are not policies, but are recommended practices that allow chapters to run more smoothly and effectively.

Visiting Chapters

  • Members visiting other chapters should announce that they are from another chapter.
  • Visiting members must not do or say anything that competes with a member of that chapter.
  • The chapter should be cautious in giving referrals to individuals they don’t know including visiting members.
  • Visiting members should pay for their own breakfast. Before visiting another chapter, the visiting member should call that chapter President first.
  • A visiting member should visit on the same basis as a regular visitor, i.e., no more than twice.

Membership in Similar Groups

  • An individual member should not be a member of any other group that allows only one person per profession and whose primary purpose is to pass referrals to one another because it substantially reduces their commitment to the chapter members.
  • Membership Committees have full authority in this area.

Attendance

Absences and tardies mean less business for members, therefore, the Membership Committee of a chapter may give warnings to members who are consistently late or leave early. If the problem continues, the member may be subject to removal by the Membership Committee.

Multi-level Marketing

Multi-level marketing members of BNI should represent their products and services in BNI and not the business opportunity element of their business.