A code of conduct classified as public, so it can be shared with customers and partners to show how your staff treat consumers who may be vulnerable.

Effective Management System Documents

This code of conduct is supplied in fully editable MS Word format and can be easily customised and edited. The document uses pre-defined style formatting throughout, with all text in Calibri font for improved readability.
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Further Reading

Further guidance on consumer vulnerability:

• Consumer Vulnerability
• ISO 22458 Clause 7 - Identifying Consumer Vulnerability
• ISO 22458 Clause 8 - Responding to Consumer Vulnerability
• ISO 22458 knowledge base

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Code of Conduct for Vulnerable Consumers

The CC-CV1 Code of Conduct - Vulnerable Consumers is a Word document setting out how frontline staff, and anyone working on your behalf, deal with consumers who may be vulnerable. It is information classified as public, so it can be shared openly to show customers, partners and other interested parties how the business approaches consumer vulnerability.

It is written for a business with a management system meeting ISO 22458:2022, and sits alongside the consumer vulnerability policy, procedure and risk registers rather than replacing them.

What's Included in this Code of Conduct

• Summary and approach - how vulnerability is identified from risk factors and triggers, understanding individual needs, shared decision making and reporting concerns
• Policy and commitment - the link to the separate public consumer vulnerability policy, the principles behind service design and delivery, and the commitments the organisation makes
• Inclusive service design - frontline staff, the vulnerability representative or team, and consumer-facing online systems
• Touchpoints - the website, contact channels, consumer information, payments and billing, and the service environment
• Data protection - collecting only relevant, factual information about vulnerable consumers and keeping it secure
• Third-party representatives and essential services - working with representatives acting for a consumer, and interruptions to essential services
• Stakeholder engagement, sales and complaints - engaging with stakeholders, sales to vulnerable consumers, and customer care and complaints

The Principles Behind the Code

The code commits the organisation to accountability, empathy, empowerment, fairness, flexibility, inclusivity, innovation, privacy and transparency at every stage of service design and delivery. It also sets out the responsibilities the organisation takes on, from training key workers and allocating resources for inclusive service to collecting feedback from vulnerable consumers and staff and acting on it.

Fair Sales and Contract Terms

The sales section commits the organisation to reviewing its sales processes so vulnerable consumers are not put under pressure to buy, to being able to identify the sales advisor behind any transaction that is queried, and to reviewing contract terms so they do not unfairly discriminate against vulnerable consumers, for example through higher charges or long lock-in periods.

Who Needs a Code of Conduct for Vulnerable Consumers?

Businesses that deal directly with consumers and want a public statement of how their staff treat customers who may be vulnerable, including those implementing ISO 22458.

Included in the ISO 22458 Toolkit

This code of conduct is part of the ISO 22458 Toolkit.

Using the Code of Conduct

Edit the code to reflect your own services, contact channels and policies, check it matches your consumer vulnerability procedure, and brief frontline staff on it. As a public document it can be published on your website or shared on request.

Related Documents

The code refers to the P-115 Consumer Vulnerability Policy and works with PP-1-17 Consumer Vulnerability Policy Procedure, P-118 Third Party Representatives Policy, F-Q102 Vulnerable Consumer Report and the ER24 Consumer Vulnerability Register. GG-1-17 Consumer Vulnerability gives staff plain guidance on the same subject.