Section 612.2137 - Elements of a Standards of Conduct ProgramEach System institution board of directors is ultimately responsible for the implementation, oversight of, and compliance with, the Standards of Conduct Program. In fulfilling these responsibilities, each System institution board of directors must do the following:
(a)Establish a SOC program. Each institution's board of directors must establish and maintain a Standards of Conduct Program that sets forth the core principles of § 612.2135 and meets the requirements of this subpart. The board must act to ensure the SOC program has adequate resources for its implementation and operation. The SOC program must include maintaining conflicts of interest and other reports required under this subpart, along with any investigations, determinations, and supporting documentation, for a minimum of 6 years.(b)Appoint a Standards of Conduct Official. Each institution must have a Standards of Conduct Official who is appointed pursuant to § 612.2170 . An institution may use one of its officers to serve as SOCO or may use a chartered service corporation or third-party to provide the services of a SOCO. Institutions may also use another institution's SOCO or hire a SOCO under a shared contract with other System institutions when each institution has a separate confidential relationship with the person serving as SOCO.(c)Adopt a written Code of Ethics. Each institution as part of its SOC program must adopt and maintain an up-to-date written Code of Ethics. The Code must establish the institution's values and expectations for the ethical conduct of directors and employees in business transactions and include a general statement of expectations for appropriate professional conduct. The entire Code of Ethics must be available to all directors, employees, agents, and shareholders of the institution. The institution must post on its external website a statement that it has adopted a professional Code of Ethics, summarizing what that Code is, and advising the public the entire Code of Ethics is available on request at no cost.(d)Establish Standards of Conduct policies and procedures. Each institution's board of directors must adopt policies and procedures to implement the institution's SOC program. These policies and procedures must address all aspects of the SOC program, including, but not limited to, the following:(1) Requiring conflict of interest reporting from all directors and employees pursuant to § 612.2145 . The frequency of conflicts of interest reporting and other disclosures must be addressed in SOC program policies and procedures using the institution's fiscal year calendar. At a minimum, each person must annually report to the SOCO known conflicts occurring in the current year. Pursuant to § 612.2145(c) , the board must also require directors and officers to give the SOCO the disclosures required under § 620.6(a), (e) , and (f) of this chapter, regardless of who else in the institution receives the disclosures.(2) Explaining what constitutes SOC program compliance, including setting criteria for documentation submitted with conflicts of interest reports and providing instructions to help directors and employees identify and report on interests or circumstances that could give rise to an actual or apparent conflict of interest.(i) The board must explain within the policies and procedures what transactions are likely to present real or potential conflicts, setting benchmarks and thresholds for both single and aggregate activities. The policies and procedures must also explain how transactions in the ordinary course of business are identified.(ii) The board must explain within the policies and procedures, setting benchmarks and thresholds, how materiality of a conflict is identified. The materiality guidelines must be used when evaluating conflicts of interest reports filed by employees and directors. An exception for those matters affecting all shareholders or borrowers may be used in making the determination of materiality.(3) Addressing the process by which real and apparent conflicts will be resolved. The procedures must also explain action(s) to be taken when a conflict cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of the institution. The procedures must explain the role and authorities of the SOCO in resolving conflicts.(4) Addressing the conduct of third-party relationships. The board of directors at each institution must adopt conflict-of-interest policies for third-party relationships and develop safeguards for use in contractual obligations that require third-party service providers to perform services on behalf of the institution in an ethical manner. At a minimum, the policies for third-party relationships must set forth expectations for disclosing known conflicts of interest to the institution. The policies must also implement the requirements of § 612.2180 for agents of the institution.(5) Setting criteria for accepting gifts that are not otherwise prohibited by this subpart. The criteria must explain the scope of application and may make appropriate exceptions for non-business events where the gift is not viewed by the institution as attempting to influence official institution business. The gift criteria must include de minimis dollar thresholds for all permissible gifts, regardless of the gift giving reason. The thresholds must apply both per gift and in the aggregate per recipient, per year. The institution must also establish disclosure requirements for gifts received as well as procedures for disposing of impermissible gifts.(6) Identifying the appropriate actions that may be taken against any director or employee who violates the standards of conduct policies and procedures, Code of Ethics, or regulations under this subpart. The board must also identify who is authorized to take which action and when. The board must address how the SOCO exercises his or her authority under § 612.2170 to investigate certain conduct issues.(7) Providing for anonymous reporting by individuals of known or suspected violations of the institution's Standards of Conduct Program and Code of Ethics, through a hotline or other venue.(e)Monitor the SOC program through internal controls. Each institution's board of directors must establish a system of internal controls for its SOC program that includes, at a minimum, a process to:(1) Protect against unauthorized disclosure of confidential information maintained by the institution.(2) Conduct scheduled periodic reviews of the Standards of Conduct Program that determine the continued adequacy of the program. Each review must look for consistency with institution practices, financial services industry best practices, and Farm Credit Administration (FCA) regulations in this chapter, identifying any required updates.(3) Perform internal audits of the Standards of Conduct Program. The board of directors, with the assistances of the SOCO and appropriate officers of the institution, must determine the scope and depth of the audit. The board is responsible for identifying who will conduct the internal audit. The audit findings must be given directly to the institution's board or designated board committee. The audit itself must be designed to:(i) Review the effectiveness of advancing the core principles;(ii) Identify weaknesses;(iii) Recommend and report necessary corrective actions; and(iv) Cover the entire Standards of Conduct Program across the institution, including all activities conducted through a System institution unincorporated business entity (UBE) formed under § 611.1150(b) of this chapter, including UBEs organized for the express purpose of investing in a Rural Business Investment Company.(f)Train institution personnel. Each institution's board of directors must establish a training program to administer periodic Standards of Conduct and Code of Ethics training to directors and employees. The training must be given by the SOCO and the board must address how the SOCO will exercises his or her training responsibilities under § 612.2170 . The Standards of Conduct training must be administered under the following timeframes:(1) Newly elected or appointed directors must receive Standards of Conduct training within 60 calendar days of the director assuming his or her position.(2) New employees must receive Standards of Conduct training within 10 business days of beginning work.(3) Periodic training for all directors and employees must occur at least annually but may be more frequent. 86 FR 50975 , 9/13/2021; 86 FR 58559 , 1/1/2023