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Codes of Ethics and Business Practices

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Our Commitment

The DSA embodies all that is best in the direct sales field, and that is reflected in our commitment to enhanced professionalism and expertise in a competitive arena.

This commitment helps us to expand our presence as the principal voice of the direct selling industry, and we are proud for direct selling to be perceived by:

  • entrepreneurs as a viable earning and learning opportunity
  • consumers as a reliable and credible supplier of quality products and services
  • special interest groups as a positive, productive industry that provides credible, reasonable opportunities
  • Canadians as socially concerned, responsible, and involved with our Canadian society

Codes of Ethics and Business Practices

Because industry integrity is the cornerstone of the DSA, we uphold our Codes of Ethics and Business Practices as pledges for companies and independent sales consultants to follow in product sales, consumer care, recruitment and sales force relations. Each member company must rededicate annually to these provisions.

Test Your Code Knowledge

This quick quiz will test your knowledge of DSA Canada’s Codes of Ethics & Business Practices. Our 15-questions should take you less than 10 minutes to complete!

MEMBER REVIEW

Each DSA member company must meet specific membership criteria, ensuring their ability to live up to the high standards established by the DSA:

  • A DSA Membership Application Review Committee conducts a routine investigation of the company’s business reputation, including its marketing and distribution plan, to ensure compliance with federal and provincial laws.
  • Each member company must agree to abide by the DSA’s Codes of Ethics and Business Practices, designed to protect customers and prospective entrepreneurs.

Code Details

Our codes are intended to be an expression of the high standards of business conduct which are subscribed to by each member company within the Association and, further, are devoted to the enhancement of relations between member companies, their direct salespersons and the ultimate consumer. These codes reflect the codes adopted by the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations (WFDSA)

The provincial and federal legislation that governs direct selling sets out the minimum obligations of members and salespersons; in many cases, the obligations imposed by our codes go beyond those minimum standards.

There are 50 code sections in all, grouped to address target member sectors:

  • the Code of Ethics is covered in 28 articles
  • the Code of Business Practices is covered in 17 articles
  • the Code Enforcement/Complaint Procedure consists of 5 sections

Codes of Ethics and Consumer Practices

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Code of Ethics Brochure (English)

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Code of Ethics Brochure (French)

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