Executive decisions will be made by a majority vote.

The Executive will determine the future management policy as the network develops.

The WBN will consist of fully paid up members who satisfy the membership criteria.

Members of the WBN must be privately owned companies, partnerships or corporations involved in the freight forwarding industry, and able to demonstrate skills and facilities for handling baggage.

No WBN member may belong to, or be actively associated with, any company, group, association or organisation which is deemed to be in competition with the members.

If any of the Owners, Stockholders, Executives, Management or Staff Members of a WBN Member company currently hold a similar appointment(s) in or work for, either part time or full time, another company which is associated with or working within a competing group, the company may not apply for WBN membership and if this applies to an existing WBN member, such member will be expelled at the discretion of the Executive.

Membership entitles each member to exclusive representation of the WBN within a city, location, state or an assigned area in which the member is resident and conducts business.

Members may only represent areas where the office is wholly owned or operated by them.

WBN members may not promote an office in any area where a WBN member already exists.

Upon joining, members must commit to adapting the WBN logo onto their stationery and promotional material, within a reasonable time.

All new members must attend the Annual Conference (AC) within the first year of joining. Failure to do so may result in expulsion.

The Annual fees will be set by the Executive.

Annual Fee: An Annual Membership (or subscription) Fee will cover one full year from month of payment, which is payable by each member on receipt of the respective invoice, unless otherwise agreed.

Non payment or late payment of the fees will result in an immediate cancellation of the membership, at the discretion of the Executive.

The Executive considers that the Member is not able to perform fully all the functions and operations required to satisfy other WBN members, or that they consider that the member has falsely claimed the services, which they are unable to perform.

The Executive will advise the member of the decision in writing via mail, facsimile or email of a decision to expel. There will be a 7 day appeal period during which time the member can submit a case for remaining in the group.

On expulsion of a member under these rules, all money paid to the WBN by the expelled member remains the property of WBN.

An Annual Conference of WBN members must be held every year and this meeting is to be called the Annual Conference (AC).

The Executive must decide the date and place as well as the duration of the AC.

Each member must nominate at least one representative of executive level to attend the AC. Failure to attend an AC without a written explanation for reason of urgent necessity is considered an infringement of this WBN Charter and Code of Conduct and thus a reason for expulsion from the WBN. Failure to attend two consecutive ACs will result in the automatic expulsion of the member concerned (subject to the discretion of the Executive). Failure to attend the first AC after joining may also result in expulsion.

The AC will be chaired by a member of the Executive.

Members are to communicate efficiently and promptly within a maximum of 24 hours, irrespective whether this concerns operations, sales leads, financial matters, management decisions or any other business.

Members agree to exchange only net charges and rates to other members if and when they are asked to quote on traffic.

Members must mutually agree the rules for breakbulk fees and profit margins among themselves.

Payment terms must not exceed 30 days from the end of the monthly statement.

The Accounts Department from each member must send monthly statements to include the invoice number, invoice date and amount.

In case of dispute(s) between WBN members each party must first make an all-out effort to resolve the dispute(s) among themselves. If not mutually acceptable decision can be reached, the WBN member or Applicant member may request assistance from the Executive.

Special instructions as set out in the Master (or house) Bill of Lading, Airway Bill or any other written instructions must be followed strictly.

All members must service both air and sea freight, unless otherwise agreed depending on the level of members.

Airfreight charges should be prepared on the Master Airway bill, unless the airline prints “collect” charges at a lower mutually agreed rate.

Sea freight/ocean freight charges will always be prepaid wherever possible, unless mutually agreed in writing between the members.

Neither the WBN nor its Executive can be held responsible in case commercial and/or financial obligations are not met by WBN members.

WBN members should use the name and/or the logo of the WBN on all printed matter/stationery, on all their buildings and vehicles, used by the member for the purpose of their business or otherwise.

When a company ceases to be a WBN member, the company is no longer entitled to use the name of the WBN and/or the WBN logo on any reference to the WBN thus has to be removed from printed matter/stationery, buildings/vehicles or otherwise. Failure to adhere to this provision may result in legal proceedings against the company concerned.

All members must have professional liability insurance, unless not possible.

When transferring money between companies, each member should keep their own bank charges.

Members will communicate with each other by one of the managed mail groups to be known as members@…

Members will be given a unique password and username; this is confidential to the member and disclosure to a third party will trigger disciplinary procedures (Section 5).