(Management Committee Resolution: M-2026-M7-M2)
Purpose
To protect BTQ’s organisational integrity, strategic interests, and stakeholder relationships by ensuring that non‑public information or information gained through private communications to BTQ is handled responsibly and is not used by members for personal benefit without express permission.
Scope
This bylaw applies to all BTQ members and covers all forms of non‑public information or information gained through private communications to BTQ, including but not limited to BTQ contacts, confidential information, and BTQ’s strategic initiatives.
For the purposes of this bylaw, “in‑confidence” information refers to any information provided to BTQ or distributed within BTQ with an expectation that it will not be disclosed outside BTQ, whether that expectation is stated explicitly or can reasonably be inferred from the circumstances. This includes information that:
- is marked confidential, in‑confidence, private, or similar
- is shared with BTQ by an individual, organisation, or stakeholder on the understanding that it will not be distributed further
- is communicated in a context where confidentiality is implied (such as internal strategy discussions, private messages to BTQ, non‑public meetings, or material provided to internal working groups)
- relates to BTQ’s internal operations, contacts, strategic initiatives, or deliberations and is not publicly available
- could reasonably be expected to cause harm, disadvantage, or reputational risk to BTQ or the information provider if disclosed without permission
Information does not need to be formally labelled confidential to be considered in‑confidence; it is sufficient that a reasonable person would understand it was intended for internal use only.
Procedure
1. Prohibition on personal use
Members of BTQ must not utilise in-confidence information (as defined in the Scope of this bylaw) in their personal capacity unless given express permission to do so.
2. Requirement for express permission
- Members must obtain explicit, not implied, permission before using such information in their personal capacity.
- Permission may only be granted by the Management Committee or by a Management Committee member acting within their delegated authority.
- Permission must specify the information, the purpose, and the limits of the authorised use.
- Members must not rely on past permissions for new or unrelated uses.
3. Safeguarding obligations
Members must take reasonable steps to ensure that non‑public information is:
- Stored securely
- Not shared with third parties unless expressly authorised
- Not used to obtain personal, professional, political, or financial advantage
- Not used in ways that could harm BTQ, its reputation, or its strategic interests
4. Reporting obligations
If a member becomes aware of:
- Unauthorised use of non‑public information
- A potential breach of confidentiality
- A risk that non‑public information may be misused
…they must notify the Management Committee as soon as practicable.
5. Consequences of breach
Unauthorised use of non‑public information may constitute:
- A breach of BTQ bylaws
- Misconduct under BTQ’s Constitution
- Grounds for disciplinary action as determined by the Management Committee