In achieving membership of the Association, all members have to meet the required standards for operational proficiency and integrity plus demonstrate they possess the relevant commercial acumen required by the Association. The members are bound by this Professional Code of Conduct, and by The Federation of Sports and Play Associations’ Articles of Association, all intended to maintain a high and improving standard of service to the industry.
1. Criteria for Membership
In order to be admitted to the Association of Play Industries, all members must meet the required standards of experience, proficiency and commercial competence appropriate to their section of membership. Member Companies may be required to demonstrate that they continue to comply with these membership criteria on an annual basis.
2. Financial Stability
All members within API are required to comply with the Association’s criteria for financial stability. The Association will from time to time request management accounts or, where necessary, copies of audited accounts. The Association will carry out financial checks on its members randomly, or where they have reason to believe that financial stability of a member is in question. All financial information will be treated in confidence.
Members are required to provide such information on a timely basis. Where such information is not provided the Association reserves the right to suspend membership for up to three months and, if deemed appropriate, expel the member.
Members are required to provide annual play related turnover on an annual basis.
3. API Membership
3.1 Membership Sections
Members should not claim, infer or imply that they belong to any other membership section for which they have not applied or been accepted.
Members who expand their business activities and become eligible to apply for membership of an additional Section should notify the Association if they wish to be registered under additional sections. The application procedure laid down by the Association and relevant Section will apply.
3.2 API Logo
Members are encouraged to promote their API membership on stationery, websites and promotional material and to abide by the current guidelines published for the correct use of the API logo.
4. Marketing
Members are encouraged to provide the Association with material which the Association can use to promote its members. This will be used to promote the membership as a whole and will not favour any one member. Site-specific material will carry the member’s logo should the member and the Association agree, but any general photography and generic material will remain anonymous.
5. Customer Service
Member companies of the API have committed themselves to maintain a high standard of quality and service to their customers. All member companies will comply with the recommendations of the relevant British and European Standards.
Quotations, specifications and other pre-contractual information should aim to be clear and helpful to the customer.
6. Technical Mediation Service
The API maintains a Mediation Panel to assist in providing impartial assistance in resolving disputes between member companies and their customers. This service is restricted to technical rather than contractual aspects.
Parties requesting and agreeing to mediation are expected to be bound by the findings.
The Association does not act in any legal capacity in such events but will draw on the experience of the panel and relevant members to seek a satisfactory resolution.
Any reasonable costs incurred by the mediation service are to be met by the member company.
Member companies who have had more than two mediation cases awarded against them within a two-year period will be reviewed by the API Executive committee to ensure the Professional Code of Conduct has not been breached. If such breach occurs their membership status will be reviewed by the Executive and may result in membership not being invited at renewal.
7. Regulations
Members endorse and affirm their responsibilities to their clients under current legislation and must comply fully with all applicable statutory and regulatory requirements and recommended British and European Standards.
8. Education & Training
Members are encouraged to support any training activities provided by the Association for the industry and continually develop their Staff.
9. Annual Return
Payment of the annual membership fee is confirmation that the API member company agrees to the following:
10. Conduct
Members and their officers and partners shall not act in such a way as to bring the Association, the Federation of Sports and Play Associations or the industry into disrepute. Members shall not maliciously or recklessly damage or attempt to damage the reputation or prospects of others.
11. Past Members
After a member has ceased to be a member of the Association for any reason, it will not indicate any ongoing association or connection with the Association or – for the purpose of obtaining or retaining any business, custom or claim – represent or otherwise indicate any past association with the Association.
A signed copy of the Professional Code of Practice is required as a condition of membership
The Association of Play Industries operates under the umbrella of the Federation of Sports and Play Associations (FSPA), the national trade body responsible for representing Associations in the UK sport and play industries. Registered Number: 216719. VAT Registration: 4074276.
