Tergar Code of Conduct

In 2008, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche founded Tergar Meditation Community (Tergar) to help
people of all cultures and faiths realize their potential to flourish as individuals and live in
harmony with others. Tergar teaches practices that cultivate awareness, compassion and
wisdom, and supports a diverse, international community of practitioners.

The Tergar Meditation Community includes thousands of individuals worldwide, including

participants, workers (both paid and volunteer) and donors. For this vibrant community to
flourish, Mingyur Rinpoche calls us all to abide by the highest standards of care, respect,
ethics, and the law. Therefore, as individuals and as a community, we commit to:

• Avoid harming others. Work for the welfare of all. Treat all with respect.
• Support each other with friendliness and kindness, keeping in mind our shared purpose.
• Bring our unique perspective and talents to the community and appreciate others’.
• Work together in cooperative, appreciative, and transparent teams.
• Listen respectfully, tell the truth, and speak with kindness and tact.
• Identify and reduce barriers for individual and/or group participation.
• Resolve differences constructively and courteously, asking for help when needed.
• Keep everyone safe.
• Use Tergar resources responsibly, and avoid personal conflicts of interest.
• Identify and interrupt harassment of any kind.
• Ask for a copy of Tergar policies or procedures when we have questions.

The commitment to this Code of Conduct is our shared responsibility.

Harassment and abuse of any kind are unacceptable in the Tergar community. This pertains to
Tergar community activities, as well as the Tergar work environment. Unacceptable behavior
may be verbal, emotional, physical or sexual behavior that is acted out, or behavior that is
suggestive or threatening in any way.

Questions, inquiries, and interpretations are welcome and encouraged and may be addressed
to the Executive Director/s, a Tergar Instructor, or the Chair of the Board. Anyone with
knowledge concerning any suspected violation of this code or any activity that could damage
Tergar’s reputation is encouraged to report this information immediately to these individuals.
Or send your inquiries to ethics@tergar.org. They will respond to any concerns brought to their
attention and will make every effort to protect the confidentiality of those reporting this
information.

Everyone who works on behalf of Tergar – either paid or as a volunteer – must complete an
annual acknowledgement of this Code of Conduct.
 Guidance on Tergar Code of Conduct

The following provides guidance as to the specific elements of Tergar’s Code of Conduct.
Anyone who has questions is asked to contact an Executive Director, a Tergar Instructor, or the
Chair of the Board. Contact information is available online at tergar.org.

• Avoid harming others. Work for the welfare of all. Treat all with respect.
These ethical practices are the foundation of well-being: yours, others’ and the overall
community’s. You can increase your natural ability to act ethically by diligently engaging in
practices to strengthen your awareness, compassion and wisdom.

• Support each other with friendliness and kindness, keeping in mind our shared purpose.
The Tergar community exists to help us all realize our potential to flourish as individuals and
live in harmony with others. And as we apply the teachings to our lives, the ways in which we
suffer will become more evident to ourselves and others. Sharing friendship, support and
kindness with each other helps us on the path to realize our aspirations.

• Bring our unique perspective and talents to the community and appreciate others’.
The community is strongest when individuals bring their perspectives, diverse skills, interests,
strengths, insights, and talents. Have the courage to humbly bring your full self to the
community and, with respect and curiosity, embrace others’ gifts and diversity. Be mindful of
leaving space for all individuals to have a chance to contribute.

• Work together in cooperative, appreciative, and transparent teams.

Healthy teamwork promotes both beneficial processes and results. Whenever possible, work on
projects in teams and cultivate positive (and enjoyable) working relationships. Do your best to
cooperate, be positive, and create safety for all to share ideas and points of view. Promote
mutual trust through transparency, competency, integrity, and follow-through. Practice clear
and constructive communication, including when defining responsibilities and expectations.
Defer to others when appropriate. While the results are important, the process of working
together harmoniously and constructively is essential.

• Listen respectfully, tell the truth, and speak with kindness and tact.

Before speaking, assess whether your speech is kind, timely, true and needed. Whether talking
with an instructor, a friend, or a vendor, make sure every answer is as correct as it can be and
that spoken opinions are supported with fact. If you make a mistake, acknowledge it to yourself
and others, and forgive yourself.

Approved by the Board of Directors – August 27, 2018 Page 2 of 5

 Guidance on Tergar Code of Conduct

Never commit or contribute to acts of dishonesty, including fraud, theft, embezzlement,

misappropriation of assets, etc., against Tergar, its members and communities, employees,
volunteers, independent contractors and the public. If you become aware of any such activities,
report them immediately to an Executive Director or the Chair of the Board.

• Identify and reduce barriers for individual and/or group participation.

Tergar is committed to making the teachings and community accessible to all. Acknowledge and
seek to reduce barriers to participation, especially those that may arise from the social
marginalization of groups of people. Depending on country, marginalization may occur (even
inadvertently) based on race, ethnicity, economic class, gender, LGBTQI status, educational
background, language, and/or other factors. Actively engage in equity and inclusion efforts,
including learning more about the shared biases and behavioral habits, seen and unseen, that
you may hold. Actively and sensitively cultivate input, engagement, and leadership of people
from socially marginalized groups when appropriate.

• Resolve differences constructively and courteously, asking for help when needed.
When differences arise in the community, hold them as creative opportunities out of which
benefits (whether personal or shared) may arise. Hold each other in spaciousness, humility,
friendship and trust, remembering the overall context of our common commitments. If you are
offended, approach the other with care and tact, engaging right speech. Have the courage to
apologize and/or right a wrong, while being patient with yourself and others. When necessary,
associates or leaders may need to correct behavior that is inappropriate or unhelpful. Defer to
them.
When we can resolve differences in this way, the community can truly embrace both unity and
the richness of the diversity we all bring. For more information, see Tergar Guidelines for Being
in Community.
If you need help in resolving an issue, connect with a trusted leader, supervisor or instructor.

• Keep everyone safe.

Promote the personal safety of each other and members of the public. Never compromise
safety in favor of financial savings or other perceived business or personal advantage. Safety
includes providing workable facilities and venues for Tergar’s programs and office activities. If
you have any concerns about safety, please report them immediately to an Executive Director,
a Tergar Instructor, or the Chair of the Board.

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 Guidance on Tergar Code of Conduct

• Use Tergar resources responsibly, and avoid personal conflicts of interest.

Be honorable and responsible with Tergar resources and information. Never use Tergar
relationships for inappropriate personal gain. Avoid conflicts of interest or the appearance of
conflicts of interest between Tergar and yourself. A conflict of interest occurs whenever the
prospect of direct or indirect personal gain or benefit could influence your judgment or actions
in the conduct of Tergar business. For clarity regarding any specific action, please consider the
following questions:

• Does your action feel like the “right thing” to do?

• Could your action withstand public scrutiny?
• Is your action consistent with Tergar’s reputation as an ethical organization?
• Would you do it to your family or friends?
• Would you feel ok if someone did it to you?
• Would the most ethical person you know do it?
If the answer to each question is not an unqualified “yes,” seek further guidance from an
Executive Director, a Tergar Instructor, or the Chair of the Board before proceeding.
Gifts. If you are seen as a Tergar representative, community members may offer you gifts in
that capacity. In this case, do not accept any gifts unless they could withstand public scrutiny
without damaging Tergar’s reputation.

• You may accept small gifts without an exchangeable cash value, if they are appropriate
within the circumstances.
• You must turn over any cash gifts beyond a nominal amount received over to Tergar.
Larger material gifts or services offered must be reported to and approved by the
Executive Directors. In addition, they must be documented and supported in accordance
with Tergar policies and IRS requirements.
• You must not solicit gifts.
These guidelines apply even when no reimbursement from the organization is sought.
Use of Tergar Relationships for Personal Benefit. You must avoid any situation that might take
unfair advantage of others, including emotionally and financially, or have the appearance of
doing so. You may not enter into any financial or business transactions with a supplier,
member, or student that is not officially arranged or condoned. All transactions must be
consistent with the standard practices and terms applied to conducting business with the
general public.

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 Guidance on Tergar Code of Conduct

• Identify and interrupt harassment of any kind.

People flourish, learn and grow only when they feel welcome, accepted, and secure. Tergar is
committed to maintaining an environment free from harassment or intimidation of any kind. To
assist in identifying and interrupting harassment, all communities must post the one-page Code
of Conduct (the first page of this document).

• Ask for a copy of Tergar policies or procedures when we have questions.

Tergar policies and procedures are updated on a regular basis. Please contact an Executive
Director, a Tergar Instructor, or the Chair of the Board for the most recent documents. Contact
information is available online at tergar.org.

Approved by the Board of Directors – August 27, 2018 Page 5 of 5

 Tergar Code of Conduct Acknowledgement

All associates must complete this acknowledgement annually.

Each associate (employee, independent contractor, board member, or volunteer) is a
representative of Mingyur Rinpoche, his teachings, and this Code of Conduct. Associates must
abide by the Code of Conduct, and be stewards of Tergar’s reputation, of Tergar’s culture, and
of the trust that students and the public place in them. Associates must also take care to never
give the impression that they are speaking on behalf of Tergar, unless they have the Executive
Directors’ specific authorization, in writing, to do so.

Those in visible leadership positions, in particular, must model ethical and appropriate conduct
at all times. They must also remain proactively vigilant and sensitive to potential problem areas
or perceptions of impropriety, and take appropriate remedial actions promptly. Because minor
issues can evolve into larger problems, associates should report to an Executive Director, a
Tergar Instructor, or the Chair of the Board any concerns or violations of this Code of Conduct
or other Tergar policy or procedure as soon as they are aware of them.

Tergar assures protection against any form of reprisal by anyone acting on behalf of the
organization for reporting in good faith actual or suspected violations of this code and, to the
extent possible, Tergar will make every effort to protect the confidentiality of anyone reporting
this information.
Associates who violate this code may be subject to remedial actions based on the seriousness
of the violation, up to and including suspension without pay and termination. Disciplinary
measures may also be applied to anyone who deliberately withholds information regarding
known violations. Legal proceedings may also be commenced, if necessary, to recover the
amount of any improper expenditures, any profits realized by the offending associate, and any
financial detriment sustained by Tergar.

Acknowledgement

I am an associate at Tergar and have read and understand the Tergar Code of Conduct,
including all my obligations, duties, and responsibilities under each of its provisions. If I had any
questions about how to abide by this Code of Conduct, I have asked an Executive Director, a
Tergar Instructor, or the Chair of the Board, and my questions have been answered.

______________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________

Name Date

__ Employee __ Independent Contractor __ Volunteer __ Board member __ Other: ____________________________