The documents to be elaborated for the practical implementation of the Codes of Conduct should help standardize and professionalize the way we work as a network and also the range of services we offer our clients. These documents could cover the following areas:

• Agreements
• Client recruitment
• Company visits
• Expression of Interest
• Innovation financing
• Mentoring initiative
• Monitoring, managing and reporting effectively on own performance
• Staff exchange
• Technology audits
• TTT Event
• Technology Offers/Technology Requests

We should eliminate the following Bad Practices from the network, as such behavior is unacceptable in a Network of Excellence (non-exhaustive list):

• Offering unrealistic services to clients
• Not responding to a specific email from an IRC colleague
• Not providing the full information required when responding to a Technology Request or Technology Offer
• Asking for more information without being specific
• Not making time for your clients and partners
• Cancelling event participation without notice
• Operating independently: pursuing your own objectives at the expense of the rest of the network

Once we have agreed on the content and on every detail of the Quality Charter, its implementation will be the next step. This subject has to be tackled in the discussion forum. At this stage, we can only make a few proposals...

To ensure that the Quality Charter becomes an integral part of the network, it may be appropriate for IRC members of staff to endorse the charter by formally agreeing to abide by it. They could, for example, sign a Quality Charter agreement. We could add in the "Who's Who" section of the IRC website an indication specifying whether the IRCs decided to comply with the Quality Charter. We eventually hope to link the Codes of Conduct to a quality mark.

Concerning the Quality Charter promotion, the Mission Statement, the Values and the Codes of Conduct could also appear - together or alone - on IRC Websites and on certain promotional materials. The Quality Charter could also be introduced at induction workshops. The Central Unit could use some promotional channels in order to publicise the IRCs new Quality Charter.