Privacy: BNI will collect and hold personal information about you from this Application form. Our primary purpose in collecting this personal information is to enable us to provide services to you. We require this information for the purposes listed below, and if you choose not to provide the information requested, we may not be able to provide services to you. This information may be used for related purposes, such as: to assist in providing goods and services to you, to assist with any enquiries you make to us, for any purpose made known to you at the time of collection of your personal information, to communicate promotional offers, business referrals and special events, for our internal administrative, marketing, planning, product development and research requirements, in connection with law enforcement, national security and airport surveillance and in relation to business referral programs. We usually disclose information of this kind to: The BNI Australia Trust and to BNI Global, LLC (USA), third parties such as consultants, auditors, legal advisors and the like, and third parties we are required by law to disclose to. Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you may access your personal information held by BNI. You may contact us if you think any of this is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date. We will take such steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to correct such information or notify you why we refuse to do so. BNI takes all steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to protect personal information that it holds from misuse, interference and loss and from unauthorised access, modification and disclosure and to destroy or de-identify personal information that it no longer needs and is not required by law to retain. If you consider that we have breached the Privacy Act 1988 you may complain to the BNI Australia Trust who will investigate the complaint and advise you in writing of the outcome of the investigation within 60 days of receipt of the complaint. Personal Data shall be jointly controlled by BNI Worldwide Development Limited, BNI Australia and BNI Team WA Pty Ltd. Your personal data will be processed in BNI’s operating management system (BNI Connect®) and shall be governed by the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation.
Terms: Please note that the primary function of BNI is to promote business through its members networking and giving referrals to each other. The prospective member (”applicant”) acknowledges that BNI does not endorse the capabilities of professional expertise of any of its members and that the Applicant in choosing to conduct business with or refer clients to any other member of BNI does so at its own volition and risk. BNI specifically accepts no liability in relation to business conducted or standards as between any of its members.
Continuing Membership: When applying to join BNI, I understand that I will be allocated to a chapter. I acknowledge that the growth and success of any chapter is the responsibility of the chapter members. I also acknowledge that payment for the venue related charges for weekly BNI meetings is the responsibility of the chapter members. BNI may be obliged to close or restructure chapters from time to time and if so, BNI may nominate another chapter for the member to attend, in which case the balance of my membership will be transferred to that chapter upon approval of the Membership Committee of that chapter. If a suitable chapter is not available then BNI will issue a certificate of credit for the balance of the membership under the published guidelines for such certificates. Only one person from each professional classification is permitted to join a chapter of BNI. Membership Committees of each chapter have final authority relating to classification conflicts. Classifications can be changed or subdivided at any time at the Membership Committee’s sole discretion. Classifications are also known as business specialties.
Mediation: If a dispute arises in connection with agreement, a party to the dispute must give to the other party notice specifying the dispute and requiring its resolution under this mediation clause (Notice of Dispute). The executive director or responsible person of each party must confer within 3 days after the Notice of Dispute is given to try and resolve the dispute. If the dispute is not resolved within 7 days after the Notice of Dispute is given, the disputes is by this clause submitted to mediation, conducted in the city closest to where the party giving the Notice of Dispute is located. The Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia Mediation and Conciliation Rules( at the date of this Agreement) apply to the mediation. Despite anything in this clause, a party may at any time commence court proceedings in relation to any dispute arising under or in connection with this Agreement where that party seeks urgent interlocutory relief. This clause applies even where the Agreement is otherwise void or voidable.
Limitations on Liability: Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, any liability to you involving BNI, its franchisees, and their officers, directors, agents and representatives for any cause whatsoever arising from the breach of the conditions or warranties, if any, in the Agreement, related to the Agreement, or membership or participation in BNI or both, and regardless of the form of the action, will to the extent permitted by law be limited to the amount of annual membership dues paid by you for the membership in BNI. Except in jurisdictions where such provisions are restricted, in no event will there be a liability to you or any third party for any indirect, consequential, exemplary, incidental, special or punitive damages by signing this application form I confirm that all details are true and correct and I agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of this application and by the Policies, Programme Guidelines and Code of Ethics of BNI, including as amended from time to time. I acknowledge that if I breach these terms and conditions, including the Policies, Programme Guidelines and Code of Ethics of BNI, BNI may terminate my membership in which case I will not be entitled to a refund.
I have read and understood all the BNI General Policies, BNI Administrative Policies, BNI Program Guidelines and the BNI Code of Ethics and further understand that upon acceptance to BNI membership that fees are non refundable except as required by law including the registration fee and the membership fee.
To obtain a copy of the BNI Policies and Programme Guidelines, please ask the Membership Commitee of the Chapter to which you are applying or send an email to [email protected] with the subject line “Policy & Guidelines Request”