The IBEW Code of Excellence (COE) for the electrical industry is designed to ensure the highest standards of excellence on each and every IBEW workplace. Leaders and members commit to demonstrating the IBEW’s core values in everything they do. Those core values are known as SPARQ:
In the electrical industry, the customer or end-user of our services will determine whether we perform future work. Therefore, it’s important that when people think of the IBEW, they think of quality, professionalism, safety, and overall excellence. When that happens, the IBEW is seen as the first choice for the job. With that as our objective, the goals of the program are to:
The IBEW Code of Excellence is an IBEW program, designed to instill a sense of pride and professionalism in our members. Leaders and members of the IBEW who commit to the COE do so because they know that demonstrating our SPARQ values are what set us apart from other electrical workers. However, the IBEW has a long history of productive labor-management partnerships, and the IBEW Code of Excellence has proven successful when the employer partners with our union. When working together, the IBEW and our employers have created a solutions-driven and proactive program that benefits our members, employers, and communities.
The success of the IBEW Code of Excellence depends upon each stakeholder’s commitment to carry out their defined roles. Everyone on the jobsite is a key stakeholder: members, supervisors, managers, and stewards. But, the leadership of the union and the employer are who set the tone and expectations for success. It is up to them to define what success looks like and communicate those expectations. When each stakeholder is clear about what is expected, it is possible to hold one another accountable to performing their duties under the IBEW Code of Excellence.
When a local union commits to the IBEW Code of Excellence, there is a formal training program that has been implemented across the USA and Canada. Local union leadership provides training for members about the expectations and opportunities that align with the implementation of the IBEW Code of Excellence. Training is also available for jobsite supervisors. In addition to membership training, Excellence Stewards receive a specific training that enables them to carry out the program on the jobsite. These stewards are the critical link between the members, union leadership, and the employer. Once the program is implemented, ongoing awareness and communication is a core component of keeping the values of the COE at the forefront of every job.
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