Pod Leader Responsibilities and Rules of Conduct

We are so pleased you have decided to become a Pod Leader by starting a new Pod or by connecting your existing group with the PlantPure Communities (PPC) Pod Network!

We want to make sure that your involvement with the PPC Pod Network matches your expectations and that we are a good fit with what you would like to accomplish in your community.

Please review the list of “Responsibilities” that indicate what Pod leaders usually do as part of the Pod Network and please review the “Rules of Conduct.”

Pod Leader Responsibilities

A. Organize regular meetings of the Pod. Pods that meet once a month are most successful in keeping members engaged.

B. Adhere to the Culinary Philosophy of the PPC Pod Network.

C. Be transparent and always disclose business interests with your Pod members, especially those that might be viewed as a conflict (see Rules of Conduct below).

D. Stay connected to PPC via the Pod leader mailing list. You will receive a Pod Engagement Suggestions newsletter and occasional additional messages.

E. Every 3 months, share updates about your Pod’s activities by corresponding with your Pod Support Team member, using the “Submit your Pod’s News” form, and reporting the number of your members via the Pod Growth Report Form.

F. Encourage your members to sign up for the PPC mailing list to get updates from you and from PPC.

G. If not yet in-hand during set-up, within the first month or two, send contact information to your Pod Support Team member for 1- 3 people who are willing to share some leadership responsibilities for the Pod, who could eventually become co-Pod leader(s).

H. Notify your Pod Support Team member if you start to feel overwhelmed or lose interest in leading the Pod in order to facilitate new leadership.

Rules of Conduct :

Pod leaders are expected to follow these “rules of conduct” that will protect the integrity of the whole food, plant-based movement, the Pod, and PlantPure Communities (PPC). The following list offers some guidance for appropriate Pod Leader behavior:

• Act in all matters in a manner that will safeguard the reputation and integrity of the whole food, plant-based movement and PPC.

• It is not against PPC’s policy for Pod leaders to have a personal business, but if you have such interests, you should be transparent and clarify for members that these private interests are separate from the mission and function of the Pod.

• Act in a responsible and respectful manner in line with a leadership position. Good judgment must be shown while acting as a Pod leader, which may include refraining from smoking or being under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

• Represent your personal political opinions as an individual and not as representative of PPC or the Pod, unless PPC has an advocacy project for which you have signed up. PPC does not support any particular political party. The following list offers some examples of inappropriate conduct that could cause a Pod leader to lose his or her leadership status:

1. Acting in any manner that is not respectful or that could bring ill-repute to PPC, the Pod, or the whole food, plant based movement.

2. A violation of PPC’s Rules of Conduct or culinary philosophy.

3. A violation of federal, state, or local safety and health rules, guidelines, or laws.

4. A disclosure of confidential information of any member of the Pod or PPC, or disclosure of health information of any participant in PPC programs without explicit, written authorization.

5. Using Pod members’ contact information to send messages which market goods or services which you provide without their permission to do so.

6. An inappropriate act or comment made based on an individual’s sex, race, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic.

7. A violation of the policy that prohibits the use of any title or emblem of PPC, identification of yourself as an employee of PPC, or expression of an opinion on PPC’s behalf that is outside of the scope of activities set forth in PPC Pod Leader materials, unless you are specifically authorized by PPC as a representative in a particular matter.

This guidance was also provided as part of your Pod leader application process.