Industry Code of Conduct 

APLAR Congress Industry Guidelines

Edition IV

Published: 24 November 2017
Edition II Amended: 24 May 2019
Edition III Amended: 13 October 2021
Edition IV amended: 1 August 2024

Endorsement:

The APLAR Congress Industry Guidelines provide guidance for industry partners, sponsors and exhibitors to APLAR Congresses in all hosted locations. The APLAR Congress Industry Guidelines are endorsed by the APLAR Executive Committee.

These guidelines will only be superseded by future editions of the APLAR Congress Industry Guideline, approved by a quorum of four members of the APLAR Executive Committee.

Application:

The APLAR Congress Industry Guidelines apply to all industry partners, sponsors, NPOs and exhibitors participating in any APLAR Congress. It is the Industry Partner’s responsibility to inform all nominees, subsidiaries, affiliates, associated or third party companies involved on their behalf to abide by these guidelines. Breach of these guidelines can mean penalties to the industry partner/sponsor/exhibitor. All decisions on penalties will be made by the current APLAR Executive Committee Industry Liaison and will be final.

Penalties can include:

• Financial penalties
• Forfeiture of accrued Loyalty Points under the APLAR Congress Loyalty Program
• Partner/Sponsor/Exhibitor entitlements being revoked
• Rescinding of invitation to join future APLAR congresses
• Request for staff of Industry Partner to leave the APLAR congress venue
• Any combination or the above penalties or any other penalty as decided by the current APLAR Executive Committee Industry Liaison

Appendix:

• Industry Partner = Any industry partner, sponsor, exhibitor, NPO or other government body or agency supporting an APLAR congress.
• Industry Prospectus = The prospectus of all partnership, sponsorship and exhibition items available for sale to Industry Partners for a given APLAR congress.
• Industry Program = APLAR Congresses are defined by three core elements, scientific program, industry program and social/networking program. The Industry program is promoted as an industry-led part of the congress proceedings.
• Compliance code-of-conduct = These guidelines work in alignment with the host country’s pharmaceutical and medical device codes-of-conduct. Where flagged in the guideline, Industry Partners are expected to review their activities also in deference to these codes
• APLAR Congress Secretariat = Represented by MCI Australia, ABN 76 108 781 988. For queries on APLAR Congress Industry Guidelines or Prospectus, please contact:

• Thomas Howden
  • Industry Liaison
  • APLAR Congress Secretariat c/o MCI Australia
  • +61 2 9213 4016
  • thomas.howden@wearemci.com

Contents:

• Loyalty Program (Appendix 1)
• Application and Sponsorship/Exhibition Allocation Process
• Industry Symposia
• Networking Suites & Ad-hoc Meeting Rooms
• Pre-Congress Workshops
• Networking Functions
• Unendorsed Functions and Unauthorised Satellite Symposia
• Exhibition
• Advertising/Branding/Signage
• Health Care Professional Sponsorship – APLAR Congress Sponsor Services
• General Code-of-Conduct for Industry Partners and Staff
• Terms and Conditions of Partnership, Sponsorship, Exhibition

Loyalty Program

The APLAR Congress employs the APLAR Congress Loyalty Program (the “Loyalty Program”) which records Industry Partner support for the Congress, provides additional benefits to regular APLAR Congress supporters, and assists to arbitrate selection of sponsorship packages and exhibition location during the purchasing process. Details are included in Appendix 1 and are subject to renewal and amendment independently to the APLAR Congress Industry Guidelines.

APLAR Congress Secretariat reserves the right to make final decisions made regarding Loyalty Program point attribution, and any disputes arising from the implementation of the program.

Application and Sponsorship/Exhibition Allocation Process

1. No reservations or sponsorship packages or exhibition space are available prior to formal application by the Industry Partner.

1. Allocation of sponsorship packages and exhibition spaces are undertaken by the APLAR Congress Secretariat and are based on Loyalty Program Points of the Industry Partner, date of application and Industry Partner preferences in that order.

1. Access to allocation of sponsorship packages and exhibition spaces within the Loyalty Program sales window is only available to ranked organisations from #1-#15

1.   Each APLAR congress will institute a date after which Loyalty Program Points no longer affect the allocation process, and all sponsorship and exhibition spaces are allocated at point of sale, by current availability. This date will be published in the Industry Prospectus.

1. All allocations of sponsorship packages and exhibition space are final. Any Industry Partners seeking to amend their sponsorship package or exhibition position post-allocation must accept

that some options and positions may no longer be available to them, irrespective of original application date or Loyalty Program Points.

1. Assuming the Industry Partners preferred symposia, sponsorship package and/or exhibition space can be offered as per the submitted application, purchase will be assumed from date of confirmation and APLAR Industry Guideline terms and conditions (Clause 11 of this document) will be taken as agreed.

Industry Symposia

• Industry Symposia are intended to provide educational content to attendees as an extension of the scientific program. Commercial presentations are not-allowed and Industry Partners should undertake every effort to ensure that their hosted Industry Symposium is of high-educational value.
  • Industry Partners have autonomy to invite speakers, develop content and manage the format of their sponsored Industry Symposia with the approval of the APLAR Congress program chair and APLAR scientific committee co-chairs
  • Industry Partners must respect the Industry Symposia schedule and all Industry Symposia must be delivered within the times outlined in the Industry Prospectus.
  • The Industry Prospectus will provide an indication of the Industry Symposia rooms available through sponsorship, their maximum capacity in theatre style, and the availability of catering or otherwise during the symposia timeslot.
  • Industry Symposia are promoted through the APLAR Congress website, in the APLAR Congress marketing materials, in the APLAR Congress app, and by the Industry Symposia poster display area at the APLAR Congress venue.
  • A room/AV check is available for each of the Industry Symposia timeslots. Industry Partners need to inform the APLAR Congress secretariat of the desire for access to the room during the room/AV check period outlined in the Industry Prospectus.
  • Dissemination of marketing materials to the Industry Symposium attendees is allowed. Any marketing materials not taken by the attendees must be cleared from the room by the Industry Partner before the close of the Industry Symposium.

Networking Suites/Ad-Hoc Meeting Rooms

• Industry Partner access to Networking Suites or ad-hoc meeting rooms is strictly governed by the timings published in the Industry Prospectus, or by hire agreement
  • Catering options are available at the Industry Partner’s expense. Industry Partners must observe the compliance code-of-conduct of the host country with regard to provision of any catering.
  • Alcohol is not allowed to be made available or consumed in the networking suites or ad-hoc meeting rooms.
  • Basic venue furniture is included in the purchase price. Speciality theming, furniture and AV may be available at the Industry Partner’s expense. All enquiries on these needs can be directed to the APLAR Congress Secretariat.

• Networking Suites and ad-hoc meeting rooms are made available through sponsorship to Industry Partners for the purposes of networking, hosting individual or small groups of KOLs/clients/suppliers. No scientific/commercial presentations or delivery of educational content is to take place in the Networking Suites at any time.

• Industry Partners are encouraged to submit room usage information for clarification by the congress secretariat on whether the Networking Suite/Ad-hoc meeting room usage is appropriate. This information should include:
  • Meeting title (if applicable)
  • Date and time of meeting
  • Attendee numbers expected
  • Meeting type – Medical advisory board, client meeting, supplier meeting, other focus etc

• Misuse of the Networking Suite with regard to any of the clauses 3.1, 3.3 or 3.5 will result in truncation of the Industry Partner’s sponsors access to their Networking Suite or ad-hoc meeting room effective immediately.

Pre-Congress Industry Workshop and Industry symposia sessions

• Pre-Congress Workshops and Industry symposia sessions are intended to provide educational or skills-transfer focussed content to attendees as an industry/scientific program co-developed extension of the scientific program. Commercial presentations are not allowed.
  • Pre-Congress Workshop and Industry symposia sessions content and any presenting speaker abstracts/bios must be submitted for review and approval by the APLAR Congress Scientific Chair prior to the Pre-Congress Workshop. The APLAR Congress program chair and APLAR scientific committee co-chairs reserves the right to make final decisions regarding content and speakers for Industry Sponsored Pre-Congress Workshops.
  • Pre-Congress Workshops and Industry symposia sessions will be acknowledged as an unendorsed element of the Industry Program.
  • A programme or content guide for the Pre-Congress Workshop and Industry symposia sessions can be disseminated to attendees.
  • Industry Partners must respect the Pre-Congress Workshop and Industry symposia sessions schedule and must be delivered within the times outlined in the Industry Prospectus.

Networking Functions

• Networking Functions are promoted as part of the Industry Program.

• APLAR Congress marketing of Networking Functions will direct attendee RSVPs to the Industry Partner. Marketing will include EDM, website and app promotional channels.
  • Networking Function venues are at the discretion of the Industry Partner. APLAR Congress Secretariat may offer discounting or first right of refusal for the use of function space secured through the secretariat. Industry Partners must independently assess if the venue meets the relevant host-country’s compliance code-of-conduct.
  • Venue, catering, AV and Networking Function speaker costs are to be at the Industry Partners expense.

• Networking Functions must adhere to the agreed start times/function transport departure times to avoid any clashes with the APLAR congress scientific, industry or social/networking programs.

Unendorsed Functions and Unauthorised Satellite Symposia

• Unendorsed functions must be organised by an acknowledged Industry Partner to the APLAR Congress.
  • Unendorsed functions must not be held at the same time as any of the APLAR congress scientific, industry or social/networking programs.
  • Unendorsed functions must not be promoted by Industry Partners, or their subsidiaries, in any published materials (printed or digital) accessible to APLAR Congress registrants.
  • Authorisation for, and agreement on terms to host a satellite symposia/event as an unendorsed function, can be requested through the APLAR Congress Secretariat.
  • Unauthorised satellite symposia, commercial presentations or other commercial/educational events that are marketed to, or welcome the attendance APLAR Congress attendees, and that take place during, or within two (2) days, before or after, the main scientific program for the APLAR Congress, are considered pirate symposia/events and are strictly forbidden.
  • Organisers, or the beneficiary organisations, of pirate symposia/events will not be welcome to attend future APLAR Congresses for a period of three (3) years. This will include any presence at an APLAR congress as Industry Partners, delegates or speakers.

Exhibition

• All Industry Partner staff must be registered as either a Delegate, Sponsor or Exhibitor. Exhibitors are entitled to catering in the exhibition but do not have access to attend the main scientific program.
  • All Exhibitors must ensure promotional materials and signage remain within the confines of their purchased exhibition space.
  • Exhibitors have autonomy over the use of their booth space within the guidelines of the exhibition manual. Exhibitors are also welcome to facilitate on-booth seminars/demonstrations provided that the audience does not exceed 15 attendees in any one group.
  • Exhibitors are not to market or host any on-booth seminars/demonstrations at any time that conflicts with listed activities on the scientific, industry or social/networking programs of the APLAR Congress.
  • An exhibition manual containing all of the required information on additional furniture hire, exhibition signage and graphical design, AV, freight, OH&S guidelines and venue conditions of use will be provided to all exhibitors no later than three (3) months prior to the APLAR Congress dates.
  • The APLAR Congress exhibition floor plan is subject to change at any time. All exhibitors will be notified of the changes. Any exhibitor significantly affected by the change will be consulted to ensure that a mutually agreeable replacement exhibition position can be provided. If no mutually agreed position can be found, the Industry Partner is entitled to a refund only with regards to the affected exhibition space component of their sponsorship of the APLAR Congress.

• Exhibitors may not assign, share, sub-let, or grant licences for the whole or part of the booth without prior approval of the APLAR Congress Secretariat.
  • The APLAR Congress Secretariat reserves the right to ask exhibitors to remove any display items deemed as unacceptable or not compliant with the host country’s compliance code-of-conduct.
  • Exhibitors and Industry Partners will be responsible for any reasonable costs of repairing the booth or premises should they paint, mark or cause damage to any fixtures, fabric or the premises.
  • Food, beverage or prohibited items are not permitted in the APLAR Congress unless prior arrangements are made with the APLAR Congress Secretariat.
  • Any supplier Exhibitors or Industry Partners use onsite must conform to the venue’s OH&S, insurance and other regulations.
  • Industry Partners and Exhibitors are solely responsible for any physical loss or damage caused to their own property. APLAR Congress Secretariat shall not be liable for any such physical loss or damage to the property of Industry Partners and Exhibitors.
  • Exhibitors are responsible for their respective contractors following the access and build times stipulated in the APLAR congress exhibition manual. Exhibiting organisations can be fined on behalf of any their contractors who do not meet the access/build schedule, through fault within their control. Fines can include:
    • USD$1,500/hour penalty fee whilst not meeting the build/contractor access times listed in the exhibition manual
    • Or, in the case that uncompleted works affect charges to the secretariat, exhibitors are accountable for all charges incurred by the congress secretariat against any additional congress contractor fees or penalties, including but not limited to venue hire extension fees

Advertising/Branding/Signage and Promotional Graphics

• The APLAR Congress Secretariat are the sole body authorised to display Industry Partner branding, signage and advertising in the APLAR Congress venue during the congress. Industry Partners may not display signage or marketing materials outside of their exhibition booth or in the Industry Symposia room during the period of the Industry Symposia.
  • Industry Partner’s hosting a Pre-Congress Workshop or Industry Symposium are able to display promotional banners in pre-workshop/symposium timeslots as directed by the congress secretariat
  • Any use of the APLAR or APLAR Congress logo or trademarks in promotion of Industry Partner activities must be approved by the APLAR Congress Secretariat.
  • APLAR or APLAR Congress logo or trademarks may not be used in promotion of any activities undertaken outside of the industry or social/networking program for the APLAR Congress.
  • Industry Partner logos and other printed material may, at the sole discretion of the APLAR Congress Secretariat, be reproduced in colour, OR the nominated congress spot colour/s OR monochrome, depending on availability and method of production.
  • The Industry Partner must provide suitable material to meet the publication requirements and deadlines of the APLAR Congress Secretariat. The cost of graphic design or development of artwork fees incurred in producing such material is to be at the cost of the Industry Partner.

• Industry Partners are to provide all promotional material at 300 DPI at 100% in jpeg (preferred for website) AND eps (preferred for print) format including, where possible, RGB or Pantone colour equivalents.
  • Where applicable, advertisements are to be supplied by the Industry Partner to the APLAR Congress Secretariat.
  • No print or web recognition of the Industry Partner will be provided by the APLAR Congress unless payment terms and conditions of sponsorship/exhibition have been met.

Health Care Professional Sponsorship – APLAR Congress Sponsor Services

• Industry Partners are welcome, through the APLAR Congress Secretariat and their sponsor services team, to facilitate industry support for the group registration of Health Care Professionals to attend the APLAR Congress.
  • Depending on national compliance in the host nation, individual APLAR Congresses will communicate any restrictions on Industry Partners’ support of the attendance of domestic attendees through the APLAR Congress Secretariat. For Congresses where the APLAR Congress Secretariat chooses not to facilitate domestic Health Care Professional sponsorship to attend the congress, Industry Partners may choose to independently support domestic host-nation attendees where this does not contravene the host nation’s compliance code-of-conduct.
  • The APLAR Congress Secretariat can only offer this service to Industry Partners up until one (1) month prior to the APLAR Congress dates. All group registrants’ details must be confirmed prior to this.
  • The APLAR Congress Secretariat can facilitate either direct or indirect Health Care Professional sponsorship by Industry Partners, according to the host nation’s compliance code-of-conduct.

General Code-of-Conduct for Industry Partners and Staff

1. All Industry Partner staff must be registered to attend the APLAR Congress with an appropriate registration type.
   1. Hosted speakers to Industry Partner led Pre-Congress Workshops and Industry Symposia must also be registered. Suitable registration types for hosted speakers include full delegate, day registration and exhibitor registrations for industry partners with an exhibition presence.
   1. No solicitation is allowed, without agreement from the communication’s recipient, through the APLAR Congress app or provided emails on the APLAR Congress delegate list.
   1. Consent for Industry Partner communication with individual APLAR Congress delegates is taken as received through the delegate sharing their details with the Industry Partner or agreeing to connect with the Industry Partner through the APLAR Congress app (QR-code scanning).
   1. Staff and sub-contractors of Industry Partners are considered representatives of the Industry Partner and any inappropriate behaviour of the individual will be the responsibility of the Industry Partner

1. All Industry Partner staff must act appropriately towards one another and APLAR Congress delegates and staff. All Industry Partner staff are expected to abide by the relevant compliance code-of-conduct of the APLAR Congress host country.
   1. Where possible, Industry Partner staff to nominate one or two key contacts as representatives to liaise with the APLAR secretariat on all entitlements in the lead up to the congress. The representative is to be responsible for communicating to all organisational staff the process and updates from the APLAR Secretariat. Where possible, avoid having multiple representatives within the same organisation working with the secretariat, to allow for clear and consistent messaging.

Terms and Conditions of Partnership, Sponsorship, Exhibition Application/Payments

1. Industry Partners must complete a sponsorship or exhibition application form and sign a binding sponsorship agreement, to purchase sponsorship packages or exhibition space at the APLAR Congress.
   1. The APLAR Congress Secretariat, the APLAR Industry Liaison or APLAR Congress Industry Liaison, may choose not to accept an application for sponsorship or exhibition.
   1. The APLAR Congress Secretariat will issue a tax invoice for the purchase of sponsorship or exhibition space at the APLAR Congress upon confirmation. The invoice is payable within 30 days, or by agreed payment schedule, or prior to the congress start date, whichever comes sooner. Industry Partners who fail to provide payment within 30 days forfeit the right to any early-bird discounting or preference of industry symposia, networking room etc. Once payment is received post-30 days, the date of receipt marks the new payment date with respect to sponsorship package and exhibition space allocation.
   1. Industry Partners will not receive any sponsorship or exhibition entitlements until all monies have been paid. No exhibitor shall occupy exhibition space or receive fulfilment of sponsor entitlements until all outstanding sponsorship/exhibition funds are paid.
   1. All payments can be made via EFT or credit card.

1. Industry Partners paying by electronic funds transfer agree to pay any bank/money transfer charges applicable to either party’s banking institution. APLAR Congress Secretariat must receive the sponsorship amount in full.
   1. Industry Partners paying via credit card: a credit card processing fee of up to 5% will be charged. Debits to your credit card will appear as MCI Suisse (MCI HQ is in Geneva) on your statement.

Cancellation

1. In the event of cancellation, Industry Partners must provide the APLAR Congress Secretariat with at least three (3) months’ notice in writing.
   1. Sponsorship and exhibition cancellations made by Industry Partners more than 8 months prior to the APLAR Congress dates will be refunded less 15% cancellation fee. Cancellations received between 3-8 months prior to the APLAR Congress dates will be refunded less a 50% cancellation fee. Cancellations made after 3 months prior to the APLAR Congress dates will not be refunded.

1. Non-payment does not cancel the Industry Partner’s contractual obligations to the APLAR Congress.
   1. In the unlikely event that the APLAR Congress is cancelled, Industry Partners will be refunded their full sponsorship or exhibition payment.
   1. In the unlikely event that the APLAR Congress varies, the industry Partner acknowledges and agrees that the Event is subject to variation by the APLAR secretariat and/or the Host, for any reason (including Intervening Circumstances), from time to time without liability to the Sponsor. Such variations include, but are not limited to the Event programme, Event exhibition, the speakers or entertainment, the date(s) of the Event. If the APLAR secretariat or the Host varies the Event in a substantial manner (having regard to the subject matter of this Agreement), the APLAR secretariat must within a reasonable time following its decision to do so, give written notice of the variation to the Industry Partner, and

1. APLAR secretariat must, within 90 days of variation notice, reimburse all monies paid by the Sponsor under this Agreement for the individual elements of the Agreement that are no longer deliverable due to the Variation in Event.

1. The Sponsor acknowledges and agrees that if the Variation to the Event still allows for some, or all, of the elements of this Agreement to be delivered in the new Event format, that the Sponsor will continue with their Agreement of those items and reimbursement for such items will not be required.
   1. MCI and the Host will make a decision on the Event variation based on the information known at the time of the decision. A full review of the status of the Event will be determined shortly after the Early bird deadline for registration.
   1. In the event of underwhelming attendance due to Government Mandated closures, no flight orders, lock downs or travel restrictions, the sponsor acknowledges and agrees that the Host may vary the Event format for attendance of less than 50% (650pax).

Payment Schedule

1. Industry Partners can be offered a payment schedule that mirrors the cancellation refund schedule (Clause 11.10), unless otherwise notified by the APLAR Congress secretariat

Minimum milestones on a flexible payment schedule are noted below:

• 15% deposit at point of confirmation against application (until 8 months prior to the congress)
• Additional 50% partial payment at no later than 8 months prior to the congress
• Final 35% partial payment at no later than 3 months prior to the congress

1. Applications and confirmation of sponsor or exhibition purchases within 3 months prior to the congress cannot be offered payment schedules and will be invoiced for the entire amount owing at point of confirmation

Insurance

1. A suitable amount of insurance through a current public liability insurance policy is required to host an industry symposium, networking suite or exhibition space as part of the APLAR Congress. The amount required will be outlined by the APLAR Congress Secretariat in the Industry Technical Manual. The APLAR Congress Secretariat will request the name of the Industry Partner’s insurer, policy number, the insured amount and its renewal date. Entry for the Industry Partner’s staff, access

to symposia or networking rooms, and promotional materials/booth contractors etc. will be denied if this information is not provided prior to the APLAR Congress dates.

Privacy

1. Industry Partners’ contact information, including email address, may be used by parties directly related to the event such as the APLAR Congress Secretariat and approved stakeholders, for relevant purposes such as promotion, networking, and administration of this, and future APLAR Congresses or activities of APLAR. Please advise the APLAR Congress Secretariat of any non-consent to the use of such information.
   1. The Industry Partner primary contact’s name, organisation, country/state of origin may be published on the list which is provided to delegates and industry partners to the APLAR Congress. Please advise the APLAR Congress Secretariat of any non-consent to the publication of said information in this list.
   1. In the event that the APLAR Congress Secretariat does not receive any notice of non-consent to the publication of the relevant information, consent will be deemed to have been given to the use of the information as stated above.