CONSTITUTION

SOUTH CHINA ENVIRONMENTAL AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION

(Approved on Executive Committee Meeting on 30 October, 2010)

1.     The name of the Association is "South China Environmental and Safety Management Association”  (hereafter referred to as "the Association")

OBJECTIVES

2.     The Association is a non-profit organization.  Its objectives are:-

•         To promote the advancement of the knowledge on environmental, safety and health management;

•         To facilitate the exchange of ideas, knowledge and information on environmental, safety and health management;

•         To facilitate and support education and training of environmental, safety and health personnel; and

•         To provide links amongst industries, academic institutions, Government bodies and other organizations in environmental, safety and health related issues.

MANAGEMENT

3.     The business of the Association shall be carried out under the management of a Committee of elected officials.

COMMITTEE

4.     The Committee shall be responsible for:-

a.   Vetting membership applications and admitting new members to the Association;

b.   Issuing general rules of conduct for members;

c.   Organizing activities relevant to the objectives of the Association; and

d.   Carrying out general activities for the purpose of managing the business of the Association.

5.     The Committee members shall be members of the Association and shall be elected by the members of the Association at a General Meeting.  The Committee members may normally hold office for a period of three years.  Retiring or retired Committee members are eligible to be re-elected.

6.     The Committee shall comprise of not more than eleven members and shall elect amongst themselves a chairman, a vice chairman, a secretary and a treasurer.   

GENERAL MEETINGS

7.     The Association shall hold in each year a General Meeting as its Annual General Meeting in addition to any other meetings in that year, and shall specify the meeting as such in the notice calling it.  Not more than fifteen months shall elapse between the date of one Annual General Meeting and that of the next. 

8.     Notification of an Annual General Meeting shall be given to all members not less than 14 days in writing prior to the meeting.

9.     At a General Meeting, members shall have one vote each and rulings shall be determined by simple majority present or voting at the meeting.

10.  Proceedings of all General Meetings shall be sent to all members of the Association.

MEMBERSHIP

Members

11.  Every candidate for election or renewal to the class of Member shall, in the opinion of the Committee, have continued his professional practice and development in the field of environmental, safety and health management, and have demonstrated satisfactory performance in such other relevant aspects.  A member should have either:

a.     obtained a degree in the field of environmental, safety or health or in a discipline relevant in a manner satisfactory to the Committee; or

b.     have post qualification experience in professional work which demands a knowledge of the environmental, safety and health management as shall satisfy the Committee.

Affiliate Members

12.  Every candidate for election or renewal to the class of Affiliate Member of the Association shall be professionals from other disciplines and generally meet the board training and experience requirements for Members, in the opinion of the Committee.

Honorary Members

13.  An Honorary Member is a distinguished person whom the Committee desires to honour from time to time by reason of exceptional services to the Association or outstanding contributions to the objects of the Association.

Student Members

14.  Every candidate for election to the class of student member shall normally have attained the age of sixteen years, and, at the time of application, be a student in environmental, safety or health management or in a related subject, or under such conditions as shall satisfy the Committee for the purpose of this clause.

TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

15.  The Committee may at any time, without giving any reason, refuse to admit to or terminate the membership of any person whom it considers unsuitable to become or to remain a member of the Association, PROVIDED that notice of the motion for such removal is given to Committee members before a Committee meeting and the motion is passed by a majority of not less than three-fourths of the Committee members present and voting.

RENEWAL AND SUBSCRIPTION OF MEMBERSHIP

16.    All members shall pay an annual subscription as decided by the Committee payable in advance on the first day of May each year.

17.    If any member should fail to pay the annual subscription to the Association for a period of three months, he/she shall cease to be a member of the Association.  But if any time he/she gives to the Committee a satisfactory explanation, he/she may at the discretion of the Committee and upon payment of arrears be readmitted into membership.

USE OF FUNDS

18.    The income and property of the Association derived shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects of the Association.  No portion shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly, by way of dividend, bonus, or otherwise howsoever by way of profit, to the members of the Association.

FINANCIAL AFFAIRS

19.    The duly audited financial affairs of the Association shall be reported to the General Meeting by the Treasurer and approved by the General Meeting on an annual basis.  The financial affairs of the Association shall be audited by Auditors or Honorary Auditors.

20.    The Committee shall determine to what extent, and at what times and places, and under what conditions, the accounts and books of the Association shall be open to the inspection of the members; and no members save and except members of the Committee shall have any right of inspecting any account or book of the Association except authorized by the Committee or by a resolution of the Association in a General Meeting.

21.    The Association shall incur debts only with the approval of a two-third majority in the General Meeting.

DISSOLUTION

22.  The Association can be dissolved only by a two-third majority in a General Meeting.  Distribution of any remaining assets shall be determined by the General Meeting that dissolves the Association.