I. Purpose
This Code establishes the ethical foundation for all coaches, contributors, moderators, AI systems, partners, and staff operating within nRecovery. Its purpose is to protect members, ensure trust, clarify professional boundaries, and uphold a safe, evidence-informed environment where individuals can overcome challenges and achieve meaningful goals.
Ethics within nRecovery prioritize member wellbeing over convenience, growth over hype, and transparency over persuasion.
II. Core Principles
All nRecovery participants agree to operate according to these guiding principles:
- Client Welfare First — Member safety, dignity, and autonomy always outweigh business, branding, or performance goals.
- Honest Representation — No exaggeration of outcomes, credentials, or success probabilities.
- Respect for Human Complexity — Personal development is not a substitute for clinical care.
- Informed Participation — Members must clearly understand services, tools, risks, and limitations.
- Responsible Influence — Authority is never used to manipulate, pressure, or create dependency.
- Data Stewardship — Personal information is treated as entrusted property, not platform leverage.
- Cultural Intelligence — Methods must respect diverse backgrounds, identities, and social contexts.
III. Scope of Application
This Code applies to:
- Coaches and mentors
- AI-based coaching tools
- Course creators and educators
- Community moderators
- Affiliate partners
- Vendors and service providers
- Internal staff
- Volunteer leaders
Participation in nRecovery constitutes agreement to comply.
IV. Professional Conduct Standards
A. Scope of Practice & Role Clarity
Professionals must clearly define their role before engagement. If an individual functions as coach, consultant, educator, or manager at different times, they must explicitly state which role applies in each interaction.
Switching roles requires disclosure and, when appropriate, written agreement from the client.
B. Psychological Safety & Risk Protocol
nRecovery is not a mental-health treatment provider. When signs suggest a participant may be at risk of harm to self or others, professionals must:
- pause coaching-style intervention,
- assess immediate safety indicators,
- provide appropriate referral resources,
- contact emergency support if credible risk is present,
- document actions taken.
No professional may attempt to treat mental illness unless licensed and explicitly contracted for clinical care.
C. Boundaries Between Coaching and Therapy
Coaches must not diagnose, treat, or claim to treat psychological disorders.
nRecovery provides a behavioral indicator referral guide describing warning signs that require outside support. If such indicators appear, referral is mandatory rather than optional.
D. Informed Consent
Before any paid or structured service begins, members must receive clear disclosure of:
- service type and limitations
- expected commitments
- potential risks
- pricing and billing terms
- refund or cancellation policies
- data usage practices
Consent must be explicit, documented, and revocable.
E. Conflicts of Interest
Professionals must disclose any financial, relational, or promotional interest that could affect objectivity. This includes:
- affiliate earnings
- product commissions
- referral incentives
- dual relationships
- employer-employee dynamics
Disclosures must be updated annually and whenever circumstances change.
F. Digital & AI Ethics
When technology assists or influences coaching or feedback:
- Members must be informed if automated systems analyze their responses, tone, or behavior.
- AI-generated insights must be reviewed by a human before being presented as guidance.
- Client data may never be used to train third-party systems without explicit written permission.
- Automation must never replace professional judgment in safety-sensitive situations.
AI is a support tool, not a decision-maker.
G. Confidentiality & Data Protection
All personal information must be safeguarded using reasonable security standards appropriate to current technology.
Professionals must:
- explain how data is stored, shared, or transferred,
- obtain written consent before transmitting data across jurisdictions,
- use secure communication channels,
- limit data collection to what is necessary.
Confidentiality may only be breached when required to prevent serious harm or comply with law.
H. Marketing Integrity
Promotional material must be truthful, evidence-aligned, and not misleading. Prohibited practices include:
- fabricated testimonials
- unrealistic guarantees
- pressure-based urgency tactics
- concealed paid endorsements
All pricing must be transparent and easily accessible.
I. Internal Coaching Safeguards
When coaching occurs inside an organization:
- the employee must understand what information may be shared with sponsors,
- confidentiality boundaries must be defined in writing,
- internal coaches must withdraw if performance-management authority exists.
Disclosure alone is not sufficient if power imbalance remains.
J. Equity & Cultural Respect
Professionals must adapt communication and methods to the client’s cultural context and accessibility needs. Where language barriers exist, interpretation support should be offered when possible.
All members must be treated with dignity regardless of identity, background, or status.
K. Fair Exchange & Financial Ethics
Barter arrangements, discounts, or promotional exchanges must be documented and mutually agreed upon.
Hidden compensation structures are prohibited.
L. Community Conduct
Members participating in forums or group spaces must:
- avoid harassment or coercion
- respect privacy
- refrain from diagnosing others
- avoid presenting personal opinion as professional fact
Moderators must intervene promptly when violations occur.
V. Accountability & Enforcement
A. Reporting
Any participant may file a concern through a simple reporting process accessible from any platform page.
Reports may be submitted anonymously.
B. Review Process
All concerns undergo structured review including:
- preliminary assessment
- evidence gathering
- response opportunity for involved parties
- independent evaluation
- determination
C. Possible Outcomes
Depending on severity:
- guidance notice
- corrective training
- probation
- suspension
- removal from platform
- permanent ban
D. Transparency
General summaries of resolved cases may be published without identifying details to promote community learning and trust.
VI. Continuing Ethical Development
Professionals are expected to maintain ongoing ethics education. Advanced practitioners must periodically engage in independent supervision or peer review focused specifically on ethical decision-making.
Ethical growth is considered a professional competency, not an optional trait.
VII. Member Rights Charter
Every nRecovery member has the right to:
- clear information before purchasing
- respectful treatment
- privacy protection
- withdraw consent
- ask questions
- file concerns without retaliation
- receive referrals when needs exceed platform scope
VIII. Guiding Standard for Judgment
When rules do not explicitly address a situation, participants must apply the following decision test:
Does this action protect the member’s wellbeing, preserve trust, and reflect integrity if publicly examined?
If the answer is uncertain, the action should not proceed until reviewed.
IX. Commitment Statement
All professionals and contributors affirm:
I commit to acting with honesty, responsibility, and respect for every individual I serve. I understand that trust is earned through conduct, not claimed through titles. I accept accountability for my decisions and agree to uphold both the letter and spirit of this Code.
