Constitutional Changes

GLOBE is an official registered association under French law. We therefore have a constitution ('statuts'), which must be agreed by a general meeting of members.

In 2018 the board would like to propose an updated constitution. A notice period of sixty days is given to members, starting from the publication of this post, during which comments and reviews are most welcome.

After the notice period, a general meeting will be called to adopt the new constitution. It will be translated into French and submitted to the official journal. Below is the full text of the new constitution; the previous version is available with tracked changes on request from globe@oecd.org.

Update: a general assembly was held on 19 April 2018, and members present unanimously voted to adopt the updated constitution.

OECD Gays Lesbians and Others for Better Equity Association

Article I: Name

The name of the association shall be “The OECD Gays, Lesbians and Others for Better Equity”, hereafter "GLOBE".

Article II: Purposes

The purposes of the association shall be:

1. To ensure a non-discriminatory environment at the OECD, so that everyone is free to grow professionally, whatever their sexual orientation.

2. To encourage OECD management to adopt administrative policies that respect and support LGBTI people equitably.

3. To provide its members with information, support and networking and social opportunities.

4. To encourage the OECD Staff Association to support and promote our proposals.

5. To liaise with counterpart associations in related international Organisations.

Article III: Membership

1. Membership in or involvement with the GLOBE is not indicative of or based on a person's sexual orientation. Membership in GLOBE, based on a shared belief in the purposes of GLOBE as stated in Article II above and more broadly in LGBTI equality and inclusivity, is open to all present or former, permanent or temporary staff and Delegations of the OECD and other international organisations based in Paris, and their partners.

2. GLOBE shall comprise members and honorary members.

A. Members shall be those individuals who meet the criteria in paragraph 1 above, whose annual fees are paid and in good standing. Members are eligible to attend meetings, hold office, act as committee coordinator, vote for officers of the GLOBE association and other concerns put to the membership, participate in any executive sessions, special meetings, forums, courses, conferences, and/or other events sponsored or co-sponsored by the GLOBE association.

B. Honorary Members shall be entities other than individuals, such as delegations and other associations, who have been nominated by the Board in the interest of the association, inter alia for their support, contribution or other services rendered for the association. Honorary Membership is not subject to fees, and may be terminated at the decision of either the Board or the Honorary Member.

3. In order to maintain an accurate count of those who wish to remain as members, all members shall renew their membership each year by January 1st. Nevertheless, new or former members may join or re-join at any time, by paying the membership fee for the full year.

4. A member may terminate their membership at any time upon written notification to a member of the Board. Membership shall cease immediately upon delivery of written notification. There shall be no refund of the membership fees. Unless renewed as per the above, and regardless of the date of joining, all memberships shall expire on the 31st December of every year.

5. No person that meets the criteria in paragraph (1) of this Article and that paid their membership fees may be deprived of membership without just cause. The Board shall determine when just cause exists and, after a hearing of the person concerned, it shall take its decision. The decision shall be final.

Article IV: Confidentiality

The information of the GLOBE association, and its members, shall be held as confidential and solely for the association's benefit and use. The obligation of confidentiality survives the expiration or termination of membership.

Article V: Membership Fees

1. Annual fees shall be an amount approved by the voting membership. Membership will be granted for the calendar year in which the full fee is paid. The Board may further determine the criteria for discounted fees.

2. Any member whose fees are sixty days in arrears shall forfeit voting membership status after notification by the Treasurer, but at the discretion of the Board, may be reinstated to voting membership status after payment of all fees owed.

Article VI: Meetings

1. There shall be an Annual Meeting of the GLOBE association, at a time and place set by the Board. This meeting shall be noticed thirty days in advance. Members shall have the right to file proxies. Election of members to the Board shall take place at the annual meeting. Installation of the Board shall take place immediately following the conclusion of the election. Non-members who meet the criteria in Article III(1) may attend the Annual Meeting.

2. There may be such additional meetings of the membership as called by the Board or by petition at the initiative of at least ten-percent of the members. The Board shall notify the membership within ten days after the presentation of such petition, and any meeting called by petition shall be held within thirty days thereafter.

3. The approval of motions to be voted on at meetings will be by a simple majority vote of those members present, except for amendments to these statutes as provided in Article X below.

Article VII: Board

1. There shall be a Board of Officers (Board) consisting of at least four members elected by the Annual Meeting who shall be officers of the GLOBE association. The Officers of the GLOBE association shall include a President, a Vice President, an Executive Secretary, a Treasurer and other positions as deemed appropriate. The Board is the governing body and is empowered to authorize and to carry out all functions and activities necessary to further the purposes and policies of the GLOBE association. The President, Vice President, Executive Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected to the Board for a term of two years.

2. Board meetings shall be held at least quarterly, or as called by the President or at least two Board members.

3. In case of resignation of a member of the Board, or otherwise continuous inability to discharge their duties, the President shall appoint a new member to fill the vacancy until the next Annual Meeting, where the appointed member will be confirmed or a new a member will be elected instead.

Article VIII: Officers and Special Committees

1. The President, shall be the primary public representative of the GLOBE association, shall supervise the general business and affairs of the association and shall preside at all meetings of the Board and of the general membership.

2. The Vice President shall replace the President in their absence or when they are otherwise unable to discharge their duties.

3. The Executive Secretary shall be responsible for ensuring that accurate minutes of all membership and Board meetings shall be kept; for notifying members of meetings as appropriate; for maintaining custody of proxies and absentee ballots for elections held at the annual meeting, and for maintaining the archival records of the association.

4. The Treasurer shall be responsible for collecting membership fees and receiving any other incoming donations or contributions, for disbursing funds with the authorization of the Board of Officers, for maintaining an accurate accounting of the association's funds which shall be presented to the Board for review twice yearly, or upon request of another Board member, and in a general manner to the membership at the Annual Meeting.

5. The division of the work between all the Board members, as well as additional tasks, shall be determined by the Board, as appropriate, based on the availability, skills and interests of the Board members.

6. Special Committees may be established within the GLOBE association, as appropriate and according to the members’ preferences and interests. The Board may also establish such ad hoc committees as they deem desirable and necessary.

7. For each Special Committee, a Coordinator appointed by the committee may be responsible for supervising the operation and functioning for their respective committee. Committee Coordinators are authorized, subject to approval of the Board to organize the operation of their Committees to maximize their functional effectiveness.

Article IX: Conformity With OECD Staff Regulations

Notwithstanding any other section of these statutes, the GLOBE association shall comply with all provisions of OECD Staff Regulations which may be relevant to the function of the association.

Article X: Amendments

These statutes may be amended by a two-thirds vote of all members present, including those voting by absentee ballot or proxy, at a meeting called for that purpose, which could also be the Annual Meeting. The proposed Amendment(s) must be submitted to the general membership thirty days prior to the voting.