Legal | Institute of Packaging Professionals

PackChat community rules, etiquette, and privacy guidelines

Procedure for removing infringing material

Bylaws and Constitution

Download our Bylaws and Constitution here.

PackChat community rules, etiquette, and privacy guidelines

Thank you for being part of our community. To ensure the best possible experience for all members, we have established some basic guidelines for participation.

By joining and using this community, you agree that you have read and will follow these rules and guidelines. You also agree to reserve discussions, shared files, and content for the medium that best suits them. This is a great medium for soliciting your peers' advice, benefiting from their experience, and participating in an ongoing conversation. Questions should be directed to our member services department via the Contact Us link on this site.

Please take a moment to acquaint yourself with these important guidelines. If you have questions, contact the member services department. To preserve an environment that encourages both civil and fruitful dialogue, we reserve the right to suspend or terminate membership in this community for anyone who violates these rules.

The rules

Respect others. Focus on the content of posts and not on the people making them. Please extend the benefit of the doubt to newer guests and members; there’s no such thing as a stupid question.
Respect the purpose of the community. Use the community to share successes, challenges, constructive feedback, questions, and goals, rather than the products or services you provide. If you’ve found a product or service helpful, please share your experience with the group respectfully.
Use caution when discussing products. Information posted on the discussion groups and in the libraries is available for all to see, and comments are subject to libel, slander, and antitrust laws.
All defamatory, abusive, profane, threatening, offensive, or illegal materials are strictly prohibited. Do not post anything that you would not want the world to see or that you would not want anyone to know came from you.
Respect intellectual property. Post content that you have personally created or have permission to use and have properly attributed to the content creator.
When posting items in our collaborative environment, please indicate if the item is not available for reuse. It’s also advisable to contact the owner of any material if you would like to reuse it.
Post your message or documents only to the most appropriate communities. This helps ensure all messages receive the best response by eliminating "noise."

Discussion group etiquette

State concisely and clearly the topic of your comments in the subject line. This allows members to respond more appropriately to your posting and makes it easier for members to search the archives by subject.
Send messages such as "thanks for the information" or "me, too" to individuals, not to the entire list. Do this by using the "Reply to Sender" link in every message.
Do not send administrative messages, such as “remove me from the list,” to the group. Instead, use the web interface to change your settings or to remove yourself from a list. If you are changing email addresses, you do not need to remove yourself from the list and rejoin under your new email address. Simply change your settings.

The legal stuff

This site is provided as a service for the members of the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP). IoPP is not responsible for the opinions and information posted on this site by others. We disclaim all warranties regarding information posted on this site, whether posted by IoPP or any third party; this disclaimer includes all implied warranties of merchantability and fitness. In no event shall IoPP be liable for any special, indirect, or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data, or profits, arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of any information posted on this site.

Do not post any defamatory, abusive, profane, threatening, offensive, or illegal materials. Do not post any information or other material protected by copyright without the permission of the copyright owner. By posting material, the posting party warrants and represents that he or she owns the copyright with respect to such material or has received permission from the copyright owner. In addition, the posting party grants IoPP and users of this site the nonexclusive right and license to display, copy, publish, distribute, transmit, print, and use such information or other material.

Messages should not be posted if they encourage or facilitate members to reach any agreement that, whether expressly or impliedly, leads to price fixing, a boycott of another's business, or other conduct intended to restrict free trade illegally. Messages that encourage or facilitate an agreement about the following subjects are inappropriate: prices, discounts, or terms or conditions of sale; salaries; profits, profit margins, or cost data; market shares, sales territories, or markets; allocation of customers or territories; or selection, rejection, or termination of customers or suppliers.

IoPP does not actively monitor the site for inappropriate postings and does not on its own undertake editorial control of postings. However, if any inappropriate posting is brought to IoPP's attention, we will take all appropriate action.

IoPP reserves the right to terminate access to any user who does not abide by these guidelines.

PackChat privacy policy

IoPP is committed to keeping your information confidential. We do not sell, rent, or lease the email addresses of members, event attendees, or anyone else with whom we conduct business.

We will collect personally identifiable information that you provide to us, including, but not limited to, your name, employer's name, address(es), telephone, e-mail address, and credit card information. IoPP may use and store such information to notify you of official IoPP business; provide a product or service you requested; secure your membership status; complete your online donation; analyze, evaluate, and improve member and prospective member needs and interests; alert you of IoPP news, activities, courses and programs, services and benefits; and for other legitimate and lawful business purposes. Personally identifiable information may be provided to a third party to complete a specific business transaction on behalf of IoPP. Contact information from inquiries received by IoPP may be shared with IoPP members to provide a service, satisfy a question, or develop a prospective business relationship.

With whom do we share the personal information we collect through this site:

Our service providers: We may share your personal information with companies (including our affiliates) that perform services on our behalf, such as processing credit card payments. Our service providers are required by contract to protect the confidentiality of the personal information we share with them and to use it only to provide specific services on our behalf.
Business transfers: If all or part of IoPP is merged or otherwise transferred to another entity, we may transfer the personally identifiable information you provided to us to such entity as part of that transaction.
Government and legal disclosures: We may disclose the personal information we collect through this Site, when we, in good faith, believe disclosure is appropriate to comply with the law (or a court order or subpoena); to prevent or investigate a possible crime, such as fraud or identity theft; to enforce our Terms and Conditions or other agreements that govern your use of this Site; or to protect the rights, property or safety of our company, our users, or others.
External sites: We are not responsible for the content of external internet sites. You are advised to read the privacy policy of external sites before disclosing any personal information.
Cookies: A "cookie" is a small data text file that is placed in your browser and allows us to recognize you each time you visit this site (for personalization, etc.). Cookies themselves do not contain any personal information, and we do not use cookies to collect personal information. Cookies may also be used by 3rd party content providers, such as news feeds.

Remember the risks whenever you use the internet
While we do our best to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee the security of any information that you transmit to us, and you are solely responsible for maintaining the secrecy of any passwords or other account information. In addition, other Internet sites or services that may be accessible through our site have separate data and privacy practices independent of us, and therefore, we disclaim any responsibility or liability for their policies or actions. Please contact those vendors and others directly if you have any questions about their privacy policies. For any other information, please contact us using the Contact Us page.

PackChat privacy policy updates

Should any changes be made to this privacy policy, we will post them on this page with an appropriate explanation.

Acceptance of our privacy policy terms

Using the IoPP PackChat website indicates your acceptance of our privacy policy. Your continued visits to the IoPP website after changes are posted to this policy will signify your acceptance of those changes.

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Privacy policy

In an effort to maintain efficient service while respecting the privacy of visitors to the IoPP website and those who correspond electronically with IoPP, IoPP has created and posted the following privacy policy. This privacy policy is incorporated into and is a part of the Terms and Conditions of Use of our Site.

IoPP is committed to keeping your email address confidential. We do not sell, rent, or lease the email addresses of members, event attendees, or anyone else with whom we conduct business. To help us protect your privacy, you should keep the login ID and password you may have set up for your participation in any IoPP service confidential.

Information collection and use
We will collect personally identifiable information that you provide to us, including, but not limited to, your name, employer's name, address(es), telephone, e-mail address, and credit card information. IoPP may use and store such information in order to notify you of official IoPP business; provide a product or service you requested; secure your membership status; complete your online donation; analyze, evaluate, and improve member and prospective member needs and interests; alert you of IoPP news, activities, courses and programs, services and benefits; and for other legitimate and lawful business purposes. Personally identifiable information may be provided to a third party to complete a specific business transaction on behalf of IoPP. Contact information from inquiries received by IoPP may be shared with IoPP members to provide a service, satisfy a question, or develop a prospective business relationship.

We may disclose personally identifiable information to the proper authorities if we become subject to a subpoena or court order, or if we are otherwise legally required to disclose such information. We also may use and disclose information about you to establish or exercise our legal rights, to enforce the Terms and Conditions of Use, to assert and defend against legal claims, or if we believe such disclosure is necessary to investigate, prevent, or take other action regarding actual or suspected illegal or fraudulent activities or potential threats to the physical safety or well-being of any person. If all or part of IoPP is merged or otherwise transferred to another entity, we may transfer the personally identifiable information you provided to us to such entity as part of that transaction.

Registration and order forms
To enroll or register in a program, attend IoPP events, meetings, or conferences, or request products or services, you may be required to complete a registration or order form and provide personally identifiable information, which we will use to process your registration or order. In certain circumstances, a program accessed through the Site may be jointly sponsored or co-sponsored with other organizations, and registration may or may not be handled by IoPP. In such an event, this privacy policy will not apply – instead, such a third party’s privacy policy will be controlling. Please note that IoPP is not responsible for the privacy policies of these other organizations (or their use of your personally identifiable or other information) and hereby disclaims any liability or responsibility in connection therewith. In addition, your name and information may appear on registration or attendee lists distributed at IoPP events, meeting,s and conferences to other attendees and third parties.

Cookies and log files
Cookies are pieces of stored information used to provide smoother navigation throughout the Site, to identify user trends, such as page views, and for other internal purposes, such as assessing the effectiveness of the Site. You have the option of setting your computer to disable cookies or to alert you when cookies are being used. If you choose to disable cookies, please be aware that portions of the Site may not function properly.

Links
There are links to other websites throughout the Site. Please note that IoPP is not responsible for the privacy policies of those other sites and hereby disclaims any liability or responsibility for such linked sites.

Security
Online registration and information, such as credit card numbers, will be secured using a commercially accepted encryption method. However, while we employ reasonable security measures to protect your personal information, please be aware that no method of electronic transmission is completely infallible, and we cannot guarantee its absolute safety. If you become aware of any breach of Site security, please contact us immediately.

Updating Personal Information and Participation
You may contact IoPP as set forth below to update your personally identifiable information, opt in to, or opt out of any service at any time. We will provide opt-in and opt-out opportunities as applicable to the service or product being offered.

Privacy policy updates
Should any changes be made to this privacy policy, we will post them on this page with an appropriate explanation.

Acceptance of our privacy policy terms
Using the IoPP website indicates your acceptance of our privacy policy. Your continued visits to the IoPP website after changes are posted to this policy will signify your acceptance of those changes.

Address all questions concerning antitrust policy and guidelines to:
IoPP Executive Director
Institute of Packaging Professionals
12930 Worldgate Drive, Suite 200
Herndon, VA 20170 USA

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Procedure for removing infringing material

These procedures are incorporated into and are part of the IoPP website Terms of Use. The owner of a copyrighted work (or the agent for the owner) who believes that material posted on the Site infringes on the copyrighted work may request that the allegedly infringing material be removed from the IoPP website by notifying IoPP’s designated agent for such purposes. The notice of alleged copyright infringement must:

Identify in sufficient detail the copyrighted work(s) claimed to have been infringed
Provide reasonably sufficient information to locate the material claimed to be infringing (e.g., a link to the page that contains the material)
Include a statement by the copyright owner or authorized agent that he or she has a good faith belief that the disputed use is unauthorized
Include a statement that the information contained in the request is accurate and an attestation, under penalty of perjury, that the requesting party is the copyright owner or authorized agent
Include the copyright owner’s or authorized agent’s name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address
Provide the electronic or physical signature of the copyright owner or a person authorized to act on the owner’s behalf

A notice of alleged copyright infringement may be submitted to IoPP’s designated copyright agent by mail or email:

IoPP Executive Director
12930 Worldgate Drive, Suite 200
Herndon, VA 20170 USA
Phone: +1 (571) 266-4403
info@iopp.org

Please note that anyone who submits a false notice and materially misrepresents that content on the Site may be liable for damages, including court costs and attorneys’ fees. Upon receiving a proper notice, IoPP will remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing material and promptly notify the alleged infringer of the owner’s claim. IoPP will also advise the alleged infringer of the statutory counter-notification procedure described below, by which the alleged infringer may respond to the claim and request that his or her material be restored.

Anyone who believes that IoPP has removed his or her own copyrighted material from the Site as a result of a mistake or misidentification may submit a written counter-notice to IoPP’s designated copyright agent. To be effective, a counter-notice must:

Identify the material that has been removed or disabled and the location at which the material appeared before it was removed or disabled
Include a statement, under penalty of perjury, that the submitting party has a good faith belief that the material in question was removed or disabled as a result of a mistake or misidentification of the material to be removed or disabled
Include a statement consenting to the jurisdiction of the federal district court in which the submitting party’s address is located or, if the address is outside the United States, any judicial district in which IoPP may be found
Include a statement that the submitting party will accept service of process from the party that filed the notice of alleged copyright infringement or the party’s agent
Provide the submitting party’s name, address, and telephone number
Include the submitting party’s physical or electronic signature.

A counter-notice of alleged copyright infringement may be submitted to IoPP’s designated copyright agent by mail or email:

IoPP Executive Director
12930 Worldgate Drive, Suite 200
Herndon, VA 20170 USA
Phone: +1 (571) 266-4403
info@iopp.org

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Statement of antitrust compliance

The Institute of Packaging Professionals is a not-for-profit society organized to serve and advance the profession of packaging. Its purpose is to provide, through its technical committees, chapters, and other activities, a common meeting ground where manufacturers and users of packaging materials, equipment, and services can become informed of current technical developments and share professional interests. IoPP is not intended to, and may not, play any role in the competitive decisions of its members or their employers, nor in any way restrict competition among package users or manufacturers in any of the industries it serves.

Through its seminars, educational courses, chapter and technical committee meetings, and other activities, IoPP brings together representatives from competitors across many manufacturing sectors. Although the subject matter of IoPP activities is normally technical in nature, and the purpose of these activities is principally educational, with no attempt to restrain competition in any manner, the Board of Directors recognizes the possibility that some may view the Institute and its activities as an opportunity for anticompetitive conduct. For this reason, the Board takes the opportunity, through this Statement of Policy, to make clear its unequivocal support for the policy of competition served by the antitrust laws and its uncompromising intent to comply strictly with these laws in all respects.

In addition to the Institute's firm commitment to the principle of competition served by the antitrust laws, the penalties that may be imposed upon both the Institute and its individual and corporate members involved in any violation of the antitrust laws are so severe that good business judgment demands that every effort be made to avoid such violation. Certain crimes for which individuals may be imprisoned for up to three (3) years or fined up to $100,000, or both, and corporations can be fined up to $1 million for each offense. In addition, treble damage claims by private parties (including class actions) for antitrust violations are extremely expensive to litigate and can result in judgments of a magnitude that could destroy the Institute and seriously affect the financial interests of its members.

It shall be the responsibility of every member of IoPP to be guided by the Institute's policy of strict compliance with the antitrust laws in all IoPP activities. It shall be the special responsibility of committee chairpersons, Institute officers, and chapter officers to ensure that this policy is known and adhered to in the course of activities under their leadership.

To assist the IoPP staff and all of its officers, directors, and committee and chapter officers in recognizing situations which may raise the appearance of an antitrust problem, the Board will, as a matter of policy, furnish to each such person the Institute's General Rules and Antitrust Compliance. Should questions arise as to the way the antitrust laws may apply to the activities of IoPP or any committee or chapter thereof, such questions shall be directed to IoPP headquarters.

Antitrust compliance is the responsibility of every IoPP member. Any knowing violation of the IoPP General Rules of Antitrust Compliance or this general policy by an IoPP member will result in that person's suspension from membership in the Institute and removal from any Institute office held.

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General rules of antitrust compliance
The following rules are applicable to all IoPP activities, and must be observed in all situations and under all circumstances without exception or qualification other than as noted below:

Neither the Institute of Packaging Professionals nor any committee, chapter, or activity of IoPP shall be used for the purpose of bringing about or attempting to bring about any understanding or agreement, oral or written, formal or informal, expressed or implied, among competitors with regard to prices, terms or conditions of sale, distribution, volume of production, territories, or customers.
No IoPP activity or communication shall include discussion of any pricing methods, production quotas, or other limitations on the timing, costs, or volume of production or sale, or on allocations of territories or customers.
No IoPP activity or communication shall include any discussion that might be construed as an attempt to prevent any person or business entity from gaining access to any market or customer for goods or services or to prevent any business entity from obtaining a supply of goods or otherwise purchasing goods or services freely in the market.
Neither IoPP nor any committee or chapter thereof shall make any effort to bring about the standardization of any product for the purpose or with the effect of preventing the manufacture or sale of any product not conforming to a specific standard.
No IoPP activity or communication shall include any discussion of what might be construed as an agreement or understanding to refrain from purchasing any raw materials, equipment, services, or other supplies from a supplier.
In conducting IoPP committee meetings, the chairperson shall prepare and follow a formal agenda. Minutes of the meeting shall be distributed to all committee members. Approval of the minutes shall be obtained for the committee at its next meeting. A copy of the minutes shall be sent promptly to the IoPP Technical Council via its secretary, and an additional copy to IoPP Headquarters, attn. Executive Director.
Speakers at committee, chapter, and other technical IoPP meetings will be informed of the need to comply with the Institute's antitrust policy in the preparation and presentation of their talks.
At informal discussions at the site of an IoPP meeting, but beyond the control of its chairperson, all members are expected to observe the same standards of personal conduct as are required of the Institute in its compliance with these antitrust guidelines.

Address all questions concerning antitrust policy and guidelines to:
IoPP Executive Director
Institute of Packaging Professionals
12930 Worldgate Drive, Suite 200
Herndon, VA 20170 USA

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Terms of use

Agreement
By using the IoPP online platform, you agree to these Terms of Use. IoPP reserves the right to change these Terms of Use from time to time. The current “Terms and Conditions of Use Agreement” will always be posted on the Site, and you may view it at any time through the link at the bottom of any public page of the Site.

Description of service
Iopp.org consists of several sections, some of which have restricted access.

Intellectual property
The entire contents and design of the Site, including all trademarks, logos, trade names, documents, databases, graphic representations, and other information, are the property of IoPP, or used by IoPP with permission, and are protected under U.S. and international copyright and trademark laws, whether a notice of copyright, trademark, or other proprietary rights appears on the screen displaying the information. Except as otherwise provided herein, users of the Site may save and use information contained on the Site only for personal or other noncommercial, educational purposes. No other use, including, without limitation, reproduction, retransmission, or editing, of Site information may be made without the prior written permission of IoPP, which may be requested by contacting IoPP at info@iopp.org.

Limitation of liability
In no event shall IoPP or its officers, directors, members, staff, or agents, be liable for any damages of any kind, including, without limitation, any special, incidental, indirect, or consequential damages, whether or not advised of the possibility of such damages, and on any theory of liability whatsoever, arising out of, or in connection with, the use or performance of the Site or any content appearing on the Site.

Disclaimer
IoPP makes no warranty, guaranty, or representation regarding the accuracy, content, completeness, reliability, operability, or legality of information contained within the Site, including, without limitation, the warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular use, and non-infringement of proprietary rights. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented within the site are for general information only. Such information should not be considered medical advice and is not intended to replace consultation with a qualified physician. Unless specifically stated otherwise, IoPP does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned on the Site, and information from the Site should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. Moreover, IoPP makes no warranty that the Site, or the server that makes it available, is free from viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that may be contaminating or destructive. IoPP expressly disclaims all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, reliance on, or inability to use the Site or the information presented on the Site. In any jurisdiction that does not permit such a disclaimer of liability, IoPP liability shall be limited to the greatest extent allowed by applicable law.

Links
Links or pointers connecting the Site with other Internet sites are provided as a courtesy only and do not imply, directly or indirectly, the endorsement, sponsorship, or approval by IoPP of the linked site, the organization or individual operating the site, or any product, service, individual, or organization referenced in the site. In general, any website that has an address (or URL) that does not contain “iopp.org” is a linked website. The content of any linked site does not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards, or policies of IoPP. Linked sites are not under the control of IoPP, and IoPP is not responsible for the content of any linked site, any links contained within a linked site, any changes or updates to such sites, or the compliance with applicable laws of such linked sites.

DMCA notice and takedown procedures
IoPP abides by the federal Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) by responding to notices of alleged infringement that comply with the DMCA and other applicable laws. As part of its response, IoPP may remove or disable access to material on the Site that is claimed to be infringing, in which case IoPP will make a good-faith attempt to contact the person who submitted the affected material so that person may make a counter-notification, also in accordance with the DMCA. By posting material to the Site, the posting party represents and warrants that he or she owns the copyright with respect to such material or has received permission from the copyright owner. In addition, the posting party grants IoPP and users of the Site the nonexclusive, unrestricted, royalty-free right and license to display, copy, publish, distribute, transmit, print, and use such information or other material.

Choice of law and forum
This Agreement is entered into and performed in the State of Illinois, United States of America, and is governed by the laws of Illinois, exclusive of its choice of law or conflict of laws provisions. In any claim or action directly or indirectly arising under this Agreement or related to iopp.org, each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive personal jurisdiction of the state courts located in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, or the United States District Court, whichever has jurisdiction, and each party waives any jurisdictional venue or inconvenient forum objections to such court.

Complete agreement
If any provision or provisions of this Agreement are held by a court or other tribunal of competent jurisdiction not to be enforceable, then such provisions shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary so that this Agreement shall otherwise remain in full force and effect. These Terms of Use supersede any other statements included elsewhere on the Site, which are inconsistent or conflicting with these Terms of Use.

Amendments
IoPP reserves the right to modify or change the terms and rules for the use of the Site as it deems appropriate in the best interests of IoPP. Use of the Site constitutes the user’s continuing agreement to be bound by these Terms of Use as they are amended from time to time.

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