Guide’s Code of Conduct
Introduction
Being a guide in Tromsø is more than taking guests from A to B. We are often the first and most direct contact visitors have with the destination, showing them the nature, communities, culture and everyday life of Northern Norway. At the same time, we work alongside other guides who face the same weather, traffic, difficult guests, crowded locations and pressures that come with the job.
The Tromsø Guideforening Code of Conduct sets out the basic standards we expect from everyone participating in our community. Guiding is a competitive profession, but we share the same destination, workplaces and professional community. TGF wants to help create a guiding community where we can compete professionally without treating each other as enemies.
This Code is about treating people with respect, putting safety first, protecting the places where we work and maintaining a positive and professional guiding community. The following is a short summary of the essential standards. The full Code of Conduct, including procedures for reporting concerns and handling serious or repeated breaches, is available below.
Full Version
1. Scope of the Code
This Code applies to:
- TGF members;
- guides participating in TGF activities, courses and events;
- people participating in TGF communication channels;
- people representing or acting on behalf of TGF.
Some TGF communication channels may be open to guides who are not members. Participation in such channels is conditional on respecting the applicable rules.
The Code does not attempt to regulate a person’s entire private life.
TGF recognises that guides have personal opinions, friendships, professional relationships and activities outside the association.
The important distinction is between how someone acts within TGF or on behalf of TGF and what they do in their private capacity.
2. Our basic principles
As guides, we aim to:
- Respect people.
- Protect nature and the places where we work.
- Put safety before commercial interests.
- Cooperate with other guides.
- Respect local residents and communities.
- Represent Tromsø and the guiding profession positively.
- Be honest and professional.
- Take responsibility for our own actions.
- Resolve disagreements constructively whenever possible.
- Remember that we are colleagues, even when we work for competing companies.
3. Leave the place better than you found it
This is one of the most important principles of TGF.
Guides have a responsibility to protect the places where we work and bring visitors.
Guides should:
- take all waste away;
- never leave toilet paper, food waste or other rubbish behind;
- avoid damaging vegetation;
- avoid creating unnecessary new trails;
- respect wildlife;
- follow local rules and restrictions;
- use established facilities where possible;
- respect fire restrictions and local conditions;
- leave campsites, viewpoints, beaches, trails and parking areas clean.
Fires
Where fires are permitted, guides must use appropriate methods that minimise damage.
Fires should never be made directly on vegetation, bare ground, snow or ice when doing so can cause damage or contamination.
Appropriate fire pans, established fire facilities or other suitable methods should be used where necessary.
A fire must be properly extinguished and the area left clean.
4. We are ambassadors for Tromsø
Guides are often the human face of the destination.
Guests may remember a guide long after they have forgotten the name of the company they booked with.
Our behaviour therefore contributes to how visitors perceive:
- Tromsø;
- Northern Norway;
- local communities;
- nature;
- local culture;
- and the guiding profession itself.
We should therefore aim to provide visitors with an experience that is honest, respectful, safe and welcoming.
This does not mean that every guide has to behave in exactly the same way or always agree with others.
It means remembering that our behaviour reflects on more than just ourselves.
5. Respect for other guides
Guides work under pressure and disagreements will happen.
When another guide’s behaviour creates a problem, the preferred approach is to address the issue calmly and privately whenever reasonably possible.
If you have a problem with another guide:
- speak to them directly where appropriate;
- move away from guests before discussing the issue;
- explain what the problem is rather than attacking the person;
- listen to their side;
- try to find a practical solution.
In the field
When several guides or groups arrive at the same location, guides should cooperate and share the space where reasonably possible.
If a location cannot comfortably accommodate everyone, guides should communicate and find a practical solution.
A guide should not deliberately take over or disrupt a location that another guide is already using.
Guests come first
Do not create conflicts in front of guests unless immediate safety requires intervention.
Never deliberately undermine another guide’s presentation, relationship with guests or professional work.
Friendly interaction between guides is, of course, welcome when it is appropriate and does not disturb another guide’s work.
6. Respect for local residents
Tourism takes place in people’s homes and communities.
Residents should never be treated as an inconvenience simply because tourism is taking place in the area.
Guides should:
- avoid unnecessary noise;
- avoid blocking roads, driveways or access;
- respect signs and local restrictions;
- avoid unnecessary disturbance around homes and cabins;
- keep groups under control around residential areas;
- leave when a location is clearly causing unreasonable disturbance.
Parking on or close to private property may sometimes be necessary, especially around areas with holiday cabins or limited parking.
The important principle is:
Do not unnecessarily obstruct people or prevent them from accessing their property.
Where it is unclear whether parking is acceptable, asking the owner is often the easiest solution.
Guides must comply with applicable parking, traffic, access and property rules.
If a resident approaches a guide with a reasonable concern, the guide should respond calmly and respectfully.
7. Safety comes first
No commercial interest justifies knowingly putting guests, guides, residents or others at unnecessary risk.
Guides should:
- follow applicable laws and regulations;
- follow relevant safety procedures;
- assess risks appropriate to their activity;
- use appropriate equipment;
- know their own limits;
- take weather and environmental conditions seriously;
- intervene when necessary to prevent immediate danger.
When safety is at stake, a guide should be prepared to help another guide or group, regardless of which company they work for.
Professional competition must never come before safety.
8. Respect for culture and local knowledge
Guides have an important role in presenting the history, culture and communities of the region.
Guides should:
- present information honestly;
- distinguish facts from personal opinions or stories;
- avoid stereotypes;
- avoid deliberately misleading guests;
- treat Sámi culture and other local cultures with particular respect;
- avoid presenting fabricated stories as historical or cultural facts;
- respect places and traditions that are culturally sensitive.
More detailed standards may be developed for specific forms of cultural and Sámi guiding.
9. Guides and their employers
A guide is responsible for their own conduct.
A guide should not be treated within TGF as responsible simply because of:
- the company they work for;
- their employer’s prices;
- their employer’s commercial strategy;
- disputes between company owners;
- decisions made by company management;
- the behaviour of another employee.
At the same time, guides remain responsible for their own actions, including actions they personally take while representing their employer.
TGF’s purpose is to support and represent guides, not to become an arena for conflicts between companies.
10. Competition and commercial integrity
TGF recognises that guiding is a competitive business.
Competition itself is not a problem.
TGF should, however, not be used to coordinate activities that may breach competition law or otherwise undermine fair competition.
TGF communication channels must not be used for things such as:
- agreeing prices;
- dividing customers or markets;
- coordinating commercial boycotts;
- organising exclusion of competitors;
- exchanging commercially sensitive information where this may breach applicable law.
Members remain individually responsible for following Norwegian law.
If there is uncertainty about whether a discussion is appropriate, it is better to stop the discussion and seek appropriate advice.
11. TGF communication channels
TGF uses WhatsApp and other communication channels to help guides communicate, exchange information and support each other.
We recognise that guiding can be demanding.
During a long season, frustration can build up. Guides spend hours dealing with guests, weather, traffic, operational problems and pressure while maintaining a professional face. It is natural that some of that frustration sometimes appears in conversations with other guides.
TGF does not expect everyone to agree or every conversation to be polite and formal.
Strong opinions, criticism, disagreement, humour and frustration are allowed.
The line is crossed when communication becomes:
- personal attacks;
- harassment;
- bullying;
- threats or intimidation;
- discrimination;
- targeted humiliation;
- repeated personal provocation;
- spreading private personal information;
- encouraging others to harass someone;
- deliberately escalating a conflict.
A useful rule
Attack the problem, not the person.
Criticism of a company, policy, business practice or industry issue is not automatically an attack on the individual guide working for that company.
12. Private information and TGF groups
TGF’s private communication channels should be treated as private spaces.
Content from TGF’s private communication channels should not be forwarded, published or distributed outside the relevant channel without permission.
There is an exception where sharing is reasonably necessary to:
- report serious misconduct;
- report a safety concern;
- report environmental harm;
- report potentially unlawful behaviour;
- seek legitimate help or advice concerning a serious matter.
When reporting a problem, guides should focus on observable facts and relevant information rather than unnecessary personal information, speculation or public shaming.
Photographs, screenshots or other material may therefore be shared for legitimate reporting purposes where appropriate.
13. When another guide is doing something wrong
If a guide notices another guide behaving in a way that creates a problem, the first response should normally be constructive.
Where appropriate:
- Approach the guide privately.
- Explain the concern.
- Give them an opportunity to correct the situation.
- Involve a TGF administrator when the problem cannot reasonably be resolved directly or is serious enough to require formal action.
Immediate safety
If there is an immediate risk to people, the guide should intervene without waiting for a private conversation.
Safety comes first.
14. TGF and independent groups
TGF is not responsible for every group, network or professional community in which guides participate.
Private WhatsApp groups, company groups and other independent networks may have their own membership rules and administrators.
Participation in an independent group is not a requirement for participation in TGF.
TGF cannot determine who must be admitted to a private group and cannot require independent groups to accept particular guides or companies.
Likewise, participation in an independent group should not automatically be understood as representing TGF.
15. Personal views and representing TGF
Being a TGF member or Board member does not remove a person’s right to have personal opinions or private relationships.
People may participate in professional and social activities outside TGF.
However, when someone is acting on behalf of TGF, they are expected to follow this Code and the decisions and governing documents of the association.
A person should not present their personal opinion as an official TGF position unless they are authorised to do so.
TGF representatives should make a reasonable effort to make the distinction clear when there could otherwise be confusion.
16. Conflicts of interest
People involved in TGF should disclose relevant conflicts of interest when participating in decisions where their personal, professional or financial interests could affect their impartiality.
A person should not participate in deciding a formal complaint concerning their own conduct.
Where appropriate, the Board may appoint another person to handle communication or review of a matter where a conflict exists.
17. Reporting concerns
Guides are encouraged to raise concerns when they believe this Code has been seriously breached.
Whenever reasonably possible, concerns should be raised through the appropriate TGF channel rather than through public accusations or personal attacks.
Reports should include:
- what happened;
- when and where it happened;
- who was involved, where relevant;
- available evidence;
- why the matter is considered a concern.
TGF will consider reports based on the available information and will give the person concerned a reasonable opportunity to respond where appropriate.
18. Warnings and consequences
TGF believes that most problems should be solved through communication rather than punishment.
Depending on the situation, TGF may therefore use a graduated approach:
Level 0 — Informal moderation
An administrator may ask someone to stop, change the tone of a discussion or remove inappropriate content.
This does not necessarily constitute a formal warning.
Level 1 — Warning
The person receives a private warning explaining:
- what behaviour was considered inappropriate;
- which part of the Code is relevant;
- what is expected going forward.
Level 2 — Formal warning
For repeated or more serious problems, TGF may issue a formal warning and keep a confidential record.
Level 3 — Temporary restriction
Where necessary, TGF may temporarily restrict participation in one or more TGF communication channels or activities.
Level 4 — Suspension
For serious or repeated misconduct, participation in TGF activities or channels may be suspended for a defined period.
Level 5 — Membership consequences
Serious or persistent misconduct may result in action concerning membership, subject to TGF’s statutes and applicable procedures.
Serious misconduct
TGF may skip earlier stages where the behaviour is sufficiently serious.
Examples can include:
- threats;
- serious harassment or intimidation;
- violence;
- serious discrimination;
- doxxing or malicious disclosure of private information;
- serious safety violations;
- deliberate serious environmental harm;
- repeated serious misconduct after previous warnings.
The response should always be proportionate to the situation.
19. Fair process
TGF wants its moderation and disciplinary decisions to be fair.
Where a formal decision may affect someone’s participation in TGF, the person should normally:
- be informed of the concern;
- have an opportunity to respond;
- know what rule or principle is considered relevant;
- receive an explanation of the decision where appropriate.
People involved in deciding a complaint about their own conduct should not decide the complaint themselves.
20. Appeals
A person affected by a formal suspension or other significant disciplinary decision may request a review.
The appeal should, where reasonably possible, be considered by someone who was not responsible for the original decision.
The purpose of an appeal is not to reopen every disagreement, but to provide a safeguard where someone believes that:
- relevant information was overlooked;
- the procedure was unfair;
- the decision was disproportionate;
- or the Code was applied incorrectly.
21. Conduct Review Group
TGF may establish a small Conduct Review Group to assist the Board with serious or sensitive cases.
The group may include Board members and experienced guides who are trusted to handle confidential matters responsibly.
The Conduct Review Group may:
- review evidence;
- hear the relevant people;
- provide recommendations;
- advise on appropriate consequences.
Community members may provide relevant information when requested.
However, disciplinary decisions should not be based simply on popularity, personal dislike or a majority vote.
TGF is a community, but a person’s participation should not be decided by a popularity contest.
22. Discipline-specific standards
This Code provides the general standards expected from all guides.
Different types of guiding also involve different risks, responsibilities and good practices.
TGF may therefore develop additional guidelines for specific activities, including:
A. Northern Lights Guiding
Parking, roadside safety, nature protection, fires, residential areas, location sharing, group management and interaction between guides.
B. Whale & Fjord Cruise Guiding
Wildlife interaction, vessel behaviour, passenger safety, marine environment and cooperation on the water.
C. Dog Sledding
Animal welfare, guest safety, environmental responsibility and interaction with other operators.
D. Hiking, Trekking & Ski Guiding
Terrain, weather, group management, emergency procedures, environmental impact and safety.
E. Kayak & Water Activities
Water safety, weather, equipment, rescue procedures and environmental responsibility.
F. Sightseeing & City Guiding
Traffic safety, public spaces, residents, cultural interpretation and interaction with other guides.
G. Sámi & Cultural Guiding
Cultural respect, representation, interpretation and responsible communication.
H. Wildlife & Nature Guiding
Wildlife disturbance, conservation, environmental impact and responsible visitor behaviour.
These guidelines may be updated as guiding practices, regulations and knowledge develop.
23. Remember why we are here
TGF exists because guides benefit from having a professional community.
We may work for different companies.
We may charge different prices.
We may have different opinions about tourism.
We may sometimes compete for the same customers.
We may even strongly dislike something another guide or company does.
But we still share the same destination.
We meet each other in the same parking areas, on the same trails, at the same viewpoints, on the same boats and in the same WhatsApp groups.
We are competitors in business, but we are colleagues in the guiding profession.
A strong guiding community does not require everyone to agree.
It requires people to be able to disagree without destroying the community around them.
