The financial crisis has revealed the weaknesses of the credit insurance product.  The sudden withdrawal of credit limits caused consternation amongst customers.  The business communities and the professional federations experienced that the credit insurance product needed renewal and a think tank was therefore created: the “Credit Management Think Tank”.

The think tank acts as a breeding ground for innovative ideas and initiatives regarding credit management. The think tank must bridge the needs of the companies, exporters on the one hand and those of the credit management solutions providers on the other hand. The academic world plays an advisory and stimulating role in that process. The think tank needs enterprising and creative people who can examine each idea from the point of view of their respective disciplines and functions. The members of the think tank therefore come from international business communities, professional federations and universities. Based on the needs of companies, the think tank develops creative and innovative solutions.

One of those needs of the business world was the development of a Code of conduct for the credit insurance sector. The Code of conduct was developed by the think tank, discussed with the federations, presented to the providers of credit insurance products and finally accepted by them. The key words in the Code of conduct are: more transparency, better communication, professionalization of the sector and increased sustainability.

The code of conduct appears to be a user generated affair centered in Belgium.  The document is available in French, Dutch and English.  There does not appear to be a German, Spanish or Italian version.  Germany is the largest credit insurance market in Europe, thus surprisingly German credit management is not represented in the Think Tank.  Representatives of the credit insurance industry and its association are also not represented in the Think Tank.

Consult the Code of Conduct on the website: www.codeofconductcreditinsurance.com or click on the attachment: Code of Conduct English DEF