1. Name

The Society shall be called the “International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation Society” being a Society for the study of biodeterioration, biodegradation and related subjects.

2. Aims

The aims of the Society shall be to promote the science, technology and study of biodeterioration, biodegradation and related subjects through publications and meetings.

2.1. Publications

2.1.1. The official journal of the Society shall be International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation.

2.1.2. There shall be a society newsletter.

2.2. Meetings

2.2.1. There shall be an annual general meeting (AGM).

2.2.2. Meetings, lectures discussions, symposia, colloquia and conferences on the science and technology of biodeterioration, biodegradation and related subjects shall be promoted by the Society.

3. Organisation

The Society shall have the following officers: President, Vice President, Immediate Past President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer. The Society shall be administered by the Council.  Office holders and Council members shall be elected by members at the AGM.  While normally being filled from within the Council, any office may be occupied by any society member.  That member shall then be invited to attend the Council meeting as deemed necessary by the President, but shall not have voting rights.

3.1. President

3.1.1 Term of Office

The President shall serve for not more than three years as President.

3.1.2. Responsibilities

3.1.2.1.  The President shall normally preside at all meetings of the Society and of the Council and shall have a deliberative and casting vote.

3.1.2.2. The President shall, if unable to be present at any meeting of the Society or a meeting of the Council, depute the Vice-President or Immediate Past President to take the chair at that meeting and they shall have the same voting rights as the President. 

3.1.2.3. Should the President be unable to perform the duties of the office at any time, the Vice-President or Immediate Past President shall assume rights and duties of the President “Pro Tempore”.  If neither officer is able to assume these duties, the President shall depute an elected member of Council to take the chair.  The deputy shall have the same voting rights as the President.

3.1.2.4.  The President or a majority of the Council shall have power to call an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) at any time giving four weeks notice to members.

3.1.2.5.  The President shall call an EGM if requested to do so in writing by twenty members, within six weeks of receipt of the request and by giving four weeks notice to the members.  The agenda for the  EGM shall be indicated in the notice and no other business shall be transacted.

3.1.2.6.  The President may invite any person to attend a Council meeting when it is envisaged that that individual could make a useful contribution.

3.2 Vice-President

3.2.1. Term of Office

The Vice President shall be elected one year prior to taking the office of President.

3.2.2 Responsibilities

3.2.2.1. The Vice President shall be a member of the Council with full voting rights.

3.2.2.2. At the request of the President, the Vice President shall chair the AGM or Council meetings.

3.3. Immediate Past President

3.3.1. Term of Office

The out-going President will serve for two years as Immediate Past President.

3.3.2. Responsibilities

3.3.2.1. The Immediate President shall be a member of the Council with full voting rights.

3.3.2.2. At the request of the President, the Immediate Past President shall chair the AGM or Council meetings.

3.4. Honorary Secretary

3.4.1. Term of Office

The Honorary Secretary shall be elected for three years and shall be eligible for re-election.

3.4.2. Responsibilities

3.4.2.1. The Honorary Secretary shall be a member of the Council with full voting rights.

3.4.2.2. The Honorary Secretary shall keep the minutes of all general meetings of the Society and all meetings of the Council.  The minutes of the AGM shall be circulated to all members before the next AGM where they shall be accepted by the meeting.  The minutes of the Council meetings shall also be agreed.

3.4.2.3. The Honorary Secretary shall make copies of the Constitution of the Society available to members on request.

3.4.2.4. The Honorary Secretary shall call Council meetings giving a three-week notice.

3.4.2.5.  The Honorary Secretary shall seek from the Council and members, nominations to fill vacancies for President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and Council Members three months before an AGM.  These nominations shall be returned to the Honorary Secretary within one month to be valid and, in each case, the candidate shall signify their agreement to accept nomination.  If there is more than one candidate for any position the Honorary Secretary shall organise a ballot of the membership, which shall be completed no later than two weeks before an AGM.

3.4.2.6. The Honorary Secretary shall undertake to raise any matter of importance to the Society at the following meeting of the Council if requested to do so in writing by any member of the Society.

3.4.2.7. The Honorary Secretary shall ensure that names and addresses of corporate members are published by the Society annually in the newsletter and on the Society Internet site.

3.5. Honorary Treasurer

3.5.1 Term of Office

The Honorary Treasurer shall be elected for three years and shall be eligible for re-election.

3.5.2 Responsibilities

3.5.2.1. The Honorary Treasurer shall be a member of the Council with full voting rights.

3.5.2.2. The Honorary Treasurer shall cause books of account to be kept which shall be audited annually by auditors who can be members of the Society but not officers or members of the Council and who shall report on the accounts at the AGM.

3.5.2.3. The Honorary Treasurer is responsible for preparing budgets for all Society endorsed meetings.

3.5.2.4.  Payment of reasonable and proper remuneration may be made to any member of the Society in return for services, for rent of premises let to the Society or reimbursement of out of pocket expenses; except that no member of the Society shall be appointed to any salaried office and remain or become a member of the governing Council.  All such services to be on such terms as may be agreed by the Council of the Society.

3.5.2.5. Members of Council including officers may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in attending Council or in connection with Council business meetings.

3.5.2.6.  The monies and funds of the Society shall be banked with a banker approved by the Council. 

3.6. Council and Officers

3.6.1 Term of Office

3.6.1.1. The Council shall consist of no more than 12 members elected from the general membership and each elected for a period of three years. 

3.6.1.2. The term of office of one third of the Council shall be completed each year so that it has a three-year rolling membership.

3.6.2 Responsibilities

3.6.2.1. Nomination of Council members and officers shall be a function of the Council. The Council shall nominate one candidate for each vacant position and there shall be provision for other candidates to be nominated by the membership.

3.6.2.2. The Council may co-opt any person for a specific or non-specific function.

3.6.2.3. The Council may appoint Committees or Working Parties to conduct specific items of business. 

3.6.2.4. The Council shall meet at least three times during one calendar year. Six physical or virtual (electronic communication) attendees shall constitute a quorum at a Council meeting of which four shall be elected members. This requirement may include the President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer.

3.6.2.5. The Council shall be empowered to arrange through its officers and committees to have produced proceedings of meetings, brochures, leaflets and information letters, as they deem appropriate.

3.6.2.6. The annual subscription to the Society shall be fixed by the Council, at the Council meeting prior to the AGM.  Members will be notified of changes at this meeting.

3.6.2.7. All subscriptions for the ensuing calendar year may be modified by      the Council by giving six months notice to the membership.

3.6.2.8. The Council may nominate one of its members to serve for three years as Scientific Programme Secretary.

3.6.2.9. The Council may nominate one of its members to serve for three years as Membership Secretary.

3.6.2.10. The Council shall invite organisations that may have interests common to that of the Society, to nominate one representative to the Council, up to a maximum of four such representatives.

3.6.2.11. The Council shall be empowered to employ secretarial and office staff and remunerate them accordingly.

3.6.2.12. The Council shall have power to take by decision of a simple majority of those present any action that it considers will promote the aims of the Society, apart from alterations to the Constitution, unless under circumstances already provided for within the Constitution.

3.6.2.13. The Council is responsible for approving all expenditures including investments. Council shall fix terms for reimbursement at the 1^st meeting of every financial year.

3.6.2.14. The Council is responsible for approving all memberships.  See section 4.

3.6.2.15. This Constitution may be reviewed by the Council and altered by a simple majority vote at the next AGM or at an EGM provided the draft alterations have been notified to members in advance of the meeting.

4. Membership

4.1. Types of membership

4.1.1. General membership shall be open to any person of any nationality with a scientific, technological, practical or commercial interest in biodeterioration, biodegradation or related subjects, who shall be proposed by a member of the Society and who shall satisfy the Council that he/she is suitable to become a member.  Candidates for membership shall be subject to approval at the ensuing meeting of the Council.  

4.1.2. Companies and other organisations may apply to Council to become corporate members of the Society at an annual subscription to be fixed by the Council.  Corporate members may depute up to five named representatives to all meetings which are open to attendance by the general membership, each one having the rights of an individual member, however, only one representative will have a vote at the AGM or an EGM.

4.1.3. The Council may, at their discretion, invite a limited number of persons to be Honorary Fellows, provided such proposals are approved unanimously by the Council.

4.1.4 Subscriptions to the Society shall become due on the 1^st January of each calendar year and members will be sent a renewal of subscription notice by the Honorary Membership Secretary.  A final reminder will be sent in May and any member who has not paid by July will be deemed no longer a member.