Membership Agreement

Introduction: Global Logistics Network, Inc. embraces a professional International alliance of leading independently owned and operated companies worldwide that specialize in the logistics industry including freight forwarders, transportation intermediaries and associated companies working together in a network environment to benefit from GLN’s "Power of One" philosophy. Purpose and Objectives: The purpose and objectives of GLN are to:

Act as a worldwide umbrella network of selected members who will cooperate under agreed standards, actively promote and support each other in the handling of profitable freight forwarding, transportation, logistics, customs brokerage and related services by the pooling of sales, operational and financial resources.
Empower members with the capability to meet customers "Critical Success Factors" so that they may effectively compete with major multi-nationals and integrators using innovative marketing and IT initiatives.
Embrace a GLN global branding culture for the purpose of RFQ/RFP opportunities.
Attract new members who are the leaders in their own local markets with a global vision mentality; that maintain and surpass client satisfaction with a reputable status aligned with the highest integrity and service commitment versus accepted industry standards.
Provide value added facilities to benefit the members, maintain and promote the use of the GLN website to aid and assist the development of new business and to provide any other additional initiatives to benefit members through the "Power of One" philosophy.
Develop a member-responsive network that will cooperate and develop a dynamic synergy, operational integrity and efficiencies with financial stability on a non-exclusive basis.
Promote a network methodology that adheres to a philosophy of on-going and continuous quality improvement.
Provide a network environment that respects member's existing client and customer bases where members refrain from back-selling and never approach another GLN member's vendors, suppliers, third party service providers, clients or leads without express permission from the originating member.

Membership Application:

Members are eligible to enroll into GLN without any exclusion based on market status, company size, specialist operations, and longevity in business or existing agent/partner affiliations.
The GLN President will allow up to a maximum of 3 members in each location – defined as major airports or seaports - but additional members will be allowed to join in specific locations if they are not in direct competition with existing members (Examples being companies specializing in niche markets such as courier, exhibition, project cargo, household relocation, fine-arts, perishables, hazmat etc). Certain cities like New York and London have 2 distinct Airports – Newark (EWR) and JFK International (JFK) – Heathrow London (LHR) and Gatwick Airport (LGW).
There shall be two Membership categories - Regular and Associate - and the total number of members shall be unlimited.
Regular Members shall be defined as: i) Companies or organizations that are qualified to do business in their local jurisdictions in accordance with local laws and ii) Companies that are directly involved in the movement, transportation or distribution of freight/cargo and iii) Companies whose memberships have not been revoked.
Associate Members shall be defined as: i) Companies or organizations that is qualified to do business in their local jurisdictions in accordance with local laws. ii) Neutral, non-forwarding or transportation industries such as Airlines, Steamship Lines, neutral trucking, neutral NVOCCs, warehousing, ship chartering, GSA companies, Port Authorities, Industry Associations, business consultants, insurance and law firms, and other such as Financial, Employment and Consulting Specialists, Software and E-Commerce companies, etc. iii) Companies whose memberships have not been revoked.

Application Process:

Application is FREE
To apply, prospective Members shall submit (i) this Membership Agreement duly signed (with Member acknowledging that their on-line application is binding) and (ii) the Membership Profile (including references)
The President shall check the references, financial background and reputation of the Applicant and notify the Applicant of their acceptance or rejection with 10 days of submission. The President has the absolute right to accept or reject Applicants. No reason needs to be given.
The President will also check applicants by way of his personal global contacts that he has assembled during his industry tenure and via the trade references submitted (One Airline - One Steam Ship Line - One other industry related vendor.
Upon notification that the Applicant has been accepted for Membership, a full year’s payment of membership Fees are required within 7 business days of receipt of invoice.
Each new member shall be issued with a Certificate of Membership upon their achieving such Membership status.
Each member should have a fully functional website. This may become mandatory for ALL new members in the future.
In line with our quality and professional edict we expect all members to have appropriate email domains reflecting their web site. This may become mandatory for ALL members in the future.

Membership Fees:

Membership Fees for each location are listed on this website. Fees refer to HQ registration. Each additional office registered is at 50% of the fee stated for that location. This is applicable within the same country only. Associate Fees are at 50% of the fee listed.
Each member shall pay an annual Membership Fee as established by the GLN President from time to time.
Effective with new members after January 1, 2005, it is also mandatory to pay USD 500 annually towards the Accounts Receivable Insurance Fund. This sum will be included in your initial membership invoice and every additional renewal up to a total of USD 2,500.
Fees are payable for a 12 month period from the date of acceptance and will include an USD 25.00 Bank processing fee if funds sent electronically.
In the event that payment is not received within 30 days of billing or the day of membership renewal, a $200 surcharge will be applied and the member shall be considered in default and Membership revoked if full payment (inclusive of the surcharge) is not received within the next 14 days.
The above Fees shall be payable per Company unless branches are accounted for as wholly or majority owned by the primary company.
If renewal membership fees are not received within 30 days of the due date, it is the prerogative of GLN management to invoke the following: (a) A final reminder for payment will be sent to the member and payment must be received within 7 business days of that alert (b) If the funds are not received then the member will be placed on the Amber Alert and advised accordingly. The Accounts Receivable Fund Advisory Board feel that if a member cannot meet or pay membership fees by a certain deadline, then how can other members expect to be paid on time on monies outstanding that might be thousands of dollars more.
Resignation or revocation of Membership during the year will not entitle the Member to any refund of the Annual Fees.
Annual Fees are not transferable under any circumstances .
An announcement for new members will not be distributed until Membership Fees have been received.

Referral Policy: Members are urged to promote GLN to their own existing partners and agents. To that end, members who have recommended new companies for membership shall be credited with the sum of $100.00 per member/location for each new member that joins GLN based on their referral. Such credit's shall be applied against the Membership Fees for the following year. Termination and revocation of Membership:

Membership of GLN shall be terminated in event of any of the following: i) Voluntary resignation of the member. ii) Non-payment of the initial Membership Fees within 30 days after advice that the member has been accepted for Membership. iii) Non-payment of Annual Fees within the time frames indicated. iv) Death of a member operating as a sole-proprietor. v) Dissolution of a Company based on cessation of trading for 10 or more consecutive days or taking an affirmative step to affect dissolution. vi) The sale or transfer of more that 50% of the stock or operating assets in a member company. vii) Continuous non-responses to accounting, operational or GLN matters, violation of any provisions of this Membership Agreement that are deemed by the GLN President– at its own absolute power and discretion – to warrant such revocation. viii) The member failing to maintain the high standards established by the GLN which result in excessive numbers of Nonconformities being raised against it by other members. ix) Failure to adhere to Accounting and Settlement requirements. x) Non-attendance at Conferences in 2 consecutive years. xi) Failure to maintain necessary local operational Licenses or Permits. xii) Any principal of a Member having or assuming a leadership position or ownership in a network that competes directly with GLN
In the event of termination or revocation of Membership – for whatever reason – Member agrees to remove the GLN name, logo etc. from its literature, publicity materials etc. and to refrain from the active solicitation of business under the name and good-reputation of GLN.
Members agree that all actions taken by the GLN President in respect of Membership shall be final and binding. There shall be no mechanism to appeal such decisions.
Members agree that the GLN President shall inform all existing members of the termination or revocation of membership stating the reasons for such occurrence (although the GLN President shall not be obligated to provide full details of such reasons).
If a member registers or is a known equity holder of another freight/logistics network they will be terminated immediately.

Conferences:

Conferences are held primarily to allow members to meet face-to-face to discuss existing and new business and relationships. To this end, the GLN President shall give members ample opportunity to pre-plan, coordinate and schedule these meetings.
All Regular Members are expected to attend the annual Conference that will be held in September/October of each year. Additional meetings may be organized as needed.
Conferences will be assigned based on members voting at each conference. Preference as to location will be given should a member agree to make a financial contribution towards the Conference by means of Sponsorship or other hosting arrangements.
Failure by a Regular Member to attend the annual Conference will result in a penalty of $1,500 unless there are serious mitigating factors acceptable to the GLN President made in advance of the Conference in writing. Failure to attend a 2nd consecutive Conference may result in revocation of Membership at the discretion of the GLN President. This applies to each company and not to each branch/office.
Unless Annual Fees are paid in full, members will not be allowed to participate in Conferences.
Members are expected to cover all their “Travel and Entertainment” incidentals and room charges during the conference. Airfare is the responsibility of the member.
There will be a registration fee per attendee and this will cover (a) Continental /Full Breakfast each conference day (b) Lunches during the conference days (c) Beverages and snacks during the meeting (d) A One evening dinner/presentation – food/drinks all included and (f) Welcome party on the eve of the meeting. Plus any other items clearly defined as part of the program by President. Registration/Delegate fees must be paid in full prior to commencement of the Conference.
GLN intends to extend to its delegates attending conferences a "fair fee" and in line with costs direct and indirectly absorbed in arranging such functions.

GLN Organization:

The GLN Headquarters shall consist of the President an Executive Director and support staff as necessary.
The GLN President shall have the power and authority to establish working sub-committees. At the present time, the only such committee is the GLN Advisory Board that includes rotating long-term GLN Members

Accounting and Settlement: It is expected that members of GLN shall adhere to industry acceptable accounting and settlement standards as defined in our Amber Alert system unless separate agreements are in place between members. ISO 9000 Certification and the Nonconformity system:

GLN has been certified to ISO 9001:2000 and GLN’s Quality Manual and Procedures define the operation of the Network.
All members are urged and recommended to obtain Certification to ISO 9001 in their own right and such Certification shall be prominently display in all GLN literature such as Directories, website etc.
Members are expected to issue Sales, Operational and Financial Nonconformities against other members with a copy to the GLN President. Examples of Nonconformities are: Sales Nonconformities: Failure to action Routing OrdersFailure to respond promptly to sales inquiries; Operational Non-Conformities: Failure to issue pre-advices; Mis-rated HAWBS or OBLS; Failure to issue or incorrect Profit Sharing; Failure to supply necessary documents; Financial Nonconformities: Failure to make prompt monthly settlement; Failure to timely pay Conference Fees or Annual Fees, etc.
The intent of Nonconformities are (i) to maintain and improve the quality of the Network and (ii) to provide advance notice of problems occurring with a Member or Associate and (iii) to maintain the ISO 9000 Certifications status of GLN.
The GLN President shall monitor Nonconformities received and shall take appropriate action – up to and including revocation of membership – of the offending parties.

Website:

GLN shall maintain a web-site at www.go2gln.com which shall: a) Attempt to solicit business from the shipping public and such information shall be forwarded onto all relevant members in that specific city/country. Where there are more than one member in a specific city, GLN will distribute such quotes either (a) To all members (b) Alternate the GLN member who receives the enquiry. b) Provide the shipping public with information concerning GLN; its members (and their contact information/ corporate web sites etc), as well as links to other sites of interest. c) The “Members Only” section shall include information contained in the Members Profile (excluding sensitive information), operational requirements specific to city/countries, Conference Details and Meeting Scheduling facilities, Banking Details to ensure prompt remittances, new GLN Developments etc.
Members are totally responsible for advising the GLN President about any updates and changes to their communications profile.

Disputes and arbitration:

The President is available to use his independent status to resolve disputes and differences between members. All decisions will be made the GLN President.
Should this service be required, both parties must agree in advance to accept the majority decision of the President without resorting to further litigation
The fee for this service will be a minimum of $1,000 payable equally between the two contesting parties. This fee may be higher depending on the specific details of the dispute presented to the GLN President.

Membership Benefits:

GLN Membership Benefits are listed on the GLN Website and are continuously being updated.
Participation some of these Member benefits shall be assumed voluntary at this time although, upon implementation, could become mandatory at the discretion of the GLN President. The benefits shall be covered by an amendment to this Membership Agreement.
Members are urged to promote the name and logo of GLN on all correspondence such as letterhead, stationery, business cards etc. and use every opportunity to create exposure for the network and its other members.

Miscellaneous:

The working language of GLN shall be English.
All rights, title and interest in the name GLN and associated logo are owned by GLN with trademark pending.
Communications shall be primarily by email. Members are expected to maintain an email account and the facility to access attachments in either Microsoft Word or Excel.
The Governing Law of GLN shall be that of the United States of America and specifically the State of New Jersey.
GLN may change its location, telephone, fax and other contact details as may be deemed appropriate by the GLN President, at his discretion, with notification to all members.

Legal Liability:

GLN shall not be responsible for any damages or legal claims beyond the amount of Annual Fee paid in the preceding year by the specific party.
Members shall not, solely because of membership in GLN, be personally liable for any debts, obligations or liabilities of GLN.

Last Revision: April 2012