If you engage in social media activity on behalf of your HBA branch, chapter, region, or in your role as an HBA Member Leader, please follow these guiding principles to help maintain a professional, consistent, and community-centered presence across all platforms.
Represent the HBA Professionally
Everything shared on HBA-affiliated channels reflects both the organization and you as a professional leader. Please be thoughtful about tone, language, and how content may be interpreted publicly. Avoid divisive political commentary, inflammatory language, or content that could compromise the HBA’s reputation as a professional association.
Share Mission-Aligned Content
Only promote events, initiatives, or partnerships that are:
- Official HBA programs and/or events
- Partnerships or sponsorships approved by Regional Leaders and HBA Central
- Clearly aligned with the HBA's mission and values
When in doubt, consult your Regional Marketing and/or Communications Lead before posting. If questions still exist after regional review, the Regional Marketing and/or Communications Lead should consult the HBA Central Marketing and Communications Team.
Protect Confidentiality and Intellectual Property
Respect proprietary information, speaker materials, member privacy, unpublished announcements, and confidential organizational discussions. Obtain appropriate permissions before sharing photos, recordings, presentations, or quotes from members, speakers, sponsors, or attendees.
Do not use copyrighted content, music, photography, graphics, or branded materials without the appropriate rights or permissions.
Prioritize Community Engagement
Social media is a conversation, not just a broadcast channel. Engage professionally and authentically with your audience by:
- Responding to comments and messages when appropriate
- Encouraging discussion and participation
- Celebrating member achievements and community milestones
- Using thoughtful, welcoming language representative of our global community
Thoughtful engagement helps strengthen our global community and expand our reach.
Ensure Content Accuracy
Verify facts, dates, speaker information, statistics, links, and event details before posting. If incorrect information is shared, correct it promptly and transparently.
Avoid sharing unverified news, misleading claims, or AI-generated misinformation.
Use AI Responsibly
AI tools can support brainstorming, drafting, caption writing, and content creation, but all posts should be reviewed by a human before publishing. Member leaders are responsible for ensuring:
- Accuracy and factual integrity
- Appropriate tone and professionalism
- Representative, bias-aware language
- Alignment with HBA brand guidelines
Do not use AI-generated imagery or quotes in ways that could misrepresent people, events, or organizational positions.
Use AI-Generated Creative Assets Responsibly
Do not use AI-generated images, photography, artwork, video, or other creative assets unless you have the appropriate rights, licenses, or permissions to use them. Member Leaders are responsible for ensuring all visual content shared on HBA-affiliated social channels complies with copyright, licensing, and platform usage requirements.
Avoid using AI-generated visuals that:
- Misrepresent real people, events, organizations, or experiences
- Could create legal, ethical, or reputational risk for the HBA
- Present synthetic or altered content as authentic event or community photography
- Replicate copyrighted brands, photography styles, artwork, or likenesses without permission
Whenever possible, prioritize authentic HBA photography, approved branded assets, and properly licensed creative materials. AI-generated creative content should always be reviewed carefully for accuracy and alignment with HBA brand guidelines.
Create Accessible Content
Make content accessible across platforms whenever possible by:
- Adding alt text to images
- Using clear, readable formatting
- Limiting excessive emoji use
- Including captions on videos when available
Accessibility helps ensure all members of our community can engage with HBA content.
Be Platform Aware
Different platforms serve different audiences and purposes. Tailor content style, tone, and format appropriately while maintaining a consistent HBA voice. Prioritize professional, value-driven engagement over trends that may not align with the organization’s reputation or mission.
Celebrate Impact and Leadership
The HBA is a global authority in leadership development and professional growth in healthcare and life sciences. Use social media to amplify:
- Member stories and achievements
- Leadership insights
- Event highlights
- Community impact
- Industry conversations that align with the HBA's mission
Showcase the expertise, innovation, and energy of the HBA community.
Moderation and Oversight
HBA-affiliated social channels may be monitored by Regional HBA Member Leaders and HBA Central Staff. Content that is inappropriate, misleading, offensive, discriminatory, or inconsistent with the HBA’s values may be removed.
Best Practices (High-Level Overview)
Recommended Approaches
- Collaborate with your regional marketing and communications leaders on social strategy and content planning
- Share approved HBA news, programs, leadership content, and event highlights
- Tag speakers, sponsors, partners, and members appropriately when relevant
- Use official HBA guidelines, hashtags, and approved messaging where applicable
- Elevate member voices and encourage community participation
- Escalate sensitive issues or media inquiries to the Regional Marketing and/or Communications Lead as needed, so they may escalate to the HBA Central Marketing and Communications Team after review
Actions to Avoid
- Share confidential, proprietary, or embargoed information
- Post unapproved external events, partnerships, or sponsorships
- Engage in arguments, hostile exchanges, or public disputes on behalf of the HBA
- Use copyrighted or unlicensed content, including AI-generated creative assets, without appropriate rights or permissions
- Publish misleading, offensive, discriminatory, or unverified content
- Create unofficial HBA accounts, groups, or branded pages without prior approval from the HBA Central Marketing and Communications Team
For questions or additional guidance, please consult your regional social media lead or regional Marketing and/or Communications leadership team.
