(October 5, 2003)
PREAMBLE
Members of the Airborne Wind Energy
(AWE) Industry Association (AWEIA) are dedicated to the highest
standards of personal integrity and professional conduct. The
Associations’s Code of Ethics comprises three parts: the Canons, which
are broad principles of conduct; the Ethical Standards, which are goals
to which Members aspire; and the Rules of Conduct. Compliance with the
Rules of Conduct is mandatory and violation of any Rule will be grounds
for disciplinary action by the Association. Under the Bylaws, the
Institute may also impose discipline for legal violations and because
of the suspension or revocation of registration or licensure, among
other grounds. Disciplinary action may take the form of private
admonition, public reprimand, suspension of membership, or termination.
The Code of Ethics applies to all professional activities of Members
and Adjuncts, wherever and whenever they occur. The title “Member”
where used in this Code of Ethics shall include Adjuncts. A Member
shall not be relieved of an ethical responsibility by virtue of his or
her employment, because the Member has delegated an assignment to a
subordinate, or because the Member was not involved in performing
services for compensation.
CANON 1. General Obligations
Members should be guided by the highest standards of personal integrity and professional conduct.
STANDARD 1.1
Members should pursue honesty,
integrity, loyalty, fairness, impartiality, candor, fidelity to trust,
inviolability of confidence, and honorable conduct as a way of life.
Rule 1.1.1 By applying for or by
continuing Membership in the Association, a Member agrees to comply
with and uphold this Code of Ethics.
CANON 2. Obligations To The Public
Members
should uphold the public health, safety, and welfare in the performance
of professional services, and avoid even the appearance of impropriety.
STANDARD 2.1
Members should observe and comply with the requirements and intent of all applicable laws, codes, and regulations.
Rule 2.1.1 A Member shall not knowingly
participate in harmful activities such as AWE environmental abuse
or militarization, or knowingly permit the development
of such purposes.
Rule 2.1.2 A Member shall neither offer nor make
any illegal payment, gift, or other valuable consideration to a public
official for the purpose of influencing a decision by such official;
nor shall a Member accept any payment, gift, or other valuable
consideration that would appear to influence a decision made on behalf
of the public by the Member acting in a position of public trust.
Rule 2.1.3 If a Member becomes aware of a decision
or action by an employer, client, or colleague which violates any law
or regulation, the Member shall advise against such action, and when
such violation appears to materially affect the public health, safety,
or welfare, shall advise the appropriate public officials responsible
for the enforcement of such law or regulation.
STANDARD 2.2
Members should be accurate, truthful, and candid in all communications with the public.
Rule 2.2.1 A Member shall not knowingly
engage in false or deceptive advertising, or make false, misleading, or
deceptive representations or claims in regard to the AWE profession or
which concern his or her own professional qualifications or abilities
or those of other technologists.
Rule 2.2.2 A Member shall not issue a false
statement or false information which the Member knows to be false or
misleading, even though directed to do so by an employer or client.
Rule 2.2.3 A Member shall avoid making sensational,
exaggerated, and or unwarranted statements that may mislead or deceive
members of the public or any public body.
STANDARD 2.3
Members should participate as citizens and as professionals in public affairs.
Rule 2.3.1 A Member acting in a position of public
trust shall exercise his or her authority impartially, and shall not
seek to use his or her authority for personal profit or to secure any
competitive advantage.
STANDARD 2.4
Members should promote public awareness of the effects of AWE on the quality of life.
CANON 3. Obligations To Employers And Clients
Members
should serve their employers and clients faithfully and competently
within their overall professional and ethical obligations.
STANDARD 3.1
Members should disclose any actual
or potential conflicts of interest that may affect their ability to
serve an employer or client faithfully.
Rule 3.1.1 A Member shall disclose to a
prospective client the existence of any owned or controlled AWE
investment or other interest that may, either directly or
indirectly, have a pertinent bearing on such employment.
Rule 3.1.2 A Member having or expecting to have
beneficial interest in a property on which the Member reports shall
state in the report the fact of the existence of such interest or
expected interest.
Rule 3.1.3 A Member employed or retained by one
employer or client shall not accept, without that employer’s or
client’s written consent, an engagement by another if the interests of
the two are in any manner conflicting.
STANDARD 3.2
Members should protect, to the
fullest possible extent, the interest of an employer or client so far
as is consistent with the public health, safety, and welfare and the
Member’s legal, professional, and ethical obligations.
Rule 3.2.1 A Member shall not use, directly or
indirectly, any confidential information obtained from or in the course
of performing services for an employer or client in any way which is
adverse or detrimental to the interests of the employer or client,
except with the prior consent of the employer or client or when
disclosure is required by law.
Rule 3.2.2 A Member who has made an investigation
for an employer or client shall not seek to profit economically from
the information gained without written permission of the employer or
client, unless it is clear that there can no longer be a conflict of
interest with the original employer or client.
Rule 3.2.3 A Member shall not use his or her
employer’s or client’s resources for private gain without the prior
knowledge and consent of his or her employer or client.
STANDARD 3.3
Members should serve their employers and clients competently.
Rule 3.3.1 A Member shall perform professional
services or issue professional advice that is only within the scope of
the education and experience of the Member and the Member’s
professional associates, consultants, or employees, and shall advise
the employer or client if any professional advice is outside of the
Member’s personal expertise.
Rule 3.3.2 A Member shall not give a professional
opinion or submit a report without being as thoroughly informed as
might be reasonably expected, considering the purpose for which the
opinion or report is requested.
Rule 3.3.3 A Member shall engage, or advise an
employer or client to engage, and cooperate with other experts and
specialists whenever the employer’s or client’s interests would be best
served by such service.
STANDARD 3.4
Members should serve their employers and clients diligently and perform their services in a timely manner.
STANDARD 3.5
Members who find that obligations
to an employer or client conflict with professional or ethical
standards should have such objectionable conditions corrected or resign.
CANON 4. Obligations to Professional Colleagues
Members should respect the rights, interests, and contributions of their professional colleagues.
STANDARD 4.1
Members should respect and acknowledge the professional status and contributions of their colleagues.
Rule 4.1.1 A Member shall give due credit for work
done by others in the course of a professional assignment, and shall
not knowingly accept credit due another.
Rule 4.1.2 A Member shall not plagiarize another in
oral and written communications, or use materials prepared by others
without appropriate attribution.
STANDARD 4.2
Members should be accurate, truthful, and candid in all communications with others regarding professional colleagues.
Rule 4.2.1. A Member shall not issue (a) false
statement(s), (a) misleading statement(s), or (a) sensational,
exaggerated, defamatory, and or unwarranted statement(s) regarding a
professional colleague. Differences of opinion occur and statements
regarding opinions should be restricted to and based on logical and
scientific principles and should be made in a respectful and
professional manner.
CANON 5. Obligations to the Institute and the Profession
Members should continually strive to improve the AWE profession so that it may be of ever increasing benefit to society.
STANDARD 5.1
Members should strive to improve their professional knowledge and skills.
STANDARD 5.2
Members should cooperate with others in the profession and encourage the dissemination of geological knowledge.
STANDARD 5.3
Members should work toward the improvement of standards of geological education, research, training, and practice.
STANDARD 5.4
Members should not only uphold
these standards of ethics by precept and example but also encourage by
counsel and advice to other Members, their adherence to such standards.
STANDARD 5.5
Members having knowledge
of a violation of these Rules by another Member should bring
substantiated evidence of such violation to the attention of the
Institute.