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FIG PUBLICATION NO. 17
Statement of Ethical
Principles and Model Code of Professional Conduct
Contents
Preface
Background
Statement
of Ethical Principles
The
Public Interest
Model
Code of Professional Conduct
Orders
of Printed Versions
The International Federation
of Surveyors (FIG) is a UN -accredited non-government organisation which
represents the interests of surveyors throughout the world. Those who belong to
its member associations work in government, in the corporate sector and in the
private sector, as practitioners, academics or researchers. All seek the highest
standards of professional and technical in the delivery of their
services.
One consequence of globalisation and the opening
up of markets to foreign participation is the need for professional and ethical
standards that apply to all. This is to ensure fair competition, to build and
retain the confidence of clients, to protect the environment within which we all
live, and to respect the interests of third parties.
Whereas cultures, political systems, awareness
and understanding of professional practice differ from nation to nation, there
are certain fundamental principles that, in the view of FIG, should apply to
all. Whilst it is the responsibility of national professional bodies to set
local standards for professional conduct, FIG has sought to help its members by
preparing the following statement of ethical principles and model code of
professional conduct which between identify the key issues that need to be
included in any national code.
On behalf of FIG I would like to thank Ken Allred
and those colleagues who worked with him on the preparation of this document.
Together with the FIG companion publications on constituting professional
associations and on continuing professional development, it will help all who
practise the disciplines of surveying to meet the needs of the markets and the
communities that they serve.
Professor Peter Dale
President,
FIG
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The surveying profession is
recognised globally as one that adheres to fundamental ethical
principles.
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The International Federation of Surveyors
(FIG) recognises that, due to international differences of culture, language,
and legal and social systems, the task of preparing a detailed code of
professional conduct must rest with each member association, which also has
the responsibility to implement and enforce such a code.
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FIG also recognises that, given the global
mobility of surveyors, it is important to establish common ethical principles
and codes of professional conduct. As part of its role in providing guidance
and encouraging the harmonisation of standards, FIG offers this model
code.
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A professional is distinguished by certain
characteristics including:
mastery of a particular intellectual
skill, acquired by education and training;
acceptance of duties to society in
addition to duties to clients and employers;
- an outlook that is essentially objective; and
- the rendering of personal service to a high standard of
conduct and performance.
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Professional surveyors recognise that their
ethical responsibilities extend to the public, to their clients and employers,
to their peers and to their employees. Accordingly they acknowledge the need
for integrity, independence, care and competence, and a sense of duty. They
uphold and advance these values by:
- supporting and participating in the continuing
development of the surveying profession;
- serving with honesty and forthrightness and within
areas of their competence; and
- using their expertise for the enhancement of society
and the stewardship of resources.
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FIG recommends that surveyors and
associations of surveyors adopt the following ethical principles and model
codes of professional conduct or, where appropriate, adapt
them to local values and customs.
Integrity
Surveyors
- maintain the highest standards of honesty and integrity
towards those with whom they come into contact, either directly or indirectly;
and
- accurately and conscientiously measure, record and
interpret all data and offer impartial advice based thereon.
Independence
Surveyors
- diligently and faithfully execute their
role according to the law; and
- maintain their objectivity and give their
clients and employers unbiased advice, without prejudice or favour either
towards or against other organisations or persons.
Care and competence
Surveyors
- maintain their knowledge and skills, keep abreast of
developments in their fields of practice and apply their expertise for the
benefit of society;
- only take on work that they reasonably believe they will
be able to carry out in a professional manner; and
- exercise care in the performance of their duties.
Duty
Surveyors
- maintain confidentiality about the affairs of their
current and former clients and employers unless required by law to make
disclosures;
- avoid conflicts of interest;
- take environmental concerns into account in their
operations and activities;
- recognise the interests of the public when providing
services to their clients or employers; and
- conduct their work to the best of their ability, giving
due consideration to the rights of all parties.
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The first duty of surveyors is
normally to their clients or employers but as professionals they also have a
duty to the public. Surveyors are fact finders and providers of opinions and
advice. It is important that they are diligent, competent, impartial and of
unquestionable integrity in ensuring that the information they provide is true
and complete and that the opinions and advice that they give are of the
highest quality.
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The work of surveyors has cumulative and
long term effects on future generations. Many of the functions of surveyors,
even those performed for private clients, are by their nature functions that
have a lasting impact on society. Most information becomes public information
at some point in time and may be used for purposes other than those for which
it was initially intended. The information recorded by early surveyors and
explorers has, for example, subsequently been used for the expansion of
geographical knowledge and for land development. Similarly, land management
systems designed for today create an environment in which future generations
will live, work and play. The principles of sustainable development require
surveyors to work as much for the future as for the present.
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Clients, employers and the public
must be confident that surveyors have exercised objectivity in arriving at
their professional opinions. These obligations may sometimes appear to be in
conflict with the obligations that surveyors owe to their clients, their
employers and their peers. Surveyors have a duty to the truth, even when it
may not be in the best interest of their clients or
employers.
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All surveyors, whether they be private
practitioners, employees in the private sector, public servants or educators,
should discharge their professional duties and adhere to ethical principles in
accordance with the following model code of professional
conduct.
FIG recommends the
following code of conduct as the minimum to be expected of all professional
surveyors.
1.
In general, surveyors
- exercise unbiased independent professional judgement;
- act competently and do not accept assignments that are
outside the scope of their professional competence;
- advance their knowledge and skills by participating in
relevant programmes of continuing professional development;
- ensure that they understand the fundamental principles
involved when working in new areas of expertise, conducting thorough research
and consulting with other experts as appropriate; and
- do not accept assignments that are beyond their resources
to complete in a reasonable time and in a professional manner.
2.
As employers, surveyors:
assume responsibility for all work carried out by their
professional and non-professional staff;
assist their employees to achieve their optimum levels of
technical or professional advancement;
ensure that their employees have proper working
conditions and equitable remuneration; and
cultivate in their employees integrity and an
understanding of the professional obligations of surveyors to
society.
3.
When dealing with clients,
surveyors:
- avoid any appearance of professional impropriety;
- disclose any potential conflicts of interest,
affiliations or prior involvement that could affect the quality of service to
be provided;
- avoid associating with any persons or enterprises of
doubtful character;
- do not receive remuneration for one project from multiple
sources without the knowledge of the parties involved;
- preserve the confidences and regard as privileged all
information about their clients’ affairs; and
- maintain confidentiality during as well as after the
completion of their service.
4.
When providing professional services,
surveyors:
seek remuneration commensurate with the technical
complexity, level of responsibility and liability for the services
rendered;
make no fraudulent charges for services rendered;
provide details on the determination of remuneration at
the request of their clients; and
do not sign certificates, reports or plans unless these
were prepared and completed under their personal supervision.
5.
As members of a professional association,
surveyors:
- do not enter into arrangements that would enable
unqualified persons to practise as if they were professionally
qualified;
- report any unauthorised practice to the governing body of
the profession;
- refuse to advance the application for professional status
of any person known to be unqualified by education, experience or character;
and
- promote the surveying profession to clients and the
public.
6.
As business practioners, surveyors:
do not make false or misleading statements in
advertising or other marketing media;
do not, either directly or indirectly, act to undermine
the reputation or business prospects of other surveyors;
do not supplant other surveyors under agreement with
their clients; and
do not establish branch offices that purport to be under
the direction and management of a responsible professional surveyor unless
this is actually the case.
7.
As resource managers, surveyors:
- approach environmental concerns with perception,
diligence and integrity;
- develop and maintain a reasonable level of understanding
of environmental issues and the principles of sustainable development;
- bring any matter of concern relating to the physical
environment and sustainable development to the attention of their clients or
employers;
- employ the expertise of others when their knowledge and
ability are inadequate for addressing specific environmental issues;
- include the costs of environmental protection and
remediation among the essential factors used for project evaluation;
- ensure that environmental assessment, planning and
management are integrated into projects that are likely to impact on the
environment; and
- encourage additional environmental protection when the
benefits to society justify the costs.
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FIG PUBLICATION No 17
Statement of Ethical Principles and Model Code of
Professional Conduct
Published in English
Published by The International Federation of Surveyors (FIG), FIG Bureau 1996–1999
ISBN: 0-85406-921-6, September 1998, London, UK.
Printed copies can be ordered from:
FIG Office, Lindevangs Allé 4, DK-2000 Frederiksberg, DENMARK,
Tel: + 45 38 86 10 81, Fax: + 45 38 86 02 52, E-mail: FIG@ddl.org
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