Principles
The Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG) membership comprises professionally qualified individuals employed in any field of geoscience, and students undertaking education and training in related tertiary courses. Geoscientists play a critical role in ethical decision making about stewardship of the Earth, the use of its resources, and interactions with the planet on which we live.
This Code of Ethics sets clear responsibilities of all AIG members. It applies to all AIG Associates, Students, Graduates, Members and Fellows and must be complied with as a condition of membership. For the purposes of this document, the term ‘Member’ applies to all of the above membership categories.
Members must discharge their duties with fidelity to the public, their employers, and clients, and, at all times in their professional or employed capacities, carry out their work with competence, and according to the following key principles:
This Code of Ethics is not intended to displace any duty or liability under the common law, statute, or any other applicable rules or regulations, and should be read in conjunction with those duties or liabilities. No single provision within the Code of Ethics should be construed as imposing any constraint which might be interpreted as anti-competitive behaviour.
Key Responsibilities
A. Values
Members of AIG must, on all occasions, act in a manner which upholds and enhances the honour, integrity, honesty, and dignity of the geoscience profession.
B. Duties
In addition to the interests of their client or employer, a Member must, when discharging their duties, have due regard for the safety, health, wellbeing and respect of the community and the environment which may be affected by their work or which may result from their recommendations.
Members of AIG must interact with clients, colleagues and the community in a manner that upholds the principles of respect, anti-discrimination, and equity.
Members must only accept and perform work in their areas of competence and be prepared to verify their claimed competence when and as required.
Members must engage other experts and specialists or recommend the engagement of experts and specialists to their employer or client whenever this would be in the best interests of the employer or client.
Members must inform their client or employer of any benefit received for referring the client or employer to an expert or specialist or for recommending services other than their own.
C. Confidential information
Members must not use or disclose confidential information, which has been acquired from a client or an employer or otherwise as a result of work done, for any personal gain or advantage, without the written consent of their client or employer, or until it is clear that there is no conflict of interest with the original client or employer.
D. Credit to others
Members of AIG must build their professional reputation on merit and performance. Members must ensure that proper credit is given to any associate, subordinate or other person who has contributed to the Member’s work or whose work is being reviewed.
E. Conflicts of interest
Members of AIG must, in the discharge of their duties, apply their professional skill and knowledge in the interests of their employer or client, but only to the extent reasonable and in accordance with professional and ethical standards.
F. Matters of fact and opinion
All statements made by a Member of AIG in a professional capacity must be made objectively, truthfully, within areas of the Member’s professional competence and free of any influence that may compromise their professional judgment. Members may, where required, give a considered professional opinion, provided the statement is clearly expressed as an opinion and is based on supportable facts, experience, interpretation, extrapolation, or a combination of these.
G. Professional Development
Members of AIG must take steps to develop, maintain and document their professional skills. They must continue their professional development throughout their careers and must actively assist, support, and encourage those under their direction to also advance their knowledge and experience. Members will document their continued professional development.
H. Compliance with applicable laws, regulations and codes
Members of AIG must comply with all applicable laws and government regulations and must keep up to date with relevant laws in jurisdictions in which they conduct business.
This includes, but is not limited to:
Under our Constitution should a Member act, or be suspected of acting, in breach of this Code of Ethics, a complaint can be lodged against that Member. Complaints can be lodged by any person via writing or using the online form found here: https://www.aig.org.au/complaint-form/.
All complaints will be acted upon according to AIG’s complaints process found on the AIG website: https://www.aig.org.au/about-aig/geoscience-news/code-of-ethics/complaints/.
If the Ethics and Standards Committee is of the opinion that a member has breached any provision of this Code or our Constitution, the member may be disciplined in accordance with the complaints process.
