Code of Ethics

CIWEM has launched a Code of Environmental Ethics for its members to comply with.

At a time when many people are worried about doing the right thing to balance the need for a healthy, thriving and content society with those of a flourishing natural environment; and when experts have to demonstrate that they are worthy of public trust, CIWEM has taken this major initiative.

Approved by the Council of CIWEM at its meeting on 6th April 2001 the Code of Ethics is an aspirational set of principles which will guide professional environmentalists as they strive to achieve even higher standards of environmental stewardship and sustainability.

Members of the Institution will be expected to use their influence to the fullest extent and to behave to the best of their ability to maintain a sustainable environment in the following way:

• Ensure that the uses of natural resources are fair, equitable and sustainable and take account of the needs of a diverse environment.
• Never knowingly or deliberately over-exploit natural resources.
• Never knowingly or deliberately cause the environment to be damaged or nuisance to be created by the discharge of unacceptable quantities of any substance or energy in any form.
• Recognize that in contributing to the provision of environmental services they provide an important contribution to human well-being.
• Ensure that the uses of the environment do it no harm or to the native wild-life within it and wherever possible enhance it.
• Embrace the needs of the community.
• Promote the concepts of integration of the management of the wider environment.
• Use their wisdom in serving the community and constantly strive to learn more.
• Serve as an example to others for responsible environmental behaviour.
• Never engage in corrupt practice and maintain a high standard of professional behaviour which will serve as an example to others.

Professional Conduct

Bye-Law 29 states that members shall:

(a) order their conduct so as to uphold and enhance the dignity, standing and reputation of the Institution and profession; and
(b) exercise their professional skills and judgement to the best of their ability and discharge their professional responsibilities with integrity; and
(c) have due regard to the public interest and protection and enhancement of the environment in the discharge of their duties; and
(d) shall not maliciously or recklessly injure or attempt to injure whether directly or indirectly the professional reputation of another member.

Disciplinary Powers and Procedures

Bye-Law 30 states that:

(a) in the event of a complaint being made that any member has been or is in breach of the foregoing rules of Professional Conduct the Council shall delegate the investigation thereof to an Investigating Committee consisting of at least three members of the Council in accordance with such rules as the Council shall from time to time prescribe.

PROVIDED THAT no member of an Investigating Committee shall sit on a Professional Conduct Committee or on an Appeal Board in respect of the same case.

(b) If on such investigation as aforesaid it shall be determined by a majority of the Committee that there is a prima facie case, the Council shall direct that a hearing of the complaint be held by a Professional Conduct Committee of at least seven members of the Council and at least one suitable person who is not a member of the Institution, in accordance with such rules as the Council shall from time to time prescribe, and subject as hereinafter provided the Professional Conduct Committee shall if satisfied that the complaint is justified have power to warn, admonish, reprimand, suspend or expel such member from the Institution.

(c) Such member shall have seven clear days’ notice in writing of the hearing before such Professional Conduct Committee, may attend the hearing, may make representation thereat in person or through a representative, may call and cross-examine witnesses and, if expelled from the Institution, may within seven days after notice of such expulsion appeal against the penalty, but not against the finding of the Committee, and such appeal shall be delegated by the Council to an Appeal Board of at least five members of the Council at least two of whom shall be past or present Presidents or Vice-Presidents and such Board shall have power to annul the expulsion or to annul it subject to the performance of any conditions which the Board may think fit to impose.

PROVIDED THAT no member of the Council shall sit on both a Professional Conduct Committee and an Appeal Board in respect of the same case.

(d) Subject as aforesaid a member so expelled shall forfeit all claim to a return of any money paid by him to the Institution and shall cease to be a member thereof.

(e) All findings and decisions of the Investigating Committee, of the Professional Conduct Committee and of the Appeal Board shall be reported to the Council and duly recorded and the Council may order that any penalty with such particulars of the misconduct as it shall think desirable shall be published in any Institution publication.