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Introduction
This Code sets out the standard required by the corporate body of AAR as a condition of membership. It applies to members of all grades, including Students, Affiliates, and also non-members who offer their expertise as part of the Company's Professional Advice Service.
Within this document, the term “relevant authority” is used to identify the person or Organisation which has authority over your activity as an individual. If you are a practicing professional, this is normally an employer or client. If you are a student, this is normally an academic institution.
The Code governs your personal conduct as an individual member of AAR and not the nature of business or ethics of the relevant authority. It will, therefore, be a matter of your exercising your personal judgement in meeting the Code’s requirements.
Any breach of the Code of Conduct brought to the attention of the Management will be considered under the Management Disciplinary procedures. You should also ensure that you notify the Management of any significant violation of this Code by another AAR member.
The Public Interest
- In your professional role you shall have regard for the public health, safety and
environment.
This is a general responsibility, which may be governed by legislation, convention or protocol. If in doubt over the appropriate course of action to take in particular circumstances, you should seek the counsel of a peer or colleague.
2. You shall have regard to the legitimate rights of third parties. The term ‘Third Party’ includes professional colleagues, or possibly competitors, or members of ‘the public/other businesses who might be affected without their being directly aware of its existence.
3.You shall ensure that within your specific field you have knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation, regulations and standards, and that you comply with such requirements.
As examples, relevant legislation could, in the UK, include the Public Interest Disclosure Act, Disability Discrimination Act, Data Protection or Privacy legislation, Computer Misuse law, legislation concerned with the export or import of technology, possibly for national security reasons, or law relating to intellectual property. This list is not exhaustive, and you should ensure that you are aware of any legislation relevant to your professional responsibilities.
In the international context, you should be aware of, and understand, the requirements of law specific to the jurisdiction within which you are working, and, where relevant, to supranational legislation such as EU law and regulation. You should seek specialist advice when necessary.
4.You shall conduct your business activities without discrimination against clients or colleagues.
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Grounds of discrimination include, but are not limited to race, colour, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, age and disability.
All colleagues have a right to be treated with dignity and respect.
You should adhere to the relevant law within the jurisdiction where you are working and, if appropriate, the European Convention on Human Rights.
You are encouraged to promote equal access to the benefit of businesses of all groups in the society, and to avoid and reduce ‘social exclusion’ from business wherever opportunities arise. 5. You shall reject and shall not make any offer of bribery or inducement.
Duty to Relevant Authority
6. You shall carry out business with due care and diligence in accordance with the relevant authority’s requirements, and the interests of business users. If your business judgement is overruled, you shall indicate the likely risks and consequences.
The crux of the issue here, familiar to all businesses in whatever field, is the potential conflict between full and committed compliance with the ‘‘ relevant authority’s wishes, and the independent and considered exercise of your judgement.
If your judgement is overruled, you are encouraged to seek advice and guidance from a peer or colleague on how best to respond.
7. You shall avoid any situation that may give rise to a conflict of interest between you and your relevant authority. You shall make full and immediate disclosure to them if any conflict is likely to occur or be seen by a third party as likely to occur. You shall endeavour to complete work undertaken on time to budget and shall advise the relevant authority as soon as practicable if any overrun is foreseen.
8.You shall not disclose or authorise to be disclosed, or use for personal gain or to benefit a third party, confidential information except with the permission of your relevant authority, or at the direction of a court of law.
9. You shall not misrepresent or withhold information on the performance of products, systems or services, or take advantage of the lack of relevant knowledge or inexperience of others.
Duty to the Profession
10. You shall uphold the reputation and good standing of the AAR in particular, and the business in general, and shall seek to improve business standards through participation in their development, use and enforcement.
As a Member of the AAR you also have a wider responsibility to promote public understanding of AAR – its benefits and pitfalls – and, whenever practical, to counter misinformation that brings or could bring the business into disrepute.
You should encourage and support fellow members in their business development and, where possible, provide opportunities for their business development. You shall act with integrity in your relationships with all members of AAR and with members of other trade associations with whom you work in a professional capacity.
The offering of an opinion in public, holding oneself out to be an expert in the subject in question, is a major personal responsibility and should not be undertaken lightly.
To give an opinion that subsequently proves ill founded is a disservice to AAR.
13. You shall notify AAR if convicted of a criminal offence or upon becoming bankrupt or disqualified as a Company Director
This does not apply, in the UK, to convictions spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, to discharged bankruptcy, or to expired disqualification under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986.
Not all convictions are seen as relevant to membership in the AAR and each case will be considered individually.
Business Competence and Integrity
14.You shall seek to upgrade your business knowledge and skill, and shall maintain awareness of technological developments, procedures and standards which are relevant to your field, and encourage your subordinates to do likewise.
15. You shall not claim any level of competence that you do not possess. You shall only offer to do work or provide a service that is within your professional competence.
You can self-assess your professional competence for undertaking a particular job or role by asking, for example,
(i) Am I familiar with the technology involved, or have I worked with similar technology before?
(ii) Have I successfully completed similar assignments or roles in the past?
(iii) Can I demonstrate adequate knowledge of the specific business application and requirements successfully to undertake the work?
17.You shall accept professional responsibility for your work and for the work of colleagues who are defined in a given context as working under your supervision.
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