Code of Ethics
We, the members of the International Association of Risk and Crisis Communication, affirm:
Premises
- We recognise that human life and prosperity have always been exposed to varying degrees of risk due to the natural impermanence of the Earth and human activities;
- Our belief that recent human activities have created planetary risks of an unprecedented nature with potentially limitless, more powerful, long-lasting and deadly consequences;
- Our commitment to developing a culture of communication that promotes trust, awareness, understanding, solution-focus and risk preparedness;
- Our belief that a multidisciplinary approach is the most effective way to assess, prevent and prepare for risk;
Ethical principles
- Our commitment to demonstrate competence, honesty, integrity and transparency in all our undertakings;
- Our responsibility to ensure that in a rapidly changing world we maintain the quality of our knowledge and remain at the cutting edge of technology to best fulfil our mission;
- Our desire to ensure that our activities are helpful, unique or enhance the work of existing or future structures, associations, groups and individuals, and to offer partnerships to those whose values do not conflict with our own;
- Our intention to be an open and inclusive organisation that builds trusting relationships with all people, whether they're perpetrators or victims of risks, crises and/or disasters, or unrelated individuals or structures, in order to successfully achieve our goals;
- Our determination to maintain our independence from business, industry, finance, politics and other influences and to treat all parties impartially regardless of the nature of our relationship with them;
- Our aim to educate the public in an unbiased and impartial manner on issues of risk and crisis prevention or management;
- Our commitment to treat information given to us on a confidential basis in accordance with the principles governing the handling of such information;
- Our adherence to legal financial practises, which means that we'll only accept funding on a contractual basis and will never allow our integrity to be compromised by financial inducements;
- Our determination to avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived, whenever possible and to disclose them to affected parties as soon as they arise, if they do arise;
- Our commitment to treat all people fairly, regardless of position, race, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability and national origin.