Whilst conducting its affairs and addressing the needs and expectations of  the membership and involved or affected parties, the Institute acts at all times in the public interest. This is a guiding principle for members and involves having regard to the legitimate interests of employers, employees, clients, the business or industrial and financial communities, business investors, government and the perceptions of the public.

These parties expect the profession to support the proper functioning of industry by acting professionally, competently, impartially, without bias, with due care and confidentiality, aware of threats to these and resistant to compromise or conflict.

In complying with this code and its recognition and acceptance of the need to act in the legitimate public interest, members are ethically bound by the basic guiding principles of professionalism, integrity, confidentiality, independence and impartiality.

Members accept that their duties and responsibilities may not necessarily always rest exclusively with a particular client or employer.

For instance, the Civil Procedure Rules 1998 and the Criminal Procedure Rules 2005 (as amended) require experts to formally acknowledge that their over-riding duty is to the court rather than to the party who instructs them or by whom they are paid.

Members will act at all times with integrity and straightforwardness.

Members will strive to act independently and impartially and not adopt the role of advocate.

Independence and impartiality involve diligently complying with all legitimate aspects of a scope of work or instruction issued by a client/employer; this, without appearing to a client/employer or any involved party to have become the self-appointed agent or advocate of some perceived form of discrimination, hidden agenda, ulterior motive, bias, adverse philosophy or tendency, cause, or view held by any party involved.

Members will conduct themselves at all times to avoid any form of discrimination or offence and remain sensitive to data protection requirements, laws, customs, people’s legitimate expectations, rights, dignities and disabilities.

Members will remain constantly alert to the threat of bias and will not compromise their standing or any professional judgement by failing to act on, or inform relevant parties of, an actual or potential conflict of interest.

Members will act to positively and professionally address intrinsic and external indications of threats or compromise to their independence and integrity.

Members will professionally disassociate themselves from any form of opinion that they reasonably believe has been arrived at without due care, or is based on or contains materially significant false or misleading statements or information, or fails to identify the existence of obvious or known contrary or challenging evidence.

Practicing Associate Members, practicing Full Members and practicing Fellows will maintain the skills of the profession recognising that this cannot be achieved unless the Core Skills are maintained to currently accepted standards.

Regular confirmation of Core Skills Maintenance is mandatory for these members.

Notwithstanding the commitment to Core Skills Maintenance, practicing Members will stay abreast of new or changing legislation, standards, technologies and other factors that might affect declarations of current competencies for the profession and their particular area(s) of expertise.

Members will maintain their skills such that a diligent and professional service can be provided to their employers and clients throughout any engagement.

Members will ensure that clients and employers are fully aware of the exact nature of their skills and competencies and any limitations that could, or do, apply.

Members will not mis-represent themselves, their skills or their services.

Members will base reports to clients and employers on factual evidence analysed by them within the identified limits of their expertise.

Members will make reasonable enquiries into the actual and required competencies of those who make supplies to, interact, work for or with them and act accordingly. Where parties are in the charge of the member, the steps expected of them regarding the provision of information, instruction, training and supervision will be taken.

Members will bring to a client or employer’s attention matters known or suspected by them of being able to compromise the working environment, safety or task completion where this would not be brought to their timely attention by other means.

Members will act at all times within the bounds of confidence defined or permitted by scopes of work and instruction and preserve that confidence accordingly; disclosing only in the circumstances and on the occasions for which authority has been given.

Members will advise clients and employers that confidential information is not necessarily legally privileged.

Members should conduct themselves courteously towards all people with whom they come into contact with during their work.

Members shall behave and conduct themselves with proper regard for the reputations of the Institute and Research and Development Centre and staff, the membership, sponsors, associated persons, organisations and bodies so as to not risk or cause any or all of those parties to suffer any form of harm, embarassment or disrepute; or to maliciously or recklessly risk or cause any or all of those parties harm or loss of business of any sort whether by way of the spoken or published word, silence, act or omission.

No person shall use their Membership or position in the Institute or Research and Development Centre improperly or for personal or commercial gain.

Members shall not use or attempt to use Institute designations improperly, nor use or attempt to use those that they have no entitlement to use, nor lay claims to holding qualifications that they do not hold. Certificates and cards issued by or on behalf of the Institute, or bearing the Institute name or logo, remain at all times the sole property of the Institute and shall be returned immediately upon request.

Members are not authorised to use the Institute or Research and Development Centre logos.

Members, past and present, and staff of the Institute and Research and Development Centre, past and present, shall not improperly disclose information which could reasonably be considered to be confidential or prejudicial to the membership, the Institute, the Research and Development Centre or any associated sponsor, business or partner, past or present.

Members must at all times conduct themselves, their dealings and professional and business activities with all due diligence and financial propriety and ensure that they hold all necessary insurances and indemnities.

Members must behave and conduct themselves and their businesses within the law and notify the Institute in confidence of any conviction arising since their time of joining.

Members must comply with the Constitution, Rules and Regulations.

An inadvertent violation of this code may not be in disregard of it or a fundamental principle if the member detects and corrects it in good time and ensures that all affected or potentially affected parties are advised and that all related decisions and opinions are promptly and effectively addressed.

The significance of a violation will be assessed in accordance with this, other relevant factors and on a full and proper consideration of the potential of the violation including its potential had it gone undetected or reported.

Mission Statement

The Institute is committed to the furtherance of Industrial Accident Investigation as a unique and distinct discipline supporting the International Risk Management process.

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Contact Us

E: info@iiai.org.uk
T: +44 (0)1726 832695