A Safety Professional’s conduct is based upon the following fundamental principles:
- Maintain the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and comply with all applicable laws, regulations, policies, and ethical standards.
- Create a safe, resilient, and sustainable workplace for all workers, while anticipating their future needs.
- Treat all persons with respect, dignity, and fairness, in a manner that fosters equitable participation without regard to personal identity.
- Commit to life-long learning and continuous improvement of knowledge and skills.
All members of the American Society of Safety Professionals, regardless of their membership classification or job description, commit to ethical responsibilities. Our Code of Professional Conduct is an ethical benchmark for our members. These standards bring accountability, responsibility, and trust to those whom the safety profession serves.
Code of Professional Conduct
- Serve the public, employees, employers, clients, the Society, and the profession, with fidelity, honesty, and impartiality.
- Treat others with respect, civility, and without discrimination or harassment in all professional relationships.
- Abstain from behavior that will unjustly cause harm to the reputation of the Society, its members, and the profession.
- Continually improve professional knowledge, skills, competencies, and awareness of relevant new developments, through training, education, networking, and work experiences.
- Consider qualifications before undertaking any professional activity and perform only those services that may be handled competently.
- Make informed decisions in the performance of professional duties that adhere to all relevant laws, regulations, and recognized standards of practice.
- Inform all appropriate parties when professional judgment indicates that there is an unacceptable level of risk of injury, illness, property damage, or environmental harm.
- Maintain the confidentiality of information acquired through professional practice that is designated, or generally recognized as, non-public, confidential or privileged.
- Accurately represent professional qualifications including education, credentials, designations, affiliations, titles, and work experience.
- Avoid situations that create actual, potential, or perceived, conflicts between personal and professional interests, and if a potential conflict of interest arises disclose all applicable facts to potentially affected parties.
Violation of this Code of Professional Conduct in circumstances involving ASSP or its affiliates or their events or resources are subject to discipline pursuant to ASSP Standard Operating Guidelines.
Approved By | Date: Board of Directors | 1/2024
Replaces Edition Dated: 06/2012
Next Review Due: 1/2027
Code of Conduct Violations
File a Code of Conduct Complaint
Our Code of Professional Conduct is an ethical benchmark for our members. These standards bring accountability, responsibility and trust to those whom the safety profession serves. ASSP members are expected to uphold our Code of Professional Conduct.
If you believe an ASSP member has violated the Code of Professional Conduct, we ask that you please review the Code of Professional Conduct (above) and the committee procedures before filing an allegation.
To report the alleged misconduct, please contact Jennifer McNelly, ASSP’s CEO, at executive@assp.org using the subject line: Code of Conduct Allegation. The communication must include facts, details, supporting documents and other evidence to support any claims of unprofessional or unethical conduct.