Code of Conduct

The Code of Professional Conduct for all Members of the Institute.

The Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors (CIEHF) sets out its professional and ethical expectations through three complementary documents: the Member Conduct Rules, the Code of Ethics and Conduct, and the Code of Human Research Ethics, which together make up the Code of Professional Conduct.

Together, these documents establish the ethical principles that guide members’ behaviour, the standards expected in professional practice, and the specific requirements for research involving human participants.

The Member Conduct Rules define the professional standards and behaviours expected of members in practice.
The Code of Ethics and Conduct outlines the core ethical principles that underpin professional behaviour.
The Code of Human Research Ethics provides detailed guidance for members undertaking research involving human participants or human-derived data.

These documents should be read together and alongside the Institute’s Byelaws and General Regulations. Together they support the integrity of the profession and help ensure that members act responsibly, competently and in the public interest.

Member Conduct Rules

Introduction

Members of the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors (CIEHF) belong to a professional community committed to maintaining high standards of ethical and professional conduct. These Member Conduct Rules set out professional standards expected of members when acting in their professional capacity.

Professional capacity includes any activity connected to the practice of ergonomics and human factors, representing the CIEHF, or engaging with CIEHF employees, colleagues, clients, organisations, or the public in a work-related context.

The purpose of these Rules is to protect the interests of members, uphold the reputation of the Institute, and ensure that the profession demonstrates integrity, competence, and accountability.

The Rules apply across all membership categories and to all forms of professional engagement, whether undertaken independently, within an organisation, or as part of an accredited consultancy, training provider, or volunteer role.

While these Rules focus on professional behaviour, conduct outside professional life may also fall within scope where it has a direct and material impact on professional responsibilities, fitness to practise, or the reputation of the CIEHF.

Breach of the Member Conduct Rules

A breach of these Member Conduct Rules may result in disciplinary action in accordance with the CIEHF Disciplinary Regulations (Appendix B of the General Regulations).

Members who become aware of possible misconduct should seek informal resolution where appropriate and may escalate concerns to the Registrar if necessary. Members are expected to cooperate fully and honestly in any investigation and to maintain confidentiality, fairness, and respect throughout the process.

General Professional Conduct

Members must:

Uphold high standards of professionalism and quality in all services provided.
Avoid conduct that undermines the purpose, values or reputation of the CIEHF.
Raise concerns about unethical, unsafe or unlawful conduct through appropriate channels where it falls within the scope of their professional role and competence, and in a way that is proportionate to the level of risk.
Act in accordance with the CIEHF Code of Ethics and Conduct and the CIEHF Code of Human Research Ethics.

Conduct Towards Others

Members must:

Treat all individuals with dignity, courtesy, and respect.
Avoid behaviour that is aggressive, discriminatory, harassing, or otherwise harmful.
Engage in constructive dialogue and provide feedback respectfully and professionally.
Challenge or report unacceptable behaviour where it is safe and appropriate to do so.

Professional Integrity

Members must:

Act honestly and transparently in all professional activities.
Declare and appropriately manage any real or perceived conflicts of interest.
Accurately represent their qualifications, experience, and membership status.
Avoid exaggeration, false claims, or misleading representations.
Work within the limits of their competence and scope of expertise.
Use CIEHF affiliation only in lawful and ethical ways that do not mislead or misrepresent the Institute.

Communication and Representation

Members must:

Communicate clearly, accurately, and truthfully in professional contexts.
Maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information responsibly.
Exercise sound judgement when using digital or social media in a professional capacity.
Represent the Institute only when authorised to do so.

Supervision and Collaboration

Members must:

Provide appropriate supervision, support, and guidance to those for whom they are responsible.
Ensure supervised individuals have the competence, training, and information needed to work safely and effectively.
Address competence, behaviour, or safety concerns promptly and through appropriate channels.
Collaborate respectfully and constructively with colleagues, partners, and stakeholders.

Responsibility to the Public

Members must:

Prioritise the health, safety, welfare, and rights of individuals and communities affected by their work.
Take reasonable steps to avoid harm arising from action, inaction, or poor professional practice.
Consider societal, environmental, ethical, and long-term impacts when making professional decisions.
Act with honesty, openness, and accountability consistent with public-interest principles.

Code of Ethics and Conduct

Introduction

All members of the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors (CIEHF) are required to uphold high professional and ethical standards. Members commit to acting with integrity, respect, and responsibility in all aspects of professional practice, teaching, and research.

This Code applies to all members, regardless of grade or role, and extends to behaviour in professional, academic, online, and public contexts.

The Code sets out the ethical principles that underpin the profession. More detailed expectations regarding professional behaviour are provided in the Member Conduct Rules.

Core Ethical Principles

Integrity and Honesty

Members must act with honesty, transparency, and fairness in all professional activities. They must avoid misleading claims, declare conflicts of interest, and ensure their communications reflect truth and evidence.

Respect and Professional Behaviour

Members must treat CIEHF employees, colleagues, clients, students, and participants with dignity, courtesy, and fairness. They must not engage in bullying, harassment, discrimination, or conduct that undermines trust or professional relationships.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Members must promote equity of opportunity and inclusion in all professional contexts. They must respect diversity of thought, experience, and background, and take steps to avoid unnecessary or unjust bias and exclusion.

Competence and Professional Development

Members must maintain and develop professional competence, recognise their limits, and seek appropriate guidance or supervision where necessary. Members should engage in continuing professional development and support the development of others.

Accountability and Responsibility

Members must be accountable for their professional decisions and actions. They should raise concerns about unethical, unsafe, or unlawful conduct, and cooperate with legitimate investigations where required.

Confidentiality and Data Protection

Members must preserve the confidentiality of information acquired through professional practice or research and protect personal and organisational data in line with legal and ethical standards.

Members who are elected to positions within the CIEHF which brings them into contact with personal, professional and commercial data of other members and businesses must take all reasonable steps to preserve the confidentiality of that information. This includes Executive, Council, PAB and those members who are delegated to support these functions (e.g., assessors and mentors.)

Integrity in Research and Evidence

Members engaged in research must uphold high standards of scientific and ethical integrity. Where research involves human participants or human-derived data, members must comply with the CIEHF Code of Human Research Ethics.

Public Interest and Sustainability

Members must consider the wider impact of their work on health, safety, wellbeing, and sustainability. They should act to protect the public good, avoid harm, and promote solutions that improve societal and environmental outcomes.

Code of Human Research Ethics

Purpose and Scope

This Code of Human Research Ethics sets out the ethical standards and mandatory requirements for all CIEHF members who design, conduct, supervise, review, or disseminate research involving human participants, human data or human-derived biological materials.

The Code:

aligns with the Code of Ethics and Conduct
and is enforceable through the Member Conduct Rules

It applies across all research contexts, including academic, professional, consultancy, commercial, community-based, digital, and AI-supported research.

Core Ethical Principles

Human research conducted by CIEHF members must be guided by the following principles.

Respect for Persons, Autonomy, and Dignity

Members must respect the autonomy, dignity, rights, and wellbeing of all research participants and affected communities.

Participation must always be voluntary, informed and revocable.

Members must:

Treat participants with dignity, courtesy, and fairness
Respect cultural, social, and individual differences
Avoid exploitation, coercion, or undue influence
Recognise and mitigate power imbalances

Scientific and Professional Integrity

Members must uphold high standards of scientific, methodological, and ethical integrity.

Members must:

Design research that is methodologically sound
Avoid unnecessary duplication or poorly designed studies
Report methods and findings accurately and transparently
Avoid fabrication, falsification, selective reporting, or plagiarism

Where AI tools are used, their role must be transparent, and subject to appropriate human oversight.

Conflicts of Interest and Research Funding

Members must identify, disclose, and manage any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that could influence research design, conduct, interpretation, or reporting.

This includes, but is not limited to:

Financial or commercial interests
Funding arrangements or sponsorship
Employment, consultancy, or advisory relationships
Personal, professional, or institutional interests that may reasonably be perceived to affect impartiality

Conflicts must never compromise participant welfare, scientific integrity, or public trust.

Social Responsibility and Public Interest

Members must consider the broader social, ethical and environmental implications of their research.

Research should aim to generate benefit, contribute to knowledge and avoid foreseeable harm.

Maximising Benefit and Minimising Harm

Members must take reasonable steps to maximise benefits and minimise potential harms associated with research participation.

Risk assessment should be proportionate, undertaken prior to data collection and reviewed where research circumstances change.

Participants’ interests must never be subordinated to institutional, commercial, or personal gain.

Ethical Review and Governance

Members must obtain appropriate independent ethics review before commencing research involving more than minimal risk, vulnerable populations, sensitive topics, deception, or identifiable personal data.

Where formal review is not available, members must document a robust ethical self-assessment consistent with this Code.

Members remain ethically accountable throughout the entire research lifecycle.

Informed Consent

Members must ensure that informed consent is freely given, based on clear and accessible information, and appropriately documented.

Participants must understand:

The purpose and nature of the research
What participation involves
Any foreseeable risks or burdens
How data will be used, stored, and shared
Their right to withdraw without penalty

Consent must be treated as an ongoing process, rather than a one-off event.

Vulnerable or Dependent Participants

Additional safeguards must be in place when working with:

Children and young people
Adults lacking capacity
Individuals in dependent, unequal, or coercive relationships
People who have experienced trauma or adversity

Safeguarding duties apply regardless of consent status.

Confidentiality and Data Protection

Members must protect participant privacy and comply with applicable data protection legislation.

This includes:

Secure data storage
anonymisation where appropriate
Clear communication of any limits to confidentiality

Disclosure without consent is only permissible where there is a clear legal, safeguarding, or serious risk justification.

Deception and Withholding Information

Deception or withholding of information must only be used where:

It is methodologically necessary
No viable alternative exists
Risks are minimal and justified
Participants are appropriately debriefed

Deception must never undermine participants’ dignity, autonomy, or wellbeing.

Debriefing and Aftercare

Members must provide appropriate debriefing following participation, particularly where:

Deception was used
Sensitive topics were explored
Distress may reasonably arise

Participants must be offered information, support, or signposting where appropriate.

Members must also take reasonable steps to ensure participants leave in a safe physical and psychological state. Where procedures may induce fatigue, stress, discomfort, impairment, or other temporary effects, members should provide appropriate recovery time, refreshments were relevant, and practical guidance or arrangements to reduce risk.

Research Integrity, AI, and Emerging Methods

Members using AI, automation, or advanced analytics must:

Ensure transparency about AI use
Maintain human oversight and accountability
Avoid automation bias or over-reliance on outputs
Ensure ethical approval covers AI-assisted methods

AI must not be used to misrepresent authorship, fabricate data, or obscure responsibility.

Reporting, Publication, and Dissemination

Members must:

Report findings honestly and accurately
Acknowledge limitations
Credit contributors appropriately
Avoid misleading claims or overstatement

Participants’ dignity and rights must be respected when disseminating findings in academic, professional or public contexts.

Compliance and Breach

Failure to comply with this Code may constitute a breach of the CIEHF Member Conduct Rules and may result in investigation or disciplinary action.

Members must cooperate fully with any ethical or disciplinary process and take corrective action where concerns are identified.

Relationship to Other Codes

This Code should be read alongside:

The Code of Ethics and Conduct
The Member Conduct Rules
Relevant legal, regulatory, and professional guidance

Where members are subject to additional requirements through employers, institutions, regulators, funders, or another recognised professional body, those requirements must also be followed. Where standards differ, the higher ethical standard should be applied.

What to do if you have a concern

If you believe that a CIEHF member is in breach of this code of conduct, please email us for further advice.