Society for Underwater Technology – Ethical standards for Members and Branches

1.  Individuals and Branches recognise that the principal aims of the Society are to disseminate knowledge and learning in the area of underwater technology,  to promote such dissemination in an open and unbiased manner, to ensure as far as possible that we cover all relevant technical and scientific disciplines, and to treat all sectors of the relevant industries equally.

2.  Individual Members and Fellows, and Officers and committee members of Branches undertake their responsibility to organise and manage their Branches, Special Interest Groups and other SUT activities on a purely voluntary basis and without expectation of deriving personal gain or advantage.

3. Officers and committee members of Branches act as independent persons, not corporate representatives, and will not seek gain or advantage for their employer or any business interest with which they are associated.

4. Officers of Branches and members of Special Interest Groups will ensure that any monies held are at all times secure and accounted for.

5.  A Branch or Special Interest Group will not act as a trade association or otherwise promote the commercial aims of its members, sponsors, partners or any one sector of the industry.

6.  A Branch or Special Interest Group will take care in selecting partners with whom they work to see that such partners are not thereby able to exert an influence that will damage or curtail the independence of the Branch or Special Interest Group or prejudice its ethical and professional standards.

7.  In undertaking activities such as meetings, conferences, training courses or similar, the Branch or Special Interest Group will organise the commercial aspects of such activities in an honest, fair, straightforward, and transparent manner.

8. Individuals, Branches & Special Interest Groups will endeavour to ensure that all SUT activities are undertaken to the highest professional standards and will ensure that these activities are not used for overt commercial promotion.  Commercial organisations may sponsor activities provided this is limited to a small promotional presence only. This principle may need to be modified on a case-by-case basis when a major exhibition or conference is run or sponsored in partnership with a commercial organisation.    

9. Members, Fellows, Branches & Special Interest Groups will respect the rights and reputations of members and attendees at events and business meetings, creating an environment where diversity of race, gender, sexuality, religion and other sources of discrimination are accepted without disrespectful comment and action, and where members behave with integrity and objectivity, to uphold the highest professional standards in keeping with our status as an International Learned Society and our responsibility as good citizens of our respective countries.

10. Membership will be reviewed for individuals found guilty of criminal offences, fraud, bankruptcy or other actions that may impact of the professional reputation of the Society, on a case by case basis.

Updated December 2019