Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions at IIT

of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing

Honesty, justice, and courtesy form a moral philosophy which, associated with mutual interest among people, should be the principles on which ethics are founded.

Each person who is engaged in the use, development, and improvement of the mapping sciences (Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing, Geographic Information Systems, and related disciplines) should accept those principles as a set of dynamic guides for conduct and a way of life rather than merely for passive observance. It is an inherent obligation to apply oneself to one’s profession with all diligence and in so doing to be guided by this

Code of Ethics.
Accordingly, each person in the mapping sciences profession shall have full regard for achieving excellence in the practice of the profession and the essentiality of maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct in responsibilities and work for an employer, all clients, colleagues and associates, and society at large, and shall . . .

1. Be guided in all professional activities by the highest standards and be a faithful trustee or agent in all matters for each client or employer.
2. At all times function in such a manner as will bring credit and dignity to the mapping sciences profession.
3. Not compete unfairly with anyone who is engaged in the mapping sciences profession by:

a. Advertising in a self-laudatory manner;
b. Monetarily exploiting one’s own or another’s employment position;
c. Publicly criticizing other persons working in or having an interest in the mapping sciences;
d. Exercising undue influence or pressure, or soliciting favors through offering monetary inducements.

4. Work to strengthen the profession of mapping sciences by:

a. Personal effort directed toward improving personal skills and knowledge;
b. Interchange of information and experience with other persons interested in and using a mapping science, with other professions, and with students and the public;
c. Seeking to provide opportunities for professional development and advancement of persons working under his or her supervision;
d. Promoting the principle of appropriate compensation for work done by person in their employ.

5. Undertake only such assignments in the use of mapping sciences for which one is qualified by education, training, and experience, and employ or advise the employment of experts and specialists when and whenever clients’ or employers’ interests will be best served thereby.
6. Give appropriate credit to other persons and/or firms for their professional contributions.
7. Recognize the proprietary, privacy, legal, and ethical interests and rights of others. This not only refers to the adoption of these principles in the general conduct of business and professional activities, but also as they relate specifically to the appropriate and honest application of photogrammetry, remote sensing, geographic information systems, and related spatial technologies. Subscribers to this code shall not condone, promote, advocate, or tolerate any organization’s or individual’s use of these technologies in a manner that knowingly contributes to:

a. deception through data alteration;
b. circumvention of the law;
c. transgression of reasonable and legitimate expectation of privacy.