Professional conduct and ethics
Because the research is carried out in parts of the world that are unfamiliar to its researchers, the Institute requires that they adhere to particularly demanding rules of ethics and professional conduct.
That is the reason for the in-house consultative committee on professional conduct and ethics (CCDE).
Research in partnership with Southern countries – countries with different histories, different cultures and forms of social organisation from ours – requires us to know about the other, listen to them, take their expectations into account and no doubt be particularly attentive to the ethical side, though perhaps not adopt a particular ethic.
Deontology is about rules governing conduct in a given profession. The activities connected with a research institute’s various missions – research, consultancy, evaluation, training, communication – are based on precisely formulated rules. But it is not always easy to apply the rules, especially in an international situation where competition is fierce.
Also, research conducted in partnership can put a scientist in a situation where interests conflict, for example between the policy of the host country and the recommendations that follow from the results of the research.
On all these questions arising from researchers’ day to day practice, the committee is regularly asked to reflect and offer partial answers that will help the research
teams in their work.
