1. Homepage
  2. Membership
  3. Code of Conduct
1. Conduct towards RSPH and its Members
  • Members shall comply with the Rules of the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) and the provisions of this Code of Conduct.
  • Members shall not engage in conduct, which may prejudice the reputation of RSPH.
  • Members shall not falsely or maliciously attempt to injure the reputation of another Member.
  • Members shall not refuse a reasonable request from another Member for information or guidance.
2. Conduct towards the public
  • Members have a responsibility to serve the worldwide public interest in health, education and welfare. They shall actively be concerned with the health and welfare of colleagues, consumers and the wider community. In their professional capacities, Members shall seek to advance public knowledge and understanding of health matters.
  • Members shall only offer to do work or provide a service, which is within their professional competence and shall not claim competence, which they do not possess. Any professional opinion they give shall be objective and reliable.
  • Members shall not make public statements in their professional capacity unless appropriately qualified and authorised to do so, and shall have due regard to the likely consequences of any statement on others.
  • Members shall not misrepresent or withhold information on the capabilities of products, systems or services with which they are concerned or take advantage of the lack of knowledge or inexperience of others.
  • Members shall in their professional practice have regard to basic human rights and shall avoid any actions that adversely affect such rights.
  • Members shall not knowingly disseminate material, which appears to encourage discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, creed, disability, gender or sexual orientation. It shall not be regarded as promoting such material to divulge it for the purpose of studying the subject of that discrimination.
  • Members shall comply with the law in the country, in which they reside and/or work
  • Members shall not knowingly engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation.
3. Conduct within the Member’s Profession
  • Members shall not knowingly engage in conduct, which may prejudice the reputation of their profession.
  • Members shall remain current with developments in their field, share ideas and information, keep accurate and complete records, maintain integrity in all conduct and publications, and give due credit to the contributions of others.
  • Members shall conform to recognised good practice including quality standards, which are in their judgement relevant, and shall encourage their associates to do likewise.
  • Members shall seek to upgrade their professional knowledge and skill, maintain awareness of relevant developments, procedures and standards, and encourage their associates to do likewise.
  • Members shall act with integrity towards members of their own and other professions with whom they are concerned in a professional capacity and shall avoid engaging in any activity which is incompatible with their professional status.
  • Members shall support fellow members in their professional development and, where possible, provide opportunities for the development of new entrants to the profession.
4. Conduct towards Employers
  • Members shall promote and protect the legitimate interests of their employers, perform work honestly and competently, fulfil obligations, and safeguard proprietary information.
  • Members shall fulfil to the best of their ability the contractual obligations owed to their employer. Where circumstances arise in which the public interest or the reputation of the profession may be at variance with the interests of an employer, the public interest and the maintenance of professional standards shall be the Member’s primary considerations.
5. Conduct towards Employees
  • Members shall treat employees with respect for their professionalism and concern for their well being, provide them with a safe working environment, award them fair recompense for their work, and give them credit for their contributions.
6. Conduct towards Students
  • Members shall regard the tutelage of students as a trust conferred by society for the promotion of the student's learning and professional development. Each student shall be treated respectfully.
7. Conduct towards Clients
  • Members shall serve clients faithfully, respect confidentiality, advise honestly, and charge fairly.
  • Members shall avoid any situation that may give rise to a conflict of interest between themselves and their client and shall make Ordinary and immediate disclosure to the client if any such conflict should occur.
8. Responsibility for the Environment
  • Members shall consider and anticipate the environmental consequences of their work. Members shall act to avoid pollution and to protect the environment.