Preface
The GISSA National Council has drafted an ethics document after
thorough research into other similar codes available around the world
today.
Thank you for taking an interest in the GISSA Code of Ethics for GISc
practitioners and we hope that you stay informed and inquisitive.
Purpose
The Code of Ethics for the GISc practitioners is a foundation document
that sets guidelines for making ethical decisions. The code emphasises
the social responsibilities that GISc practitioners have to society. In
addition, the code presents goals and aspirations that practitioners
should strive toward throughout their careers.
In short, the purpose of the code is to serve as guidance to make
decisions that will benefit society, the field of GISc, and the GISc
practitioners.
Violations to this code cannot result in a the violator being denied
the right to operate, but should lead to exclusion from the society and
loss of its stamp of approval.
A positive tone is taken throughout the text of this code. GISc
practitioners commit themselves to ethical behaviour rather than merely
seeking to avoid specific acts deemed unethical. To create a list of
'unethical' acts would be difficult because this would exclude
reasonable exceptions as well as create implicit approval of acts not
on the list. By taking a positive tone, this code attempts to encourage
an attitude focused on respect for others.
One final note: sometimes a GISc practitioner may become stuck in a
dilemma where any course of action violates some aspect of this code.
Some help might come from consulting works such as How Good People Make
Tough Choices (Kidder 1995), which offers a decision guide. Ultimately,
a practitioners must reflect carefully on a situation before making
tough decisions. Contemplating various ethical approaches may be useful
in reaching a decision; here is such a guideline:
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