Geoscience professionals are called upon by employers, government bodies, special interest groups, and lawyers, among others, to provide geoscience opinion which will affect their employers, markets, the public, other geoscientists and the environment. In order to provide guidance to geoscience professionals, various geoscience bodies have created Codes of Ethics. For those geoscience bodies that are legislated, the Codes of Ethics are enforceable through a legislated Complaints and Discipline process, which includes consequences up to and including the loss of the right to practice geoscience. Other geoscience bodies may also have a Complaint and Discipline process which may include the loss of a right to title and loss of membership.

Codes of Ethics may be used by all geoscientists, whether they belong to one of the geoscience professional bodies or learned organisations or not. These Codes are available to help guide the practicing geoscientist. The Codes will also provide information to interested members of the public on the ethical decisions they may expect from geoscience professionals.

View example Codes of Ethics on the Resources Page