1. INTRODUCTION
AAPC Associate Consultants undertake to respect and ensure that their Members respect this CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT, whose provisions aim to achieve the highest level of performance, especially with regard to the quality and impartiality of the Consultants’ work, at their responsibilities to society and the fairness of competition and cooperation between them.
2. RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES TO THE PROFESSION
2.1. Consultants must only undertake work for which they are competent and capable, either on their own or in association with other Consultants, always seeking to elevate the dignity, level and reputation of the profession they exercise.
2.2. Consultants must be exclusively remunerated by their clients through fees or other forms of remuneration. They may not receive any other remuneration, direct or indirect, from any other source, without their written consent.
2.3. Consultants must keep accounts entirely separate from those relating to other companies or entities to which they are linked, so that all their costs, direct and indirect, are fully accounted for, thus levied entirely on fees or other forms of payment.
2.4. Whenever they are invited to compete, or present themselves to compete, Consultants must act loyally.
2.5. Consultants must not harm the reputation of other Consultants. They may, however, at the request of their clients, issue objective technical opinions, in reports or before any arbitration or judicial body.
2.6. Consultants shall not interfere in the work of other Consultants or seek to replace them without their Consent.
2.7. Consultants must not seek work using methods incompatible with the dignity of the profession they exercise, refraining from trying to harm the prestige of other Consultants.
3. RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES TO CUSTOMERS
3.1. Consultants must exclusively and impartially pursue the legitimate interests of their clients, to whom they will maintain full loyalty..
3.2. Consultants must maintain the highest level of competence and capacity, remaining attentive to scientific and technical developments in their fields of activity.
3.3. Consultants must immediately inform their clients of any limitations that may affect responsibilities that they propose to assume or have assumed.
3.4. Consultants must not reserve the exclusivity of their services to any client on a permanent basis.
3.5. Consultants must define or compete so that their services and corresponding conditions and remuneration are defined as clearly, carefully and completely as possible, seeking the best match between remuneration and the scope and specialization of their work.
3.6. The Consultants’ responsibilities and remuneration shall not be transferred to others without the written approval of the clients involved.
3.7. Consultants must not disclose confidential, technical or other data that they have obtained in carrying out their work without the authorization of interested clients. Nor should they use any information obtained in the exercise of their activity, to the detriment of their customers.
3.8. Consultants must immediately inform their clients of any links to interests that may affect the impartiality of their work, namely equity interests, direct or indirect links with contractors, suppliers or any other public or private entities.
3.9. The Consultant who is requested to arbitrate any conflict in which a client is involved must proceed with loyalty and impartiality, strictly within his/her competences and capabilities.
4. RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES TOWARD SOCIETY
4.1. Consultants must respect and apply all laws, technical or other regulations, codes, etc., specific to their profession or specialization. If they work outside the national territory, they will comply with the provisions in force in the countries where they work, respecting this CODE in cases where there are no applicable local provisions.
4.2. Consultants must respect the dignity, culture, religion and customs of the populations with which they come into contact.
4.3. Consultants must recognize and fulfill their duties towards society, the environment and the demands of sustainable development. Whenever they consider that their work is likely to affect the general interest, they must make their clients aware of this, persuading them to take the actions and measures to eliminate this situation.
4.4. Consultants must respect the personal and professional dignity of their colleagues and of all persons and entities with whom they interact.
5. GENERAL PROVISIONS
5.1. Unless contractual provision establishes otherwise, the copyright of all documents prepared by the Consultants in the performance of their activity remains their property.
5.2. Regardless of possible civil liability towards the injured parties, violations of the rules of this CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT may give rise to disciplinary liability before the AAPC
