Standards of Conduct

I. Conflicts of interest and commitment
All Trustees and members of committees and working groups as well as senior staff (managers) must ensure that they disclose any personal interest that could conflict with the interests of the Association.

Trustees and members of Association committees or working groups should refrain from accepting similar positions in other societies with similar aims. If by any chance this happens, the Council will decide, case by case, if the person can keep the positions or if she/he must choose one or the other. Generally speaking, the following rules should be respected:  

• An Ex-Officio Trustee is not allowed to be an officer of another international society in nephrology or related fields, or a council member of another international society 

• An Ordinary Trustee is not allowed to be a council member of another major international nephrology society 

• A Chair of a Committee cannot be in a similar position of a Committee with similar aims in another international society 

The Council may remove a Trustee or committee or working group member from office if the Council determines that a conflict of interest cannot be satisfactorily managed, subject to any relevant provisions in the Constitution.

II. Ethical conduct of members

Members of the Association shall conduct themselves professionally in their dealings with or on behalf of the Association and shall not do anything to bring the reputation of the Association into disrepute.  

In particular, members of the Association shall: 

• Comply with all applicable laws relating to anti-bribery and anti-corruption  

• avoid personal and professional conduct that may adversely affect the Association or cause damage to its reputation 

• not offer, promise, pay, give or authorise any financial or other advantage on behalf of the Association that does or could reasonably be seen to induce any person to act improperly in the performance of a business, employment, public or official function 

• only hold themselves out as associated with the Association, or use its logo, where this is authorised by the Association 

• not use their membership of the Association as a means of conveying a level of competency or professional standard 

• not discriminate against, bully or harass others, including because of cultural differences, role differences, age, disability, education, ethnicity, gender, language, national origin, political beliefs, race, religion, sexual orientation, or marital, family status or socio-economic status 

• act in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (regarding research done on humans) and the Declaration of Istanbul (regarding organ trafficking and transplant tourism) 

• maintain the confidentiality of any confidential information disclosed to them by virtue of their role in the Association 

• inform the Association of any conflict of interest that could negatively affect the Association or the individual’s role within it and comply with any reasonable requirements of the Council in relation to the conflict  

• subject to any applicable laws, inform the Council without delay of any civil or criminal penalty against them that may cause reputational damage or otherwise negatively impact on the Association 

• if sentenced by any Court for any offence which may affect Association or cause damages (including reputational damages) to the Association (for such purpose, a plea-agreement or any similar alternative is considered equal to a Criminal Court decision: a first instance decision is equal to a final judgment), they must immediately resign from any position within any Association Committee/Board/Council, etc. and also from being an Association member. They can re-apply as an Association member only after the eventual sentence time has passed, but they will no longer be eligible for any position within any of the Association Committees/Boards/Council, etc. for at least 10 years: however, taking into account the interest of the Association in connection with the seriousness of the charges, the Council can decide to extend this 10-year ban 

Failure to comply with these rules may lead to the Council imposing sanctions, including restriction of benefits, or suspension or termination of membership. 

Last update: August 2023