Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 12, March 22, 2024
a) Geology is a profession the practice of
which requires scientific knowledge, professional experience and judgement and
personal responsibility. Each licensed professional geologist shall be guided
by the highest standards of business ethics, honesty, integrity, personal honor
and professional conduct in order to safeguard life, health and property, and
to promote the public welfare. The Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics
shall be binding upon every person holding licensure as a professional
geologist in the State of Illinois. Each licensed professional geologist shall:
1) Protect to the fullest extent the public
welfare and safety;
2) Not act in
any manner that will tend to bring discredit to the honor and dignity of
his/her profession;
3) Not
undertake any type of work with which he/she is not competent unless he/she
makes full disclosure of his/her lack of training and/or experience to the
appropriate parties prior to undertaking the work;
4) Not act for his/her client or employer
other than as a faithful agent or trustee and shall protect to the fullest the
interest of his/her employer and/or client so far as is consistent with the law
and his/her professional obligations and ethics;
5) Not use undue influence or offer
commissions or otherwise solicit professional work improperly;
6) Not voluntarily disclose information
concerning the lawful business affairs or technical processes of a client or
employer without his/her consent, provided that this subsection (a)(6) does not
operate to the detriment of public safety;
7) Not express an opinion that is not founded
upon knowledge and honest conviction nor yield to undue and improper
pressure;
8) Avoid
misrepresentations of his/her professional credentials and avoid false or
misleading claims of his/her capabilities;
9) Freely give credit for work done by others
to whom credit is due and will refrain from plagiarism in oral and written
communications, and not knowingly accept credit rightfully due another
geologist; and
10) Not review the
public geologic work of another geologist for the same client, except with the
knowledge of the other geologist, or unless the connection of the other
geologist with the work has been terminated.
b) It shall be the duty and professional
responsibility of every licensed geologist to uphold these standards or ethics
and to encourage other geologists by example and counsel to adhere to this
Code. A licensed geologist found by the Board to be in violation of this Code
of Professional Conduct may be subject to discipline.
