TURPA Code of Ethics
April, 1997

Preamble
To comply with the purpose of the Toxics Use Reduction Statutes (310 CMR 50.00-50.59 and 310 CMR 40.00-40.05), and to maintain a high standard of integrity and practice, the Toxics Use Reduction Planners Association Board of Directors has developed a Code of Ethical Conduct for Toxics Use Reduction (TUR) Planners.

This Code of Ethical Conduct shall be binding on Massachusetts certified TUR Planners. Certified individuals are referred to hereinafter as TUR Planners.

TUR Planners are obligated to be familiar with the Toxics Use Reduction Statutes and this Code of Ethical Conduct.

TUR Planners shall recognize their responsibility to the public and shall represent themselves before public only in an objective and truthful manner.

This Code of Ethical Conduct delineates specific obligations the TUR Planner should meet. In addition, each TUR Planner is charged with the responsibility of adhering to standards of highest ethical and moral conduct in all aspects of toxics use reduction planning or preparation for such practice. TURPA Bylaws allow the TURPA Board (by majority vote) the right to dismiss any planner from TURPA for cause.

Practice under Toxics Use Reduction Planning Statutes is a privilege, as opposed to a right. All TUR Planners shall exercise their privilege of practicing by performing services only in the areas of their competence according to current TUR planning standards.

TUR Planners shall avoid conflicts of interest and faithfully serve the legitimate interests of their employers, clients, and customers within the limits defined by this code. The professional reputation of TUR Planners shall be built on the merit of their services and they should not compete unfairly with others.
I. Obligation to Society
a. TUR Planners, in the performance of their services for clients, employers and customers, shall be cognizant that their first and foremost responsibility is to protect the environment and public health through toxics use reduction planning.

b. TUR Planners shall approve only those plans that satisfy the requirements of 310 CMR 50.40 and demonstrate a good faith and reasonable effort to identify and evaluate toxics use reduction options.

c. TUR Planners shall notify their employer or client and such other authority as may be appropriate when their professional judgment is overruled under circumstances where life, health, property, or welfare of the public or environment is endangered.

d. TUR Planners shall be objective and truthful in professional reports, statements, or testimony. They shall include all relevant and pertinent information in such reports, statements, or testimony.

e. TUR Planners shall express a professional opinion publicly only when it is founded upon an adequate knowledge of the facts and a competent evaluation of the subject matter. Personal opinions not fully sanctioned by the Toxics Use Reduction Planners Association (TURPA) should be attributed as such.

f. TUR Planners shall issue no statements, criticisms, or arguments on matters which are inspired or paid for by interested parties, unless they explicitly identify the interested parties on whose behalf they are speaking, and reveal any interest they have in the matters.

g. TUR Planners shall not permit the use of their name or firm name by, nor associate in business ventures with, any person or firm where the planner has knowledge that the person or firm is engaged in fraudulent or dishonest business or professional practices.


II. Obligation to Employer and Clients
a. TUR Planners shall strive to keep Massachusetts businesses competitive while advancing innovation in toxics use reduction and toxics use management.

b. TUR Planners shall undertake assignments only when qualified by education or experience in the specific fields of TUR planning involved.

c. TUR Planners shall not reveal facts, data or information obtained in a professional capacity without the prior consent of the client or employer except as authorized or required by law.

d. TUR Planners shall not solicit or accept financial or other valuable consideration, directly or indirectly, from contractors, their agents, or other parties in connection with work for employers or clients.

e. TUR Planners shall make full prior disclosures to their employers or clients of potential conflicts of interest or other circumstances which would influence or appear to influence their judgment or the quality of their service. This includes any financial interest a TUR Planner has in any technique or equipment evaluated in the toxics use reduction plan; and, any business association, affiliation, or other relationship a TUR Planner has with a direct competitor of the client or employer.

f. TUR Planners shall not accept compensation, financial or otherwise, from more than one party for services pertaining to the same project, unless the circumstances are fully disclosed and agreed to by all interested parties.

g. If a TUR Planner comes across public or private information marked confidential, the TUR Planner should bring it to the attention of the owner and/or agency and not review such information unless he/she is authorized to do so.


III. Obligation to TUR Planners
a. TUR Planners shall not falsify or permit misrepresentation of their, or their associates', academic or professional qualifications. They shall not misrepresent or exaggerate their degree of responsibility in prior assignments nor the complexity of said assignments. Presentations incident to the solicitation of employment or business shall not misrepresent pertinent facts concerning employers, employees, associates, joint ventures or past accomplishments.

b. TUR Planners shall not offer, give, solicit or receive, either directly or indirectly, any commission, or gift, or other valuable consideration in order to secure work and shall not make any contribution (political or private) with the intent to influence the award of a contract.

c. TUR Planners shall not attempt to injure, maliciously or falsely, directly or indirectly, the professional reputation, prospects, practice or employment of other TUR Planners, nor indiscriminately criticize other TUR Planners' work.

d. TUR Planners shall recognize and give proper attribution to use of third party source material presented in professional reports, seminars, testimony, statements, or meetings.

e. A TUR Planner shall not use non-public information obtained in the course of his/her work for unfair competitive advantage.

Sources used to compile this TUR Planner Code of Ethics:

• TUR Planner Statutes and TUR Planner Curriculum guidance on TUR Planner ethics

• National Engineering Code of Ethics

• Maine Professional Engineers Code of Ethics

• TURPA Bylaws

• TURPA Board of Directors and member comments