Draft version 1.7 beta — Revised October 29, 2026
← Return to the table in Chapter 4, § 5
Non-disclosure of regulatory violations
A topic page linked from Chapter 4, § 5, Examples of Reported Violations of Enforceable Ethics Codes.
Definition
The obligation to report violations of regulatory violations is explicitly defined in several professional codes of ethics. Here are some examples:
AGU Scientific Code of Conduct and Professional Ethics part III section B11 — Reporting Irresponsible Research Practices:&ennsp;Members will take responsibility to act or interceded where possible to prevent misconduct. The procedures of thie Policy will be followed to report to AGU and suspected research msconduct, including fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, discriminaton, harassment, bulling, or other irresponsible research practices that undermine the trustworthiness of research and a professional environment for the conduct of research.
AIPG Code of Ethics Canon 2, Rule 2.3.1 — If a Member becomes aware of a decision or action by an employer, client, or colleague which violates any law or regulation, the Member shall advise against such action, and when such violation appears to materially affect the public health, safety, or welfare, shall advise the appropriate public officials responsible for the enforcement of such law or regulation.
ASBOG Model Rules and Regulations, Section 16., Code of Ethics part 16-3d — Each Professional Geologist (P.G.) shall not subscribe to, or endorse, a decision or action of an employer, client or colleague that violates any law or regulation or poses an imminent threat to the public health, safety, or welfare, and shall advise against such action(s). If the employer, client, or colleague fails to make a reasonable effort to notify the appropriate public officials, then the P.G. should do so
Ibid., part 16-11 — Obligation to Report Violations. Each Professional Geologist (P.G.) has the individual responsibility to abide by the Code of Ethics presented in this rule. Any complaints brought to the attention of the Board regarding a violation of this rule by a P.G. must be substantiated in writing with evidence of the violation. Further, any such complaint brought forth by a P.G. shall be protected from civil liability pursuant to the enabling Act...
AGU has taken the necessary further step of including language about members who report regulatory violations in good faith, as well as those whose reports of alleged misconduct are malicious.
AGU Scientific Code of Conduct and Professional Ethics part V — In AGU activities, scientific misconduct also extends to the following actions: covering up or concealing scientific misconduct, reprisals against those who report scientific misconduct (i.e., whistleblowers), malicious allegations of scientific misconduct, and violations of due process protections in handling allegations of scientific misconduct. Individuals who make false allegations, or make allegations of ethics code breaches in bad faith, will be subject to the same misconduct standards and recourse outlined in this Policy
ASBOG included failure to disclose regulatory violations as one of the 13 ethical issues in its Task Analysis surveys in 2010 and 2015, each of which was completed by a few thousand respondents—professional geoscientists and academics in the United States and Canada.5-7 The results of those surveys indicated that failure to disclose regulatory violations was considered a very serious problem.
Relevant provisions in geoethics codes
AGU – § IIIB11; AIPG – § 2.1.3; ASBOG – § 16.3d, 16-11.
Code Abbreviations
- AGU — American Geophysical Union, AGU Scientific Integrity and Professional Ethics (2023), Link to current document
- AIPG — American Institute of Professional Geologists, AIPG Code of Ethics (2019), Link to current document
- ASBOG — Association of State Boards of Geology, Model Rules and Regulations, Section 16, Code of Ethics (2019), Link to current document; see pages 27 to 29.