CODE OF CONDUCT
1 Introduction
1.1 This Code of Conduct (the Code) is published by the Society’s Board of the Society of Dyers and Colourists (SDC) in accordance with its Governing Documents (ie The original 1963 Royal Charter, with amendments being approved over time and summarised in this 2005 document with further amendments in 2009, By-laws and Rules) and applies to all members of the SDC. It sets out expectations of behaviour that the SDC requires all members to adhere to.
1.2 This Code also applies to non-members in the circumstances set out in paragraph 2.3 below.
1.3 Any breach of this Code by a member shall be subject to the disciplinary procedures set out in the SDC Rules and referred to in paragraph 10 below.
2 Overview and applicability
2.1 Every member of the SDC, regardless of their role and area of responsibility, must uphold the SDC’s values of:
2.2 This Code applies to all members, at all times, whether or not undertaking SDC business or attending an SDC event. Without limiting the generality of the above, it will apply to a member acting on behalf of, or promoting the work of, the SDC, including, for example, members who volunteer for the SDC and members who engage in any form of online activity for the SDC. The SDC also requires the standards set out in this Code to be upheld by its members in all interactions with colleagues and members of the public, including at conferences, meetings, events, and other social activities (including at accommodation venues for any such activities), regardless of the capacity in which the member is attending.
2.3 In addition to members, the provisions of paragraph 5 (Treating all with dignity and respect) and paragraph 9 (Confidential reporting and self-reporting) of this Code apply also to non-members who attend meetings, conferences and other events, either hosted or sponsored by the SDC, or who otherwise engage with the SDC or its members.
Non-members who fail to comply with this Code as required above may (as appropriate):
(a) be asked to leave an event and potentially be prevented from attending any future meetings, conferences or other events hosted or sponsored by the SDC;
(b) be prevented from applying in the future for SDC membership or any SDC professional registration;
(c) be prevented from applying for any grants or awards administered or supported by the SDC; and/or
(d) be reported to SDC Group companies (including SDC Enterprises Limited), any relevant other professional body, and any regulator relevant to that non-member.
3 Professional conduct
3.1 Members are encouraged to:
(a) promote the study, application and understanding of the science of coloration;
(b) promote the work of colourists at every appropriate opportunity in their professional lives; and
(c) promote SDC’s drive for greater diversity in the science of coloration.
3.2 Members must:
(a) treat others with dignity and respect, act with integrity, and not intentionally bring the SDC, its staff or members, into disrepute;
(b) ensure that any professional activities do not unnecessarily put at risk the health, safety or welfare of any person, and must have due regard for the effects on the environment and for the sustainability of any resources;
(c) support a colleague or any other person for whom they have a duty of care who in good faith raises any concern about a danger, risk, malpractice or wrongdoing that affects others;
(d) strive to be objective, unbiased and truthful in all aspects of their work, exercising all reasonable due diligence, in presenting quality work to the best of their ability, by critically assessing the likelihood of experimental, methodological, systematic or human errors and avoiding bias or unfair influence;
(e) properly acknowledge and correct any technical errors in their work at the earliest opportunity, and never plagiarise nor claim the credit or benefit for the work of others, nor fabricate, falsify or misrepresent data or results;
(f) record the source material of their work in an auditable trail for the purposes of any professional scrutiny or quality-based verification, and ensure that those who have made a significant contribution to any piece of work are appropriately acknowledged;
(g) exhibit honesty, integrity and transparency when applying for grants, financial funding or project approval; and
(h) exemplify professional behaviour in relation to any content that they publish in the public domain, including, without limitation, articles, blogs, and all forms of social media.
The organisation wishes to portray a professional business image at all times. As a result, it operates minimum standards of dress and appearance, which require employees and members to dress in a manner that is suitable and appropriate, both within the workplace and when representing the SDC. Members and SDC staff will be expected to dress appropriately and extreme clothing or jewellery that does not meet this criteria must be avoided. Tattoos are increasingly common in the workplace and in public places. We ask that you are mindful of this fact and cover your tattoos where they display potentially offensive content. You may be asked to completely cover your tattoos depending on the nature of your work, the SDC event or the role you are performing.
4 Professional development
4.1 All non-retired Chartered Colourists who were awarded CCol status after September 2012 are required to undertake continuing professional development (CPD) activities to maintain and develop their competence and should encourage persons working under their direction, management or supervision to do likewise. All members of any category do have access to the CPD area of the SDC website and are encouraged to use that and undertake CPD. Members are asked to record evidence of CPD undertaken and to submit this to the SDC which is mandatory for all non-retired Chartered members who want to retain their professional registration.
4.2 The use of designatory letters by any person to which they are not entitled is prohibited. Members may state that they are a member of the SDC and are professionally registered, plus may use the SDC logo to signify their membership, but the coat of arms or seal must not be used, and members must not state or imply that they are acting on behalf of, or with the authority of, the SDC, except where they have express permission from the SDC to do so.
5 Treating all with dignity and respect
5.1 All members and non-members must treat everyone with dignity and respect and must not use their position, personal belief, or opinion, to bully, abuse, victimise, harass or unlawfully discriminate against any other person for any reason whatsoever, whether physically, verbally, through electronic means or in any other way.
5.2 The SDC will not tolerate harassment on any basis, including that which relates to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation, neurodivergence, social status, background, or actual or perceived intellect. Harassment is unacceptable even if it does not fall within any of the categories or examples set out in this Code.
5.3 Harassment can take many forms:
(a) Under the UK Government Equality Act 2010, it is defined as:
(i) unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic, which has the purpose or effect of violating an individual’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that individual; and
(ii) unwanted conduct of a sexual nature or that is related to gender reassignment or sex.
(b) Harassment can be physical, verbal, or non-verbal conduct and includes, but is not limited to, abusive spoken or written words, offensive emails, tweets or comments on social networking sites, offensive images or graffiti, and physical gestures or jokes. It also includes treating someone less favourably because they have submitted, or refused to submit, to such behaviour in the past.
5.4 Members and non-members must not recklessly or maliciously damage, or attempt to harm, directly or indirectly, the reputation, prospects, businesses or property of others.
5.5 Members and non-members must not advertise, nor write or publish in any manner, whether in physical copy or in a digital/multimedia format, any material that brings, or may bring, the SDC into disrepute, is derogatory, or could reasonably be expected to cause offence to any individual member or community of members, or to the dignity of their profession. Members and non-members must also not authorise any such material to be written or published by others.
6 Providing guidance or an opinion
6.1 Members who are called upon to give an opinion in their professional capacity must, to the best of their ability, give an opinion that is objective and based upon the best available knowledge and information, and must state clearly any limitations or qualifications to such opinion.
6.2 Members who believe that they have a professional or personal conflict of interest that may impair their ability to make objective judgment, must disclose such interests, where relevant, to their employer, the SDC and any relevant authority.
6.3 Members must not claim expertise or skill in any area of knowledge or professional practice in which they have insufficient qualifications or experience.
7 Trustee and other SDC elections
Any breach of the nomination, canvassing or election Rules for the Society’s Board Trustee elections or any other SDC election, and any false or misleading information in a candidate statement or election statement, or in a nomination form, shall be deemed to be a breach of this Code.
8 Other memberships and criminal convictions
8.1 A member who has had membership of another professional body terminated as the result of a disciplinary procedure must inform the SDC and must provide such information relating to the matter as the SDC may require.
8.2 A member convicted of a criminal offence, or in receipt of an adverse civil court or tribunal judgment related to any aspect of this Code, anywhere in the world, must inform the SDC, and must provide such information concerning the conviction or judgement as the SDC may require. This does not apply to an offence that is regarded as ‘spent’ within the meaning of the UK Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 or equivalent legislation elsewhere.
9 Confidential reporting and self-reporting
9.1 If any person (member or non-member) becomes aware of a breach of this Code, they may report the matter to the SDC Honorary Secretary who (in the case of a breach by a member) shall address such matter in accordance with the disciplinary procedures in the SDC Rules and (in the case of a breach by a non-member) shall address the matter in accordance with paragraph 2.3 above. If the matter involves the SDC Honorary Secretary then the matter should be reported to the SDC President.
9.2 Where a breach by a member of this Code is also a breach of their employer’s internal code of conduct, or the law, that member must inform the relevant employer/authorities of such a breach.
9.3 Where a member has breached their own employer’s code of conduct and that is also a breach of this Code, the member must self-report such breach to the SDC Honorary Secretary. Failure to make a self-report is, in itself, a breach of this Code.
9.4 If an individual feels that they have been harassed or discriminated against by a member or volunteer, or by an attendee at an SDC conference, meeting, or event (including, but not limited to, at the venue, accommodation and/or during any related social activities), or has witnessed this occurring, they are encouraged to report this to a member of the SDC’s staff at the conference or to the SDC Honorary Secretary, as soon as reasonably practicable. Any report will be treated sensitively, appropriately, and in a timely fashion.
9.5 Conference, meeting or event participants asked to stop any harassment or discriminatory behaviour are required to comply immediately. If a participant engages in harassment or discriminatory behaviour then, in addition to any other sanctions under this Code or the Regulations, the SDC/event organisers may take any necessary action including expulsion from the conference, meeting or event with no refund and/or refusal of future registration.
10 Disciplinary procedures
The SDC’s disciplinary procedures, as set out in the SDC Rules and other Governing documents, outline the process that will be followed in the event of this Code being breached by a member. The procedures have been created to ensure that all members are treated in a fair, reasonable and consistent manner. The procedures set out examples of misconduct, examples of issues which fall outside the remit of the Disciplinary Committee, and the action the Disciplinary Committee may take if a complaint is upheld. Further details about discipline and expulsion can be found in the SDC Rules.
Last updated: 21st June 2024 (v2.0)
The SDC also wish to acknowledge the kind permission of the Institute of Physics to use their developed and working Code of Conduct as a template, on which the above is based.