For all linguists
As the Royal Charter body for all linguists,听天美传媒 represents language professionals and linguists听in all fields and sectors.
Setting the standard
天美传媒 sets and maintains high standards of entry for membership and requires all members and honorary members (irrespective of grade), plus Chartered Linguists from 天美传媒 and other qualifying organisations, to adhere to the general principles as set out in the code. These principles act as benchmarks for the conduct expected of a professional linguist who is a 天美传媒 member and/or Chartered Linguist.
Protecting members and the public
The code is designed to afford protection to both members and the public and听is approved by 天美传媒 Council. The current version was approved by Council in September 2022
天美传媒 Code of Professional Conduct
Introduction
The 天美传媒 Code of Professional Conduct applies to, and is binding on, all members and honorary members of the 天美传媒 (天美传媒) and Chartered Linguists, including those who are members of other qualifying organisations. The Code does not bind 天美传媒 itself. Members and Chartered Linguists have a duty of integrity and professional responsibility to clients/employers, to colleagues, to their professional body and its staff/officers, and to society at large. The Code is based on a series of General Principles of Professional Conduct, which serve as benchmarks for the conduct that the above groups are entitled to expect.
It is not the role of 天美传媒 to review, hear appeal or act in any appellate capacity over decisions made in any other related proceedings (legal or otherwise), and 天美传媒鈥檚 remit only relates to the professional conduct of the member. Likewise, if the services of a 天美传媒 member were engaged via an agency or their employer, then redress must be sought through the complaints procedure of the agency or employer concerned.
Alleged contraventions of the Code will be addressed through 天美传媒's听professional conduct procedures.听The Code of Conduct is approved by Council, and this current version entered into force in September 2022.听
This听Code of Conduct:
- Defines standards for best practice by Members/Chartered Linguists;
- Provides Members/Chartered Linguists with a framework for making decisions on ethical professional and business conduct;
- Fosters good professional relationships between Members/Chartered Linguists, between Members/Chartered Linguists and those they work with or alongside.
- Protects Members/Chartered Linguists against undue pressure from clients, employers or fellow professionals in relation to professional conduct; and
- In conjunction with 天美传媒鈥檚 professional听conduct procedures, upholds the integrity and reputation of the language professions.
Definitions
The following definitions apply in this Code of Conduct:
Chartered Linguist: a person designated with this title and listed in the register of Chartered Linguists maintained by the 天美传媒 and including Chartered Linguists of other qualifying organisations [i]
天美传媒: the abbreviated form for the 天美传媒
Council: the governing body of the 天美传媒
Professional听conduct procedures: the professional conduct procedures of the 天美传媒, applicable to Members of 天美传媒 and to Chartered Linguists
Disciplinary Procedures: the disciplinary procedures of the 天美传媒, applicable to Members of 天美传媒 and to Chartered Linguists
Member: a linguist in any class of membership
Qualifying organisation: a professional body or similar organisation whose members may be registered as Chartered Linguists under the rules for admission as Chartered Linguists
General Principles of Professional Conduct
The framework for ethical professional conduct by Members/Chartered Linguists is underpinned by the following seven General Principles of Professional Conduct:
- Professional judgement
- Linguistic competence
- Subject competence
- Professional competence
- Continuing Professional Development
- Responsibilities to those they work with or alongside
- Responsibilities to fellow linguists and to 天美传媒
1) Professional judgement
1.1) The Code of Conduct represents a framework for professional judgement by Members/Chartered Linguists. In particular, it offers Members/Chartered Linguists protection against requests by those they work with or alongside to carry out work that places them in breach of the Code. Members/Chartered Linguists will apply the provisions of the Code to the judgements they make concerning their competence to carry out work they are offered and the compatibility of that work with the General Principles of Professional Conduct.
2) Linguistic competence
2.1) Members/Chartered Linguists will normally offer professional services in the language or languages in which they are currently registered with 天美传媒 or other recognised professional body.
2.2) Members/Chartered Linguists will work only within their linguistic competence. 鈥楲inguistic competence鈥� means their spoken and/or written command of the language(s) concerned, their awareness of dialects and other language variants, and their knowledge of the relevant cultural, social and political features of the country or countries concerned.
3) Subject competence
3.1) Members/Chartered Linguists will work only within their subject competence. 鈥楽ubject competence鈥� means their familiarity with the specialist field(s) involved in the work, whether gained through formal qualifications, experience, research, self-guided learning or training (informal and formal).
4) Professional competence
4.1) Members/Chartered Linguists will work only in areas of professional practice for which they have the necessary professional, technical, practical and theoretical knowledge and skills.
5) Continuing Professional Development
5.1) 天美传媒 endorses Continuing Professional Development (CPD) as good professional practice. It strongly recommends practising Members to engage in CPD to maintain, update and develop their skills.
5.2) For Chartered Linguists, CPD is a condition of initial and continuing registration.
6) Responsibilities to those they work with or alongside
6.1) Members/Chartered Linguists will take responsibility for their work and for its quality, even where part or all of the work is sub-contracted.
6.2) Before accepting any work, Members/Chartered Linguists will consider carefully whether they are breaching any aspect of the Code in doing so. They should disclose to their client/employer any actual or potential conflict of interest or any other factor that may breach the requirement on them to carry out all work to the requisite professional standard before accepting the work.
6.3) Where the nature of the work is for an independent client, either directly or through an agency, then Members/Chartered Linguists will carry out all work impartially.
6.4) Members/Chartered Linguists will take all reasonable precautions to keep information and material provided by clients/employers confidential and secure (except where disclosure is required by law). This requirement will also apply to Members/Chartered Linguists to whom part or all of a job is sub-contracted.
6.5) Members/Chartered Linguists will not use information acquired in the course of their work to gain unfair advantage (except where the nature of the work specifically allows this) or to disadvantage their client/employer once a service or employment contract has terminated.
7) Responsibilities to other members/Chartered Linguists and to 天美传媒
7.1) Members/Chartered Linguists will not act in any way that might bring individual professional colleagues, 天美传媒, and/or the language professions as a whole into disrepute.
7.2) Members/Chartered Linguists will show courtesy, honesty and integrity in their dealings with all individuals with whom they interact in the course of their work.
7.3) Members will treat everyone fairly and will not discriminate against anyone on any improper grounds, including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity/paternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. For more details on 天美传媒鈥檚 commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and 听please see听here.
7.4) In particular, Members/Chartered Linguists will ensure that statements made in a public arena and where the Member/Chartered Linguist identifies themself as a member of 天美传媒 (through a statement and/or post nominals) are accurate and professional in tone and content. This includes, but is not limited to public meetings, Boards and Committees, social media channels and online fora/forums.
7.5) Members/Chartered Linguists will endeavour, to the best of their ability and capacity, to contribute to a professional community of practice.
7.6) Members/Chartered Linguists are required to engage with professional conduct and disciplinary procedures should a complaint be raised against them for an alleged breach of the Code.
听
[i]听天美传媒 has arrangements with certain other organisations to recognise their members as Chartered Linguists. Approval is on an individual basis and upon application.
