CIAT
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Code of Conduct (effective 01 May 2007)
This Code is published under the Charter, Byelaws and Regulations approved under the Grant of Royal Charter dated 22 July 2005.
The Code has been subsequently amended at the Annual General Meeting held on 18 November 2006. This edition of the Code became effective from 1 May 2007.
Introductory Note (The Introductory Note does not constitute part of the Code).
The object of this Code of Conduct is to promote the standard of conduct, or self-discipline, required of members of the Institute in the interest of the public. It aims to ensure:
(a) that all members conduct themselves in a manner consistent with that of a professional person;
(b) that one member does not gain an unfair advantage over another;
(c) that members do not misrepresent themselves;
(d) that the public may rely upon the Institute's members for their integrity and professionalism.
The Institute will not normally use its disciplinary procedures to determine allegations of incompetence or negligence, except where these relate to the procedural and administrative aspects of professional work.
All classes of members of the Institute are governed by the Charter, Byelaws and Regulations of the Institute and supplementary regulations as may be in force at any time.
All members must adhere to the Code of Conduct at all times and must endeavour to secure the widest possible acceptance of the Code by all member classes of the Institute. When it is alleged that a member of the Institute from any class of membership has acted in breach of the Code, the Executive Board shall refer the case for full investigation to the Conduct Committee who shall inform the member of the right to explain the circumstances. If the Conduct Committee considers that there is a case to answer, it shall report its findings to the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall be invited to endorse the decision of the Conduct Committee. The member or complainant will be provided with the right of appeal via an independent tribunal, except when the Conduct Committee has determined that there is no case to answer.
For the purposes of this Code, the Institute may hold a member acting through a body corporate of which he is a director or a member, responsible for the acts of that body and such a member shall so conduct the business of that body to comply with the Code of Conduct.
End of Introductory Note
The Code:
In this Code the words standing in the first column of the following table shall bear the meaning set opposite to them respectively in the second column if not inconsistent with the subject or context:
WORDS and MEANINGS:
“Institute”; The Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists.
“Board”; The Executive Board of the Institute
"Council"; The Electoral College and Strategic Forum of the Institute
“Conduct Committee”; The Committee is established to consider any charges against a member arising out of the Code of Conduct or any complaint against a member who has deemed to have conducted himself in a manner inconsistent with the status of a member of the Institute.
“Appeals Procedure”; An independent tribunal to consider appeals against a decision by the Conduct Committee following a hearing where a charge has been proven.
“In writing”; Written, printed or lithographed or partly one or partly another or produced by any other modes of representing or reproducing words in a visible form.
“candidates”; means those members accepted into the class of profile membership.
"members"; printed entirely in lower case type means a Chartered Member, Associate, Technician, Profile candidate, or Student, or all classes.
"Members"; commencing with the letter "M" in upper case type, means Chartered Members of the Institute.
a “client"; shall be any person or body who commissions a service or services from a member.
a “Director”; is a Director of a company incorporated under the Companies Acts 1948 to 1985.
an “ LLP member”; is a member of a Limited Liability Partnership incorporated under the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2000.
a “Partner”; is a Partner in a partnership constituted under the Partnerships Act 1890.
Words importing the singular number only shall include the plural number and vice versa.
Words importing the masculine gender only shall include the feminine gender.
Words importing persons shall include corporations.
Clause 1:
The members shall at all times:
a) act with integrity so as to uphold the standing and reputation of the Institute;
b) act faithfully and honourably in their professional responsibilities;
c) rely solely on merit to secure commissions and appointments;
d) not seek directly or indirectly to injure the professional reputation of another; and
e) not knowingly misrepresent the views of the Institute or their professional qualification.
Clause 2:
a) Only Members shall describe themselves as Chartered Architectural Technologists and use the designation MCIAT.
b) Only Members shall practise as sole practitioners, Partners, Directors, and LLP members and advertise their membership of the Institute as a professional qualification.
c) Profile candidates may practise as sole practitioners, Partners, Directors, or LLP members but shall not advertise or make reference to their membership of the Institute
d) Technician, Associate, or Student members may advertise their services in the professional services columns of publications to undertake sub contract work or work sharing with or for other Institute members, or other professionals within the construction process provided that such information is factual and in good faith.
Clause 3:
a) Those members in private practice shall take reasonable precautions to ensure that no conflict of interest arises between their clients and themselves.
b) Employed members shall take reasonable precautions to disclose to their employer any conflict of interest which arises between themselves and their employer.
c) Any members perceiving a potential conflict of interest shall report that conflict in writing to their clients or employer at the earliest opportunity.
Clause 4:
a) Only those members awarded the suffix MCIAT shall describe themselves as Chartered Architectural Technologists or architectural technologists, unless:
i) the Executive Board approves either generally or specifically the use of any other description, or;
ii) those Members possess other qualifications or perform other functions which allow the use of other descriptions.
b) Only those members awarded the suffix TCIAT shall describe themselves as architectural technicians, unless:
i) the Executive Board approves either generally or specifically the use of any other description, or;
ii) those members possess other qualifications or perform other functions which allow the use of other descriptions.
Clause 5:
The Members or Profile candidates in private practice as sole practitioners, Partners Directors or LLP members shall obtain formal registration with the Institute.
Clause 6:
a) Those members who provide services directly to a client shall obtain and maintain adequate professional indemnity insurance.
b) Those members who are Directors or LLP members who provide services directly to a client shall ensure that adequate professional indemnity insurance is obtained and maintained on behalf of either that company or their Limited Liability Partnership.
c) Those members who, as sole practitioners, Partners, Directors or LLP members have ceased to provide services directly to clients shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that adequate run off professional indemnity insurance cover is in place.
Clause 7:
The Members and Profile candidates in providing a professional service shall:
a) on accepting instructions from clients, endeavour to ensure that services offered are appropriate to the clients’ requirements;
b) before commencing work on any commission, endeavour to ensure that their terms of engagement have been given in writing to the client and shall satisfy themselves that those terms have been accepted;
c) endeavour to ensure that the clients’ existing professional advisors (if any) have been consulted and that all responsibilities to those persons have been appropriately discharged;
d) not misrepresent the services available;
e) decline to provide a service to their clients if they knowingly lack adequate resources or, if appropriate, advise or recommend the necessity of assistance from a suitably qualified professional; and
f) if desired in the case of Members only, obtain an Institute licence for the use of its logo.
Clause 8:
The members (excluding Student members) shall:
a) keep themselves informed of current practices and developments appropriate to the type and level of their responsibilities; and
b) be able to provide evidence that they have complied with the current guidelines for continuing professional development (CPD).
Clause 9:
The members shall:
a) report to the Institute any alleged breaches of this Code by themselves of which they become aware; and
b) not at any time seek to dissuade penalise or in any way discourage any person from bringing a complaint against a member.
Clause 10:
The members who are the subject of an investigation by the Institute of an alleged breach of this Code shall use their best endeavours to assist in that investigation at their own cost.
Clause 11:
Immediately upon ceasing to be members of the Institute, members shall return their certificates of membership to the Institute and they shall take all reasonable steps to prevent third parties describing them as members.
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