PRESS RELEASE | BRUSSELS | 6 DECEMBER 2016
European Federation of Geologists (EFG) joins other organisations speaking out against sexual harassment
An update to the EFG Code of Ethics (Regulation C1) was unanimously approved and agreed upon by the EFG Council at its 72nd meeting held in Brussels on 19 and 20 November 2016. This important update relates to the maintenance of a high level of professionalism in a working environment. This is particularly pertinent as geoethics and professionalism are core objectives of the EFG.
Through consultation with and much appreciated cooperation and contributions from Silvia Peppoloni (IAPG – International Association for Promoting Geoethics) and Jesús Martínez-Frías (IAGETH – International Association for Geoethics), the following addition has been made to the EFG’s Code of Ethics:
“(…) Working environment
1. A respectful and fruitful working environment is fundamental for maintaining a high level of professionalism. Therefore, discrimination or harassment, either sexual or of any other kind, is unacceptable because it offends the dignity of persons and seriously undermines the atmosphere of trust essential to the work of all geologists. Such actions should be denounced immediately to authorities. It is unprofessional and unethical to condone any kind of discrimination or harassment or to disregard complaints of harassment from colleagues or staff. (…)”
For more information, the EFG Statutes and Regulations are available at the following link:
https://eurogeologists.eu/statutesregulations
The approach adopted by EFG is fully in line with recent initiatives by several scientific societies speaking out against sexual harassment. Amongst others, leaders from scientific and professional societies, government agencies, and academia gathered in Washington DC in September 2016 to discuss the challenge of sexual and gender-based harassment in the sciences. This meeting was convened by the American Geophysical Union (AGU) following several recent cases of harassment in the field of sciences. As an outcome, AGU recently published the “Draft Organizational Principles for Addressing Harassment”, a set of guidelines for organisations willing to affirm their opposition against harassment.
About EFG: The European Federation of Geologists is a non-governmental organisation that was established in 1981 and includes today 26 national association members. EFG is a professional organisation whose main aims are to contribute to a safer and more sustainable use of the natural environment, to protect and inform the public and to promote a more responsible exploitation of natural resources. EFG’s members are National Associations whose principal objectives are based in similar aims. The guidelines to achieve these aims are the promotion of excellence in the application of geology and the creation of public awareness of the importance of geoscience for the society.
More information: www.eurogeologists.eu and http://harassment.agu.org/
Contact: EFG Executive Director Isabel Fernández Fuentes (isabel.fernandez@eurogeologists.eu) and EFG Communication Officer Anita Stein (anita.stein@eurogeologists.eu).
This press release is also available in PDF format.
