Ethics for futurists is in the air right now.

It pops up in the various listserv conversations and is (part of) the subject of an upcoming white paper being co-authored by several APF members.
As a professional engineer in the state of Texas I am subject to ethics that are codified in law. The general topics are:

  • Licensure
  • Professional Services Procurement
  • Protection of the Public
  • Objectivity and Truthfulness
  • Competency
  • Confidentiality
  • Responsibility to the Profession
  • Geographic area of Action

If you are a member of NAPFA (National Association of Personal Financial Advisors) your code of ethics covers:

  • Objectivity
  • Confidentiality
  • Competence
  • Fairness and Suitability
  • Integrity and Honesty
  • Regulatory Compliance
  • Full Disclosure
  • Professionalism

And as an Advocates Inc.[1] employee you would work within a code of ethics with these characteristics:

  • Governance by a Board representative of the people they serve
  • Avoidance of Conflict of Interest (real or perceived)
  • Financially responsible with entrusted resources
  • Transparent
  • Ethical Fundraising
  • Competence (operating within their sphere of institutional expertise)
  • HR management that is inclusive of all people
  • Reasonable compensation for the Chief Executive

[1] Advocates.Inc is a 1000 member human services in Massachusetts, USA www.advocatesinc.org
Also, Wikipedia offers the following topics as common for Professional Ethics:

  • Honesty
  • Integrity
  • Transparency
  • Accountability
  • Confidentiality
  • Objectivity
  • Respectfulness
  • Obedience to the law

Of course as futurists we would, no doubt, be bound by Dator’s, Clarke’s, and/or O’Hara-Deveraux’s laws or perhaps the 12 laws of Thomas Frey (tongue in cheek).
At the University of Houston, Future Studies program we have an exercise in the Proseminar course to write a futurist code of ethics. Other schools have similar items/topics in their curricula.
What are your top items to be included for ethics for futurists?

  • Do no harm?
  • Expose your perspectives?

My hope is for a comment or two…
We’ll See You In the Future!
#4FUTR