Ethical Conduct Self-Disclosure

The Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) has established an ethical conduct self-disclosure policy as part of its overall governance and programming structure. For the purposes of this policy, ethical conduct encompasses issues related to personal conduct, scientific research integrity, and financial management.

Persons who are being considered for an award or being nominated to a leadership position at SETAC have a duty to disclose to the Society the existence of any fact, situation, or circumstance that could be considered relevant to the decision whether to award the honor under the provisions of this policy. If an award or an honor is bestowed, individuals have a continuing duty to disclose. Failure to make a disclosure may result in the Society withholding, suspending, or revoking an award or honor, at the Society’s discretion.

SETAC finds that determined unethical conduct of an individual, as well as credible but undetermined questions about the ethical conduct, can contribute to longstanding structural and systemic barriers in the field. Consequently, SETAC has adopted this measure to reflect our belief that excellence in the field outweighs the individual. 

The Society will not confer any award or honor on any person whose ethical conduct is the subject of a credible question known to the Society unless, in its sole discretion, the question has been finally and favorably resolved to the Society’s satisfaction.  

Determined unethical conduct may justify suspension or revocation of an award or honor. In situations of credible but undetermined questions, which may justify suspension, the Society is withholding judgment and is not making a statement or determination regarding any individual, but rather, the Society is implementing a prophylactic measure.  

The Society’s conferral of an award or honor is an exercise of its discretion, not an obligation. The Society, in its discretion, may suspend or revoke an award or honor if its assessment of the recipient’s actual or potential impact on the field changes for any mission-driven reason.

Ethical Conduct Self-Disclosure Form

We request that candidates or nominees for awards or honors, such as leadership positions in governance (e.g., boards and council) or within the Society and its programs (e.g., publications and awards), review and sign the Ethical Conduct Self-Disclosure Form.