Preamble, Scope and Coverage

ISABS ethics framework is, as the title suggests, a framework or a set of guidelines to support and promote the integrity of professional members and therefore of participants of ISABS programmes. To achieve common tasks, promote professionalism and excellence, we need to have common values, and design structures and processes to give effect to these values in practice. The framework of ethics would be a baseline document to arrive at greater clarity on the above. However, it is not a rigid or absolute set of rules but an ongoing process of search and review emerging out of our values and our accumulating experience.

Understanding and internalising the spirit of this framework is perhaps most important because only then will it translate in living ways into structures, systems, and processes in our programmes and services, professional development and our vision for the future.

We would like to emphasize that this process is never "completed" and that it is one of constant dialoguing, self-search and meaning-making simultaneously at the level of the individual and the institution. We are also aware that the gap/discrepancy between what "is" and the "ideal" exists. The ethics framework is a statement not just of where we would like to reach but of our belief in the process of institution building, that this gap will never close, that what we define collectively as ideal at any one stage is not static but also evolving, and that is the strength of ISABS as an institution.

A. Meeting Programme Objectives

Professional Members are aware of the objectives of the programme and have common agreement about the broad design of the programme.

Professional Members make reasonable efforts to determine whether the programme has accomplished its intended objectives and has not had undesired consequences for participants.

Ethics Statement # 2

When describing a programme to the prospective participants, professional members will candidly explain its goals, risks, limitations and anticipated outcomes, consistent with the published descriptions of that particular program.

When implementing a program, professional members will faithfully adhere to the description of the program as advertised.  Professional members will not knowingly deviate from the published program description without both a clearly defined rationale based on the learning goals of the participants and the informed consent of the participants to any proposed change.

B. Verifying the Impact of Programs

Ethics Statement # 3

Professional members will make all reasonable efforts to determine whether their programmes have accomplished the announced goals, and to determine whether their programs have had unintended or undesired consequences for participants.

Professional members will do whatever is professionally possible and ethically appropriate to remedy the effects of any undesired consequences, and will not attempt to cover up any undesired consequences of their programs.

Professional Members will actively solicit and respond with an open mind to feedback regarding their work; and seriously examine program designs and their own professional skills for ways to improve.

C. Managing Role Boundaries

Ethics Statement # 4

Professional members are sensitive to possibilities and data that the professional or personal relationship that they as facilitator have with a participant outside of the lab/program does not affect the nature of work inside the lab/programme. As far as possible, facilitators avoid working in labs where they have close personal/professional relationship with any participant.

D. Avoiding Abuse of Professional Role

Ethics Statement # 5

Professional Members are aware that their role in the lab is to work on program objectives, and not to satisfy their own needs. Professional Members are expected to be actively aware of their own needs and the impact of their needs upon their professional work. They are expected to use spaces such as clinicing sessions or peer meetings, rather than interaction with participants, to resolve their needs and dilemmas.

Ethics Statement # 6

Professional Members keep in mind the theoretical base for the possible consequences of their interventions, especially when introducing innovations or experimenting with new approaches. They use clinicing and staff meetings to plan as well as review the impact and consequences of such interventions.

Ethics Statement # 7

The roles played by Professional Members (e.g. as facilitator, mentor, regional and national institutional roles) are recognised as powerful roles providing them with an unusual opportunity to exercise power for the purpose of assisting others to grow and learn about themselves. Professional Members are expected to be constantly vigilant that this power is used at all times to promote the growth and enhance the dignity of the participants.

Ethics Statement # 8

The review of a lab member’s participation in the lab or readiness to move forward in the Professional Development Program is based on agreed upon criteria with abundant caution that this is not coloured by past experiences, past data, personal biases, or personal gain.

Ethics Statement # 9

Professional Members do not engage in erotic or sexual contact with participants in an ISABS program. This includes verbal or non-verbal interactions of a sexual or romantic nature not necessarily involving direct physical contact. (In this context the definition of the term ‘program’ is expanded depending upon whether the Professional Member is a Human Process Lab Facilitator, in a Mentor-PDP candidate relationship, facilitator in an extended Professional Development Programme or working on a consulting assignment for ISABS client. It also includes before or after the program contact with participants/clients whenl the professional member is likely to have the role-related power described in Ethics Statement # 7 above.)

Ethics Statement # 10

Professional Members are expected to confront any perceived violation of ISABS’ stated ethical principles by a colleague in an ISABS program. When there is evidence that a colleague has violated a stated ethics principle, it is an ethical obligation of professional members to make a written report of such violation to the Ethics Committee. 

Any transgression of ethics by a facilitator during the lab needs to be confronted by the co-facilitator in or outside the lab as appropriate. If necessary, the issue must also be brought up in clinicing. If the issue still appears to be unresolved, the co-facilitator has an ethical obligation to record the facts in writing and bring them to the attention of the Ethics Committee and Dean Programmes.

Ethics Statement # 11

In the event of serious unresolved issues emerging between two Professional Members facilitating a lab, the concerned professional members are expected to bring up and actively address these issues in the faculty clinicing sessions, to ensure that the program objectives are not compromised due to unresolved issues between facilitators. 
 

E: Personal Autonomy and Confidentiality

Ethics Statement # 12

Professional Members will honor the participant/s’ freedom to choose whether or not to participate in the programme or in particular activities within the programme. Members will not attempt (overtly or covertly) to coerce participants to take part in the program or in any of its activities.

Ethics Statement # 13

Professional Members are aware of the group pressures on participants to divulge personal information and of the tendency to succumb to group norms that transgress on personal authority and autonomy of individual choices. Professional Members are sensitive to possibilities of the facilitator/s colluding with group members in such situations. Professional Members will use their skills to guide participants toward appropriate, voluntary and useful self-disclosure, and to protect individuals from excessive pressures in their labs.

Ethics Statement # 14

Personal data is shared by participants in absolute trust. Professional Members will not divulge this data to anyone outside the lab. When speaking of group processes in professional forums such as clinicing sessions or mentoring meetings, Professional Members will be careful to do so without disclosing the identity of the individuals.

Professional Members will communicate to participants the ISABS values in this regard.

Ethics Statement # 15

ISABS is a voluntary professional society, which is built from investment and commitment of its members. Professional Members are therefore expected to be keenly sensitive to possible conflicts of interest when offering or participating in programs similar or identical to those offered by ISABS.

During ISABS programmes / events, Professional Members are aware of their role as ISABS professionals, and do not canvass for programmes / services not related to ISABS.

G. Competence and Continuous Development

Professional members are expected to know the limits of their competence, and to adhere to those limits when accepting programme responsibilities.

Ethics Statement # 17

Professional Members invite and are open to feedback from peers about the program/ lab and their skills.

In case of extreme personal stress/trauma, Professional Members seek professional help/counseling to assess their own preparedness for facilitator/mentor roles vis-à-vis their own needs and priorities.

Ethics Statement # 18

Professional Members make ongoing efforts to update, renew, review, and rebuild their competencies, be open to learning and alive to new life experiences -- theoretical, personal, and professional.

ISABS as an institution continually offers opportunities for ongoing personal and professional development at Regional and National Programs.

H. Sensitivity to Diversity Issues

Professional Members are sensitive to and bring to awareness, instances whenever there are affronts to the dignity of regional, racial and religious sentiments and discriminations on the basis of gender, class, caste, colour, language, sexual orientation, physical disability etc.

I.  Voluntary Participation

ISABS makes reasonable efforts to ensure that participants have information about the objectives and methodology of the programmes it offers. Given the nature of the programmes and the desirability of voluntary participation, it is important that sponsoring organizations are aware of the need for voluntary participation by individuals. ISABS emphasizes this in its written materials like brochures, nomination forms etc.

ISABS also emphasises that programmes are meant to be learning experiences and are not intended as substitutes for therapy, psychiatric counseling or personal assessment. ISABS gives reasonable caution about the consequences these programmes can have for people who require psychiatric counseling or have serious health problems.

J. Adherence to Law

Ethics Statement # 21

Professional Members abide by local and state laws that apply to the delivery of ISABS services and use of host facilities. The Dean of each event is responsible for knowing and communicating applicable regulations (e.g. consuming alcohol, financial obligations, use of hotel services etc.)