The new international coalition will develop the world’s first set of globally-recognised standards for organisations in the built environment sector
The Landscape Institute has joined a new international coalition that will assert the role of ethics in the built environment.
The International Ethics Standards Coalition first gathered in October 2014 at the United Nations in New York. The group agreed that the inconsistent approach to ethics in construction, infrastructure, land, property and related professions presented a real problem in many parts of the world. Now consisting of over 100 members, the Coalition seeks to respond to the needs of the international market by creating a harmonised set of agreed ethical standards for organisations across the globe.
The Landscape Institute is one of a growing number of not-for-profit organisations to join the coalition. It is also the first organisation in the landscape profession to join.
Daniel Cook, Chief Executive of the Landscape Institute, said, “I am delighted that the LI is at the forefront of rethinking how our sector responds to society’s needs.
“Our increasingly interconnected world faces many issues: climate change, globalisation, population growth and resource security among them. The infrastructure we create should not only meet these needs, but be delivered ethically and with integrity. This ensures the best outcomes for the client, the provider, and the end user.
“Landscape practitioners can play a prominent role at every stage of infrastructure delivery, from planning to completion. There is a growing awareness of the importance of our sector, and the LI’s responsibility as a membership organisation is to ensure that the work of its members meet the highest ethical standards.”
The LI’s Board of Trustees agreed in November 2016 that the LI should become a signatory to the International Ethics Standards. The Standards, which align the ethics principles set out by many Coalition members, were released in December 2016.
The LI’s Education and Membership Committee is considering the potential implications on the Chartership syllabus, as well as CPD and training requirements. In addition, the LI will soon be inviting members to volunteer for a new ethics working group; further details will follow.
