CAZA CODE OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

The following Code of Professional Ethics of the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) shall form the basis for all disciplinary actions of the CAZA.

Deviation by a member from the CAZA Code of Professional Ethics or from any of the rules officially adopted by the Board of Directors supplemental thereto, or any action by a member that is detrimental to the best interests of the zoo and aquarium profession and CAZA shall be considered unethical conduct by a member, and the member shall be subject to investigation by the Ethics Committee of CAZA and, if warranted, to disciplinary action by the CAZA Board of Directors. The Code is intended as an inspirational guide for members and as a basis for disciplinary action.

A director of a member institution should ultimately be responsible for the conduct of his or her employees and associates in the course of carrying out this Code of Professional Ethics. The Obligations of Professional Ethics set forth here are aspirational in character and represent the objectives toward which every member should strive.

The Code's Mandatory Standards, unlike the Obligations of Professional Ethics, are mandatory in character. The Mandatory Standards, to be uniformly applied to all members, establish a minimum level of conduct below which no member may fall without being subject to disciplinary action. The Code makes no attempt to prescribe either disciplinary procedures or penalties for violation of Mandatory Standards. The severity of judgement against a member found to be in violation of a Mandatory Standard shall be determined by the character of the offence and the attendant circumstances.

The Board of Directors of CAZA shall have the sole power of interpreting this Code of Professional Ethics; and its decisions shall be final, subject to all provisions of the Charter and Bylaws. The Ethics Committee of CAZA shall recommend action to be taken in such matters, subject to review by the Board of Directors, and exercise such additional authority as may be delegated to it by the Board of Directors consistent with the Charter and Bylaws.

Preamble to Code of Professional Ethics
CAZA Member Pledge
Mandatory Standards
Ethics Committee Guidelines

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