Keeping up with the Code: Maintaining standards

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The MRS Code of Conduct is crucial in helping to protect and regulate first-rate research, insight and data practice. MRS is committed to keeping the Code under regular review to ensure it is fit for purpose.

This year, revisions have been made to the Code (which was last updated in 2019 ) to reflect evolving ethical best practice. The changes focus on: the scope of the Code; clarification of Member and Company Partner obligations regarding cooperating with MRS in investigations; participant wellbeing; and reporting obligations in the context of inclusive data.

About the MRS Code of Conduct

The Code, the Regulations and the associated disciplinary procedures – supported by a suite of guidance documents – apply to all individual members, accredited Company Partners and those retained by them.

Historically, the Code was created to support those engaged in research and insight in maintaining professional standards. It covered practitioners’ activities, from inception to design and from execution to use of data in research activities.

In recognition of the growth of activities by practitioners beyond research, the Code was expanded to cover all professional activities undertaken by members and Company Partners.

Our members have commissioned and provided evidence that has helped win elections, launch global brands, and understand profound trends in society. We support, promote and aim to enrich the research and business worlds.

In consultation with its individual Members and Company Partners, MRS supports best practice by setting and enforcing industry standards. The commitment to uphold the MRS Code of Conduct is supported by a wide range of specialist guidelines.

All MRS Members must comply with the Code. It applies to all Members, Company Partners and those retained by them.

MRS Company Partner organisations are required to take action to ensure that all individuals employed or engaged by them (whether MRS Members or not) comply with the Code as if they are Members. It applies to all Members irrespective of the sector or methodologies used.

The Code is also intended to reassure the public and other interested parties that activities undertaken by Members and Company Partners are carried out in a professional and ethical manner. Here, I outline how the Code has changed.

Clarification of Member and Company Partner obligations

Members and Company Partners must ensure that contracts and non-disclosure agreements with clients, suppliers, third parties or participants do not compromise adherence to the Code and the obligation to assist if a complaint is raised.

Failure to comply with the spirit of this provision may inhibit and/or prejudice an investigation to the detriment of the complainant, the MRS Member and/or Company Partner, and such failure may be considered to bring discredit on the profession, MRS or its Members, in breach of Rule 8 of this Code of Conduct. To be Code-compliant, Members and Company Partners must also ensure cooperation with MRS to assist in the early resolution of any complaints.

Scope of the Code

Since 2019, the Code has been expanded to cover all professional activities undertaken by MRS Members and Company Partners.

The scope of the Code now places a stronger emphasis on research, insight and data analytics best practice.
To be Code-compliant, Members and Company Partners must:

• Ensure that participants are clearly informed about the purpose of the data-collection activity
• Ensure that personal data is not used for any purpose other than that agreed by participants
• Ensure adherence to all relevant specific legal and ethical requirements if undertaking direct-marketing activities.

Participant wellbeing

The Code has an increased focus on participant wellbeing, including providing information to support and assist as appropriate.

It is important to assess whether a participant is in a vulnerable position and how to conduct research in such a manner as to reduce the likelihood of causing harm or adverse effects.

If the research is on a sensitive topic, or it is known or likely that some or all of the participants are potentially vulnerable, support materials or helpline numbers may be provided to participants.

To be Code-compliant, Members and Company Partners must:

• Ensure clarity about the precise focus of their research and the information they require
• Ensure any probing of participants’ personal experiences is done with extreme care and sensitivity
• Ensure that any support materials offered to participants do not double as seeking donations.

Representative samples

The Code now has clarity on reporting obligations in the context of inclusive data, which includes reporting sampling characteristics and parameters used when defining samples as representative of segments of the population – such as when reporting nationally representative (‘nat rep’) or city representative (‘city rep’) samples. 

The MRS best practice recommendation is that for research and data collection to be inclusive of the population, all relevant personal characteristics should be included. This ensures that all participants are equally valued, and their opinions and attitudes are being gathered and represented.

Practitioners can also use this guidance to assess whether they are complying with the Code in collecting demographic information for these areas, including for the purposes of ‘nat rep’ samples.

The new Code of Conduct applies to all MRS Members and MRS Company Partners as of 14 August 2023. Resources to assist Members and Company Partners with the key changes to the Code, including live and recorded webinars, are available on the MRS website: mrs.org.uk.

l. Any questions concerning the revised Code should be directed to MRS Codeline: codeline@mrs.org.uk.

This article was first published in the October 2023 issue of Impact.