Guidelines/codes of ethics: merging process and content

Developing standards of ethical conduct is an essential part of building a professional community with shared values and a common purpose. The profession serves as a normative reference group for its members, and through its ethical standards clarifies the norms that ought to guide professional behavior. A central task in developing such standards is the articulation of the professionʹs moral vision, or core values—those values that define the goals and virtues of professional practice. Participation by professionals in the development of ethical standards enables them to reflect on the importance of such standards for their work. Professional societies, such as ISEE, and international organizations, such as WHO, can play an important role in this process.