ACTUA NEWS
9/06/2009: International professional standards
PRESS RELEASE ESOMAR launches new guidance on international professional standards AMSTERDAM 09 June 2009 - ESOMAR, the world’s foremost organisation for enabling better research into markets, consumers and societies - has launched a series of revised guidelines and notes.
Commenting on the new editions, Adam Phillips who chairs ESOMAR’s Professional standards committee said “These guides have been published to help market; social and opinion research professionals maintain the highest standards of professional practice. They have been issued in response to changing technology and will help the industry protect the interests of consumers and respondents on whose cooperation researchers depend.”
The International Code for market and social research published by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and ESOMAR, was revised last year to take account of recent developments in technology and increasing public concern about privacy and control of personal information.
Revised ESOMAR/WAPOR Guide to Opinion Polls and Published Surveys The public discussion of opinion polls is not always well informed. ESOMAR and WAPOR (The World Association for Public Opinion Research) originally published this guide in (2005) to assist parties interested in opinion polls to reach a more informed judgement about the value of such polls and the most appropriate ways of conducting and reporting them. This guide has now been updated to take into account more specific rules about publishing research surveys in the revised International Code, developments in online polling using the internet and more detailed recommendations on exit polls.
Revised ESOMAR Notes on how to Apply the ICC/ESOMAR International Code on Market and Social Research In parallel with the revision of the ICC/ESOMAR Code, ESOMAR’s Professional Standards Committee has also revised the Notes to the Code, which explain how the updated Code articles should be interpreted and applied.
Revised ESOMAR Guide on Distinguishing Market Research from other Data Collection Activities This Guide advises researchers on how to help the public distinguish professional market research from commercial activities such as advertising, sales promotion, direct marketing and direct selling. The Guide will also help legislators distinguish the two activities and help to ensure that market, social and opinion research do not attract inappropriate restrictions.
ESOMAR regularly develops and reviews its guidelines through its Professional Standards Committee, a group of international market research experts committed to promoting professional standards which protect consumers’ interests.
The ICC/ESOMAR International Code on Market and Social Research is applied by ESOMAR’s 5000 members, and has been adopted or endorsed by the leading industry associations in more than 30 countries worldwide since its launch last year. Go to www.esomar.org for more information
For further information on the revised Guides or to interview Adam Phillips, please contact the ESOMAR Press Office.