MRS invites responses to consultation on research sector's code of conduct

Date: 28 January 2009

MRS has announced the opening of consultation on a revised MRS Code of Conduct, the changes of which will impact a number of the rules governing market, social and opinion research undertaken by MRS Members and MRS Company Partners.

MRS is inviting comment on the proposed changes, which will be discussed in an open meeting on 19 March in London. The consultation will close on 17 April 2009.

The MRS Market Research Standards Board (MRSB) has published the revisions, which are the first to be made to the MRS Code of Conduct since 2005. The revised draft maintains the current format of the Code but proposes several amendments and the addition of two new rules:

Clarification on a researcher’s obligation to take care when conducting research on sensitive subjects or with vulnerable groups;
The banning of the use of client products as incentives;
The requirement for parental consent for interviews with children under 16 in all locations.

Geoff Gosling, chair of MRSB, comments: “The research sector is in a permanent state of development, as methodologies evolve and new opportunities and challenges arise. The proposed revisions to the Code of Conduct reflect the need to keep pace with these changes, ensuring that practitioners, users and participants within research are well protected and that the research undertaken by MRS Members and Company Partners is done to the highest standards. We welcome input from those across the sector on the revisions and invite anyone with specific questions and comments to come to our open forum on 19 March.”

Full details on the MRS Code of Conduct consultation can be found at www.mrs.org.uk/standards. Responses by email are invited, to codeofconduct@mrs.org.uk by 17 April 2009. Those interested in attending the open meeting at the MRS, 15 Northburgh Street, London on 19 March should also register via codeofconduct@mrs.org.uk.

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For more information on MRS and its activities, please visit its website at www.mrs.org.uk or call the MRS press officer Emily Luscombe on 020 7636 7366 / email eluscombe@camarguepr.com

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