Beyond professional ethics: Issues and agendas

Many professional bodies now include activist committees devoted to better serving the broad public interest. Some of the different ways that these groups operate are explored and analyzed. In particular, professional activist groups are divided into two general categories: those dealing mainly with standards of professional practice, and those dealing with political and social issues relevant to the larger social milieu. By participating in such groups, professionals can give the public an alternative view of their profession, and set the stage for public demand for more responsive, socially controlled, professional practices.Beth Savan teaches Environmental Studies at Innis College, University of Toronto. She has a Ph.D. in ecology from Imperial College of Science and Technology, University of London. Her analysis of the influence of vested interests on scientific research, Science Under Siege: The Myth of Objectivity in Scientific Research, was published by CBC Enterprises in 1988. Her other areas of research interest are environmental assessment and environmental education.