Ethical guidelines

Synonyms:
Guiding principles

Ethical guidelines are designed to guide ethical behaviour and decision-making throughout evaluation practice.

A number of organisations have developed ethical guidelines to cover the conduct of evaluation, including the responsibilities of those conducting and managing evaluations.

Organisations commissioning evaluations can require evaluators to work within these guidelines.  Evaluators responding to Requests for Proposal can include the guidelines as part of their proposal for conducting an evaluation. 

Examples

Different evaluation associations have articulated what is expected of members in terms of conducting ethical and quality evaluations, for example, the American Evaluation Association’s five guiding principles are:

  • "Systematic Inquiry: Evaluators conduct data-based inquiries that are thorough, methodical, and contextually relevant.
  • Competence: Evaluators provide skilled professional services to stakeholders.
  • Integrity: Evaluators behave with honesty and transparency in order to ensure the integrity of the evaluation.
  • Respect for People: Evaluators honor the dignity, well-being, and self-worth of individuals and acknowledge the influence of culture within and across groups.
  • Common Good and Equity: Evaluators strive to contribute to the common good and advancement of an equitable and just society."

Resources

Tools

  • AEA guiding principles for evaluators

    This webpage from the American Evaluation Association (AEA) outlines the guiding principles to be used by evaluators in order to promote ethical practice in evaluations.

  • AES guidelines for the ethical conduct of evaluations

    These guidelines from the Australasian Evaluation Society (AES) were designed to ensure ethical behaviour and decision-making are incorporated into evaluation practice.

  • The African evaluation principles

    This resource sets out the African Evaluation Principles, developed by the African Evaluation Association (AfrEA), for use by "individuals, organisations and coalitions who finance, commission, manage, conduct and educate about evaluation in Africa."

  • Guidelines to avoid conflict of interest in independent evaluations

    These guidelines from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) set out the procedures that need to be taken into account when assessing the independence of evaluation and audit functions to ensure ethical requirements are met.

Professional development resources

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