QUESTIONS OF DIVERSITY
Ethical choices and biases constantly surround us. Some are more obvious than others. How do we make certain, as members of AIPG, that we are being unbiased in our decisions and actions and follow our inner code of ethics as well as the AIPG Code of Ethics?
According to the Harvard Business
Review, “Most of us believe that we are ethical and unbiased. We imagine we’re good decision makers, able to objectively size up a job candidate or a venture deal and reach a fair and ratio- nal conclusion that’s in our, and our organization’s, best interests. But more than two decades of research confirms that, in reality, most of us fall woefully short of our inflated self-perception” (Banaji, Bazerman, & Chugh, 2003). And from Cornell University, “Implicit bias includes attitudes and beliefs (posi- tive or negative) about other people, ideas, issues, or institutions that occur outside of our conscious awareness and control, which affect our opinions and behavior. Everyone has implicit biases— even people who try to remain objec- tive (e.g., judges and journalists)—that they have developed over a lifetime. However, people can work to combat and change these biases” (Cornell University Library, 2019).
A comment was made in the April
2019 Colorado Section Monthly Email that I feel provides a learning opportu- nity in ethics and bias: “Life is messy - may we agree? Being born is hard on our mothers. Growing to adulthood requires abundant food and transformed materials won at great cost to our fathers.” In my opinion, this comment displays an inherent bias in assuming that women become mothers and take care of their children while men become fathers and are the breadwinners of the
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Addressing Bias and Ethical Issues in AIPG
Communications Jessica Davey, YP-0413
these changing times, it is now publicly acceptable for women to hold profes- sional roles outside of the home, which was looked down upon in the past.
The comment in question displays an
implicit bias that women are caregivers and men are breadwinners. The com- ment also violates the AIPG Code of Ethics Standard 4.4: “A respectful and fruitful working environment is funda- mental for maintaining a high level of professionalism. Therefore, discrimina- tion or harassment, either sexual or of any other kind, is unacceptable because it offends the dignity of persons and seriously undermines the atmosphere of
Inherent discrimination lies behind the claim that women are caregivers and men are bread- winners.
family. While I agree that this fits the stereotype of a family from the previous century, this is far from reality for many families today.
Prudential Insurance Company con-
ducted a survey of 3,000 Americans between the ages of 25 and 70 and found that 54 percent of women are the primary breadwinners in their family; 30 percent are married breadwinners who are generating more than half their household income (Prudential, 2018). In
www.aipg.org
trust essential to the work of all geolo- gists. Such actions should be denounced immediately to authorities. It is unpro- fessional and unethical to condone any kind of discrimination or harassment or to disregard complaints of harassment from colleagues or staff. AIPG’s Anti- harassment policy provides more explicit examples of acceptable and unacceptable behavior” (AIPG, 2017).
Inherent discrimination lies behind the claim that women are caregivers
and men are breadwinners. Expressing opinions such as this can have long-term negative impacts on both the person making the comment as well as those on the receiving end. The use of metaphors and generalizations should be carefully weighed, as they are often misinter- preted and taken out of context from the author’s intent. In my opinion, it is in the best interest of AIPG and our Colorado Section to do our best to avoid making broad-sweeping, unfounded personal statements such as this one.
References
AIPG. (2017, June 24). AIPG Ethics. Retrieved from American Institute of Professional Geologists: http://aipg. org/codeofethics
Banaji, M. R., Bazerman, M. H., & Chugh, D. (2003, December). How (Un)ethical Are You? Retrieved from Harvard Business Review: https://
hbr.org/2003/12/how-unethical-are- you
Cornell University Library. (2019, April 16). Personal Bias. Retrieved from Cornell University Library: http://
guides.library.cornell.edu/evaluate_ news/bias
Prudential. (2018). The Cut-Exploring Financial Wellness Within Diverse Populations. Newark: The Prudential Insurance Company of America.
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