Article series

Preamble

1. The IMDEA Water Foundation Code of Ethics is the instrument the Foundation circulates internally to set out the standards of conduct for all its members when carrying out their tasks and duties. The document also constitutes an external commitment to the institutions with which IMDEA Water engages, and particularly to those with which it collaborates in its activities. Through the articles below, everyone who comes into contact with IMDEA Water can see the obligations to which it is subject, as well as the assurances of impartiality, equity and excellence arising from compliance with the Code.

2. The Director, Deputy Director, Manager and all staff assigned to different departments are subject to the provisions of this Code. These principles of conduct shall also serve as guidelines for all those providing professional services to IMDEA Water in the tasks entrusted to them by the foundation.

3. Principle of legality. IMDEA Water shall carry out all its activities in the frame of the Spanish Constitution, the Statute of the Community of Madrid and all laws to which it is subject, in accordance with its authority and responsibilities.

4. IMDEA Water shall act as a fully independent body and for the sole purpose of advancing, through its activity, the aims stated in its Statutes.

5. 5. In recruitment processes, whose public transparency is assured, IMDEA water shall apply the principles of equality, merit and capacity, and will not discriminate on the basis of gender, age, ethnic, national or social origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, language, disability, political opinion, social or economic condition.

6. Contracting and procurement activity shall be governed by the principles of public access, competition and objectivity, without prejudice to application of the Contract Law of the Public Administration or any replacement regulation thereof.

7. IMDEA Water’s economic activity shall adhere at all times to its non-profit nature, all its assets and income being linked with the founding objectives, except those transmitted to the foundation for a particular purpose.

8. IMDEA Water personnel shall not accept gifts from people or entities with which they have any kind of relationship arising from the foundation’s activities.

9. Transparency criteria must be followed regarding the origin of resources and their use. IMDEA Water shall deploy its resources in such a way that enable it to carry out its remit with a high degree of excellence, while at the same time administering them under austerity criteria.

Objectivity

10. Principle of non-discrimination. In a particularly exemplary commitment, IMDEA Water accepts the rules and regulations ensuring equal opportunities for all citizens, regardless of gender, age, ethnic, national or social origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, language, disability, political beliefs and social or economic status.

11. IMDEA Water staff shall refrain from undue disclosure and rigorously follow the rules of confidentiality laid down for their professional work. Likewise, they shall avoid any divulgation of restricted issues to which they may be privy due to their professional activity in IMDEA Water.

12. IMDEA Water personnel shall refrain from participation in any type of business or financial transaction whereby they may benefit through the use of information obtained through their work in the foundation. Nor shall they allow the improper use of such information for the benefit of private interests.

Impartiality

13. Principle of impartiality. IMDEA Water shall avoid any form of discrimination or preferential treatment in favour of institutions (public or private) or private individuals, by applying decision-making procedures that preclude the use of arbitrary or insufficiently substantiated criteria.

14. IMDEA Water personnel shall reveal any conflicts of interest that may be incurred during their work for the foundation. In particular, they shall refrain from taking part in those decisions that may be beneficial to themselves, any of their immediate family members or people with whom they have notably shared interests.

15. IMDEA Water staff shall not engage in any works or professional activities incompatible with their duties in the foundation.

16. Principle of responsibility. IMDEA water employees shall make no unauthorized commitments or promises implying that they commit or anticipate decisions from the foundation.

Participation

17. 17. IMDEA Water shall promote the active participation of Madrid’s universities, research centres, institutions and businesses in its activity, through the presence of representatives on its governing bodies (as laid down in its Statutes) and other forms of collaboration suitable to achieve its objectives.

18. Principle of exemplariness. IMDEA Water, founded to carry out scientific research of international excellence, focused and driven by real needs of society, shall perform its duties in the highest standards of professionalism and efficiency, thereby seeking to be a model and example in the management of research within its scope.

Others

19. IMDEA Water is committed to the principles enshrined in the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers of the European Commission.