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The TRUST Code

A Global Code of Conduct for Equitable Research Partnerships

Previously known as:

Global Code of Conduct for Research in Resource-Poor Settings

The TRUST Code is a resource for all research stakeholders who want to ensure that international research is equitable and carried out without ‘ethics dumping’ and ‘helicopter research’.

Cite as: TRUST (2018) The TRUST Code – A Global Code of Conduct for Equitable Research Partnerships, DOI: https://doi.org/10.48508/GCC/2018.05

Main Adopters

What is Ethics Dumping?

Video ©Springer Nature 2019, used with permission.
A two-minute clip introducing the Code.
The 23 articles of the Code.

The San Code of Research Ethics

The first sister code was launched by the San in South Africa. Download the code or watch a video about fairness, respect, care and honesty made by young San.

Testimonials

“The Global Code helps us to support our promotion of no double standards: what is unethical in Europe, is unethical in Africa. Therefore, the Code became indispensable for us in very short time.”

“The new four-values system around fairness, respect, care and honesty is highly appreciated in Asia. People find it intuitive – in fact, most audiences love it.”

“We want to be treated by researchers with fairness, respect, care and honesty. Is that too much to ask?”

“Research excellence is no longer only defined by playing by the rules. The operationalization of the TRUST values of fairness, respect, care and honesty are the new benchmark for excellence.”

“The Global Code is a good guide for Indian ethics committees and the Health Ministry’s Screening Committee to review Indo-EU collaborative studies.”

“I don’t want researchers to see us as museums who cannot speak for themselves and who don’t expect something in return. As humans, we need support.”

“The four global values of fairness, respect, care and honesty inspire individuals in any context to act ethically.”

“The emphasis in the Global Code on fairness, respect, care and honesty resonates with our work at UNESCO.”

New Name

On 7th June 2023, at an evening reception in the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, the code received a new name. Instead of Global Code of Conduct for Research in Resource-Poor Settings, the code is now called: The TRUST Code with the optional subtitle A Global Code of Conduct for Equitable Research Partnerships. More information about the UNESCO-hosted reception is available from our sister project, PREPARED.