Codes of ethics and other guidance documents on the ethics of heritage conservation

GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS BY INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

UNESCO

• 1954 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (Hague Convention)
• 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (World Heritage Convention) 
• 1995 UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects 
• 1999 International Code of Ethics for Dealers in Cultural Property
• 2003 Declaration Concerning the Intentional Destruction of Cultural Heritage

COUNCIL OF EUROPE

• 1985/2017 European Convention on Offenses Relating to Cultural Heritage (Nicosia Convention) 

EU

• Regulation 116/2009 on the Export of Cultural Goods
• Directive 2014/60 on the Return of Cultural Objects Unlawfully Removed from the Territory of a Member State
• Regulation 2019/880 on the Introduction and the Import of Cultural Goods

INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL ON MONUMENTS AND SITES (ICOMOS)

• Ethical Commitment Statement for ICOMOS Members (2002)
  replaced by:
• Ethical principles (2018)
  replaced by:
• Ethical Principles (2020)
• List of ICOMOS Charters and Doctrinal Texts

THE ASSOCIATION FOR PRESERVATION TEACHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL (APTI)

• Code of Ethics (2018)

EUROPEAN CONFEDERATION OF CONSERVATORS-RESTORERS’ ORGANISATIONS (ECCO)              

• Code of Ethics (2003) [link to online version not yet identified]

GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS BY NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

American Institute for Conservation (aic)

• AIC Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice

Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals (CAHOP/ACECP)

• Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics

Fédération française des conservateurs-restaurateurs (FFCR)

• Follows ECCO code and ICOM code

GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS BY RELATED ORGANIZATIONS

MUSEUM SCIENCE

International Council of Museums (ICOM) – Standing Committee on Ethics (ETHCOM)

• Code of Ethics

ARCHEOLOGY

UK The Chartered Institute for Archaeologists 

• Code of Conduct 

ARCHITECTURE

International Union of Architects (UIA)

• UIA Accord on Recommended International Standards of Professionalism in Architectural Practice
• UIA International Code of Ethics on Consulting Services

American Institute of Architects (AIA)

• Code of Ethics
• Info page (including some recent cases)

United Kingdom– Architects Registration Board (ARB)

• Architects Code: Standards of Professional  Conduct and Practice (2017 version)
• Architects Code: Standards of Professional  Conduct and Practice (2025 version)

France

• Code de déontologie des architectes / Code des devoirs professionnels

United Architects of the Philippines (UAP)

• Code of Ethics