Updated ISA Certified Arborist Code of Ethics

robinia

robinia

Participating member
Location
Ontario, Canada
Probably most of you got this already but I just wanted to pass it along here, seeing as it was such a hot topic a few years back.

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About two years ago, ISA introduced an ISA Certified Arborist Code of Ethics. The purpose of the Code of Ethics is to establish a benchmark for the behavior and actions of ISA Certified Arborists. It is intended to improve professional practice and provide a measure of protection for consumers of arboricultural services.

While most credential holders agreed in theory that implementation of ethical standards was necessary, we did hear significant negative feedback about certain parts of the agreement. Because all ISA Certified Arborists are required to sign the agreement to receive or maintain their ISA credential, it is important that this document reflect the best practices of a professional arborist and that ISA Certified Arborists believe that this agreement advances the profession.

We want to let you know that we have listened to the feedback we received, and are taking action. Specifically, we have made changes to the requirement for disclosure. We have now limited the scope of this disclosure requirement, asking all ISA Certified Arborists to report only those activities which are related to the professional practice of arboriculture.

Please note that you will be asked to acknowledge the changes by signing the updated agreement when you reach recertification. You are welcome to view the ISA Code of Ethics and Certification Agreement/Release Authorization on our website and complete the online agreement at this time, if you would prefer not to wait to your recertification period.

The ISA Certification Board believes that the Code of Ethics and Certification Agreement create a level of accountability within the profession. Our goal is to ensure that homeowners and consumers have a positive experience because of the high quality of service they receive from an ISA Certified Arborist, which increases the likelihood that they will support the ISA Certification Program over the long-term.

Thank you for your support of the ISA Certification Program. Should you have any questions about the Ethics Agreement, contact the ISA Certification Department at 217.355.9411 or email cert@isa-arbor.com.

Regards,

Geoff Kempter
Chair, ISA Certification Board
Asplundh Tree Expert Co.


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So does this mean they are going to listen and be proactive on reports of certified "arborist" who still go out and have guys working with no PPE and topping trees?
 
They are reasonable people but it takes a lot of time to go through committees and stuff. That was the worst of the excesses so good news it's fixed.

PU how do you define "topping trees"?

And do you want to report folks for not wearing chaps while chainsawing?
 
Let's keep this discussion where it belongs. This is a very positive change to the Ethics Agreement, and the fact that ISA listened to its rank and file is very heartening.

Kudos to the Cert department. I am going to personally call them to thank them.

-Tom
 
Obama sez change is good
smile.gif
 
what is solicited on forums and what is a slant? What does Jesus have to do with my comment?

I don't like anyone dictating my behavior...including the ISA. I sign the "pledges" but I see advertisements all the time without a name under the logo. I have been an ISA member since 71 and a CA since '92....it would be financially unsound to give it up at this time in my career.

Am I required to narc out every little glitch I witness? When does the gestapo show up with a "few questions to ask me"?
 
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what is solicited on forums and what is a slant? What does Jesus have to do with my comment?

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Your comment seemed like an obviously sarcastic political commentary that was completely unnecessary and irrelevant to the conversation. "Unsolicited."

The Jesus joke comment was my sarcastic reply indicating that politics and religion discussions always end badly.

Sorry if I misunderstood you. Back to the topic?

-Tom
 
I wasn't aware you were a moderator and even if I was is everyone required to make comments that are "tomthetreeman compliant"? Now I am required to get back on topic without comment.

What I was saying relative to the previous comment about "positive change" was sarcastically directed to Mr. Obama, the king of change, and the feeling by many that change can be negative at times including this ISA edict.

I agree with Joshua (I think said) that they should do the policing themselves. Men in our society are brought up from adolescence to not be a squeeler (unless it is a felony or such) and pretty much take that to their graves.

Anyway....apology accepted.
 
The view from upsidedown land...

I did feel the previous version was poorly wrtten and ended up (perhaps unintentionally) sounding like the manifesto of the thought police.

The rewording or rather refocussing on Arboricultural practice makes more sense, and I think it is an improvement.

The ISA CA always seemed to me to be a means by which an individual could achieve both personal improvement and be part (albeit a small part) of improving the broader Arb community.

Gaining CA acreditation is not the be all and end all, it does not guarentee quality, honesty, ethics or professionalism for that matter. Individuals in our profession (just like other areas of life) can and sadly do misrepresent themselves to others claiming to be what they are not, or denegrating others for their own odd motives.

To my reading of the code of ethics it seems to be making plain that it is up to each of us to try our best to ensure that the acreditation means more than just being able to get so many multiple choice questions right and being able to afford to attend a conference and workshops every year.

There are fewer Arborists over here than the US and fewer still in Queensland, and even fewer who are acredited CA's so perhaps it is a simpler concept to apply here.

BTW I'm not suggesting we all get on so well here that personal egos don't cause major problems here - quite evidently they do!
 
I think there is a difference between being a tattle-tale and defender of one's rights.

Once was at time were were admonished to not be a tattle-tale. Truth be told a tattle tale is defined not by the fact that they report things, rather their motive behind it. Do you remember the persistent tattle tales in your youth?

They told on people for the simple joy of watching others get in trouble. They had no interest in what was right, wrong or fair just as long as someone got into trouble they were happy.

We've now gone full circle where tattling is almost required. Certainly in today's society we are now being taught that we should report "anything" that looks suspicious and indeed some folks are even required by law to report everything of a certain nature no matter how unsubstantiated. Welcome to 1930's Germany!

In the case of CA logo use & abuse I see that slightly different. When someone uses it wrongly or falsely they are stealing from me, not just the ISA.

I work hard to maintain the value of the credential and improve my skills to keep my certification viable. When someone steals their credentials they diminish the value of mine. That is at the very least vandalism of my property if not outright theft.

As for misuse or inappropriate use of the logo, that too can fall under the diminution of value. But more importantly, since the certification is meant as a means to express a certain level of professionalism, failure to follow the simple rules for the use of the logo is either laziness or arrogance. Neither of which spells professionalism or trustworthiness.

By earning our credentials aren't we ultimately desiring to tell our customers we are trustworthy professionals?

If our customers cannot trust us to abide by the rules surrounding our certification then they simply cannot trust us to be truthful with them.

So what do we do? Do our best to follow the rules. When we stray do our best to get back on track. And if my certified friends err in their use of the logo I'll politely remind them. If they are not my friends then the ISA can and does politely remind them.

If they are not certified but claim they are then the ISA has the teeth and will to defend the logo. I know of at least one situation where they did quite clearly and emphatically.

If I am pi**ed at someone and am reporting them simply as a means to see them get in trouble then I need to step back and see if they really are stealing or are just making an error in application. The point being to not make a tattle-tale's emotionally based charge.

Anyhoo, that be my two pennies worth.
 
Those are real good points Rick but this as I understand it is much more comprehensive than just logo misuse or misrepresenting oneself as a CA.

I missed the last thread so this may seem like Groundhog's day but like Guy pointed out, there is much conjecture about just what is right or wrong (topping or not wearing chaps always a reportable offense?)on many many issues,

and it is fine to tattle about something that intrinsically offends you but to be REQUIRED to report offenders breaking rules that are made purely in someone else's (ISA's) perspective....

Let's say for example you drive into view of a severely topped tree. You rush to call ISA on your cell to report the violation. If you had driven by a couple of hours earlier you would have seen huge dead tops that went back to some lush lateral growth.
 
Hi Sean, long time.

Don't get me wrong. I love the ISA, just not the "pledge".

How hard would it be to have district inspectors and arbitrarilly (sp?) visit CA's jobsite to view procedure and have a little chit chat? One inspection in say 3 years, unannounced, would certainly fit the bill. Ask the co. owner for a list of say 10 jobsites and then the inspector hits one of them.

Also, my fave part is the req. 30 credits of continuing education which serves to keep us out of the perpetual take down mentality.
 
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How hard would it be to have district inspectors and arbitrarilly (sp?) visit CA's jobsite to view procedure and have a little chit chat? One inspection in say 3 years, unannounced, would certainly fit the bill. Ask the co. owner for a list of say 10 jobsites and then the inspector hits one of them.

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How hard? Very hard to do fairly, impossible to do affordably; you are talking a whole bureaucracy there, hiring, training, developing criteria for judging and enforcing...sounds good until you think about it.

It's continually confusing to hear folks speak of ISA as some monolithic, diabolical entity. ISA is us; the folks on the Cert committee are fellow arborists doing the best they can to represent us while keeping cert in line with governing organizations.

I'm 100% with Rick on the ethics of the self-policing of our profession. And 100% with Tom for keeping threads on track and out of politics and religion.
 
Self policing is the lynch pin. Without it we become nothing more than the good ole nod-nod, wink-wink corrupt type of political or religious organization we all rail about!

Seriously though, everything is politics and religion. It is about who has/gets power and what people believe in as a matter of culture or faith.

And that IS human nature.

If we don't police ourselves, especially in safety concerns, we will find ourselves becoming even more the focus of regulatory agencies. Quite frequently they will leave a group alone if that group is doing a decent job of keeping their house clean.

As far is ISA inspections though, I could see some sort of audit process on our procedures being effective. In Reality TCIA is doing something along those lines with Accreditation.

As Guy suggested WE are the ISA maybe there could be regional or local committees that review work done by CA's?

The big problem will be that ISA cert is for the individual and not the company.

Some CA's by virtue of self enslavement will do whatever their bosses want regardless of standards. It could pit employees against owners and while in the long run good could come out of that, in the short haul it would be a disservice to the ISA members affected.

Anyhow, that now makes four pennies...
 
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The ISA CA always seemed to me to be a means by which an individual could achieve both personal improvement and be part (albeit a small part) of improving the broader Arb community.

Gaining CA acreditation is not the be all and end all, it does not guarentee quality, honesty, ethics or professionalism for that matter. Individuals in our profession (just like other areas of life) can and sadly do misrepresent themselves to others claiming to be what they are not, or denegrating others for their own odd motives.


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Well said Sean.
 
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