Ethics charter

The NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials and its individual members are guided by principles that serve as a reference for ethical decision-making. At the NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials we:

• Defend human rights and treat everyone fairly, with respect and dignity, preventing discrimination based on gender, nationality, race, sexual orientation, age, or other aspects.
• Comply with national and international laws, school and institutional rules, both in letter and spirit and the principles of social harmony and equality.
• Behave with independence, consistency, honesty, and transparency in our activities.
• Share responsibility concerning the objects of study, the execution of the research, and the potential use of their findings
• Teach professionally and base our relationship with students on mutual trust, respect, and personal integrity.
• Carry out, document, and communicate research according to the highest international standards of quality and ethics.
• Avoid using animals in research wherever possible and comply with the Swiss animal testing protection laws.
• Do not carry out research that aims to produce results that can be harmful to humans, animals, plants, or the environment.
• Make use of funds ethically and in a fully transparent manner
• Do not accept funds from sources that could lead to situations in which any of the above guiding principles may be compromised.