Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

1. Purpose and scope

Clients, health authorities and communities base decisions on the data and analysis that Axiom Santé produces. This code defines the conduct expected so that this work is reliable, independent and carried out with respect for people's rights and dignity.

It applies to everyone acting on behalf of Axiom Santé: Management, permanent staff, associate experts, field enumerators and supervisors, interns, and subcontractors and partners for the part of the assignments they carry out. It applies on assignment, in the office, online and, where a person's conduct may affect the firm's reputation or the safety of others, outside working hours.

This code is supplemented by the Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and Safeguarding Policy, the Anti-Fraud and Anti-Corruption Policy and the Quality Assurance and Data Protection Policy. Where a client imposes stricter rules, those rules apply.

2. Core values

• Integrity. We report faithfully what we observe, including unfavourable findings. We do not fabricate, falsify or selectively use data to steer a conclusion, and we cite our sources.
• Independence and impartiality. Our judgements rest on evidence, not on the expectations of a client, partner or authority. We treat all stakeholders fairly.
• Competence. We accept only assignments we can deliver with the required skills, we deploy qualified experts and we state the limitations of our methods.
• Respect. We respect the dignity, culture, language, autonomy and privacy of the people we meet, paying particular attention to vulnerable people.
• Accountability. We answer for our actions and deliverables to clients, participants and communities, and we correct our errors as soon as they are known.

3. Conflicts of interest

A conflict of interest exists where a personal, financial, family, political or professional interest may influence, or appear to influence, a person's judgement in carrying out an assignment. The following rules apply:

1. Declaration before each assignment. Before being assigned to an assignment, each team member signs a declaration of no conflict of interest or discloses any relevant link: prior involvement in designing or implementing the programme under evaluation, past or prospective employment with the client or an implementing partner, family ties, financial interests.
2. Register. Management keeps a register of declarations and the measures decided. Declarations are updated as soon as a new situation arises during an assignment.
3. Recusal. Where a conflict cannot be managed, the person concerned withdraws from the assignment or the relevant part of it. Management informs the client of any significant conflict and the measures taken.
4. The firm itself. Axiom Santé does not evaluate a programme it has designed or implemented, unless the client gives informed written agreement, and declines assignments in which its independence cannot be guaranteed.

Gifts, hospitality and benefits are governed by the Anti-Fraud and Anti-Corruption Policy.

4. Confidentiality and use of client information

Documents, data, interim findings and commercial information entrusted by a client are used solely for the purposes of the assignment. They are not disclosed to third parties or reused, including in publications or references, without written authorisation. Confidentiality obligations survive the end of the contract. Personal and health data are collected, stored, transferred and destroyed in line with the Quality Assurance and Data Protection Policy.

5. Research ethics for studies involving human participants

Every study, survey or evaluation that collects information from people complies with the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki (Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Participants), the CIOMS International Ethical Guidelines for Health-related Research Involving Humans (2016) and the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) Ethical Guidelines for Evaluation (2020). In practice:

• Informed consent. Each participant receives clear information, in a language they understand, on the purpose of the study, its procedures, the risks, the use of data and their rights. Consent is documented (in writing, or witnessed oral consent where justified). For minors, the consent of a parent or guardian is complemented by the child's assent.
• Voluntary participation. No one is compelled to take part. Refusing or withdrawing, at any time, carries no consequence. Any compensation remains modest and does not amount to undue inducement.
• Minimising risk. Protocols assess physical, psychological, social and security risks and set out measures to limit them. Sensitive topics (violence, HIV, mental health) are addressed by trained enumerators, in a private setting, with referral to support services where needed.
• Confidentiality. Data are anonymised or pseudonymised as early as possible, and no participant can be identified in reports.
• Ethical approval. Where regulations or the client require it, the protocol is submitted before any data collection to a competent ethics committee: in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the National Health Ethics Committee (Comité National d'Éthique de la Santé, CNES) or a recognised institutional ethics committee; in other countries, the equivalent national body. No data collection begins before written approval.

The protection of children and vulnerable adults during data collection is also covered by the PSEA and Safeguarding Policy.

6. Evaluation independence

Evaluations are conducted in line with the UNEG Norms and Standards for Evaluation (2016), in particular the norms of independence, impartiality, credibility and transparency. Axiom Santé:

• retains control of the methodology, analysis and conclusions, while taking account of stakeholders' factual comments;
• records the comments received on draft reports and how each was addressed;
• refuses any pressure to change a finding or conclusion without factual justification, and reports such pressure to the client's evaluation manager;
• sets out clearly the limitations of the evaluation and the level of confidence in its findings.

7. Respectful workplace, non-discrimination and harassment

Axiom Santé prohibits any discrimination based on, among other grounds, sex, ethnic origin, nationality, religion, political opinion, disability, age, health status (including HIV status), family situation or sexual orientation, in recruitment, pay, assignment and performance appraisal. Psychological and sexual harassment, intimidation, demeaning language and abuse of authority are prohibited, between colleagues and towards participants, partners and suppliers alike. Recruitment and the selection of experts are based on objective, documented criteria.

8. Responsible use of artificial intelligence tools

Artificial intelligence tools can support literature searches, drafting, translation or analysis. Their use is subject to the following rules:

• no personal data, participant data or confidential client information is entered into a public or consumer tool whose terms do not guarantee confidentiality;
• all content produced with AI assistance is checked by a competent person, who takes responsibility for it: accuracy of facts, figures and references, and absence of bias;
• AI does not replace professional judgement in analysis and conclusions;
• the use of AI is disclosed to the client when the client asks or when AI has contributed significantly to a deliverable.

9. Environmental responsibility

Axiom Santé seeks to limit the footprint of its activities: remote meetings where they suffice, combined travel, digital rather than paper data collection, limited printing and compliance with local waste management rules in the field.

10. Roles and responsibilities

Who	Responsibilities
Management	Adopts and disseminates the code, keeps the conflict of interest register, ensures ethical approvals are obtained, handles reports and decides on measures.
Permanent staff	Apply the code, declare their conflicts of interest, ensure compliance in the assignments they lead and report any breach.
Associate experts	Sign the code and a conflict of interest declaration before each assignment, and observe confidentiality and research ethics rules.
Enumerators and supervisors	Attend the pre-data collection briefing, apply consent and confidentiality procedures, and report any incident.
Subcontractors and partners	Comply with the obligations of this code set out in their contract and ensure their own staff apply them.

11. Breaches, sanctions and review

Any breach of this code is examined confidentially and fairly by Management, which hears the person concerned. Depending on its seriousness, measures range from a formal reminder to suspension or termination of the working relationship, termination of the expert's or subcontractor's contract and exclusion from future assignments, without prejudice to any legal proceedings. The client is informed where the breach affects its assignment or where the contract so provides. Retaliation against anyone who reports in good faith is itself a serious breach.

Management reviews this code every year, or sooner if reference standards or client requirements change, or in the light of reports received.

12. Reporting and contact

Anyone, whether a team member or not, may report a concern or a suspected breach of this code by writing to info@axiomsante.org with the subject line "CONFIDENTIEL : Signalement".

These messages are handled by Management only, in strict confidence. Reports may be made anonymously. No retaliation is taken against anyone who reports in good faith.

Reports concerning sexual exploitation and abuse or fraud and corruption are handled under the procedures of the PSEA and Safeguarding Policy and the Anti-Fraud and Anti-Corruption Policy.