About Us

Charter

To coordinate the ethics-related activities of the Society, serve as an educational resource and clearinghouse, but not as an adjudication body, for ACS members seeking guidance on ethics issues; raise awareness of ethics issues through meeting programming and columns/editorials; review recognition opportunities for acknowledging ethical behavior; and to develop and oversee such other ethics-related activities as will serve ACS members and promote the Society’s standards of ethical conduct within the profession of chemistry and its related disciplines.

Vision

Enabling Trust, Honesty, and Integrity for Chemistry and Society. 

Mission

Promoting professional conduct through awareness, education, and recognition.

Goals

Awareness. Enhance awareness of the ETHX committee and the importance of responsible practice via outreach to the chemistry enterprise. 

Education. Develop and implement educational resources and content pertaining to professional conduct. 

Engagement. Develop and promote events and programming that engage and inform members in professional conduct. 

The History of the Committee on Ethics 

Interview with Neil Jespersen about the formation of the Committee on Ethics (2024, PDF)

Honoring ACS Fellows: ETHX Committee Members Through the Years (2024, PDF)

Compilation of official reports of the Committee on Ethics 2006-2021 (30 pages, PDF)

Contact Us

If you have any questions or comments about the work of the Committee on Ethics, contact us at: ETHX@acs.org for the ACS staff liaison

Follow the Committee on Ethics on LinkedIn 

What should I do if I suspect publication misconduct? Read here

Formal complaints about violations of The Chemical Professional’s Code of Conduct should be submitted to the Office of the Secretary and General Counsel (email: secretary@acs.org)