Submitted on 04/27/2013
Revised on 05/07/2013
Revised on 11/05/2013
Standards of Conduct for Statisticians<Table of contents>
I. Preamble
II. Mission of statisticians and values to upholdIII. Standards of conduct
I. Preamble
1) Purpose for establishing Standards of Conduct
These Standards of Conduct were established for the purpose of presenting the mission ofstatisticians and the values to uphold as the basis for guiding practitioners, researchers, andstudents, who are currently or will in the future be engaged in fields that deal with statisticalmethods and data, to all consider and acquire principles that serve as the foundation forconducting their own practice and research.
Moreover, this document also aims to present explicitly the statisticians’ standards ofconduct to society, so that people in society can understand the responsibilities and activitiesof statisticians, recognize that statistical work and outcomes are reliable, and support
statisticians to carry out properly their activities, and to develop an environment thatfacilitates such activities.
2) Duties and responsibilities of statisticians
Statistics refers to the process of quantifying various events through experiments,observations, and surveys, as well as data obtained through such activities. Statisticianscollect data and draw conclusions after clarifying the degree of uncertainty in a quantitative
fashion using statistical methods. They are experts who participate in decision making invarious fields such as science, medicine, economics, and society, and contribute to the healthand safety of people, to the promotion of welfare and environmental conservation, and to thestability and development of society and economy. Statisticians carry out work that has great
impact on a person’s life and livelihood as well as economic and cultural values, and assume
an important role and responsibility to society. Therefore, they are expected to not only haveexpert knowledge and skills, but also to be aware of their social responsibility and act
appropriately, recognize the public nature of their practice, and prioritize the interest ofsociety rather than that of themselves or organizations.

13) The necessity of a professional group and establishment of Standards of Conduct
Statisticians work in diverse fields, and include those who are engaged in research andeducation at research facilities, as well as those who are in charge of practical operations atcompanies, governmental agencies, or local governments. Statisticians working incommercial organizations, in particular, may be subject to tangible and intangible pressures toprioritize the interests of their organizations. Moreover, at organizations that have a traditionof respecting such values as age and job title, one’s proposal and opinion may be held back ordismissed, and those trying to fulfill legitimate work as statisticians might be put in a
disadvantageous position or even lose their status. On the other hand, if it came to light that astatistician had acted in a way that prioritized their own interest or that of the organization,
statisticians as a whole might lose the confidence of the public, and this could ultimately
damage the interests of society as a whole. Given the responsibility of statisticians andcharacteristics of their work, they are expected to maintain independence and work
autonomously as professionals.
To this end, it becomes necessary to form a professional group having autonomous
functions, such as to guarantee the quality of work and secure one’s position, and to establish
principles that serve as the foundation for achieving these functions.
Fields in which statisticians work, such as science and economics, are fast-changing with
rapid technological progress and shifts in trends, and as the degree of changes can beconsiderable, it is often the case that codified rules are not in place, or if they are, they might
not be in tune with the times. Moreover, statisticians’ work might influence the work ofexperts in other fields, and they might come under pressure to make choices between
individual principles and rivaling values. As statisticians are required to make appropriate
judgments and act according to the circumstances of the moment, they must have principles,that is, missions of statisticians, or values to uphold in order to achieve their missions, which
could provide a foundation for determining how to act. These principles form the core ofprofessionalism, do not sway by changing situations, and should be embraced by eachstatistician rather than being handed down from others. It is also expected that, by making
these principles explicit to others (employers, clients, citizens, experts in other fields, etc.),
the basic attitude of statisticians will be understood, and trust and respect for the entire
community of statisticians will be earned.
Based on the above, the Standards of Conduct have been established to provide a generalframework that will serve as the basis for guiding each statistician to consider and acquire
their own principles, rather than as rules with which they are required to comply.
It is assumed that these Standards of Conduct will be used by individuals who performstatistical work as a whole, that is, those who are engaged in statistical research, those whoare involved in statistical work, and those who will be engaged or involved in statisticalresearch and work in the future, irrespective of whether they are making a living as aprofessional statistician. As these Standards describe aspects that are common to statisticians2

in various fields, issues specific to each field must individually be examined and determined.
II. The mission of statisticians and values to uphold<Mission of statisticians>
The mission of statisticians is to contribute to the maintenance and promotion of people’shealth, safety, and well-being, conservation of the environment, and the development ofsociety and economy through work and research using statistics.
<Values to uphold>Work of statisticians is characterized by acts of collecting information on individuals andgroups, deriving results using statistical methods, and interpreting the obtained results;
therefore, the following points need to be taken into consideration.
1) Respect human life and dignity, and the environment that surrounds them
Statisticians always act with consideration for peoples’ lives, dignity, personality, and wellbeing, as well as the environment, and protect the privacy of study subjects and data providers
in an appropriate manner while respecting them for who they are. In addition, if there is apossibility that obtained outcomes could work to the detriment of a specific group, the generalpublic, or the environment, etc., they address the matter with sufficient care.
2) Responsibilities and skills
Statisticians have the responsibility to respond to the various demands and expectations ofsociety by putting their expertise, skills, and experience to use, and to contribute to thepromotion of social interests. They acquire expertise and skills necessary for carrying out
their work, and strive to maintain and improve their expertise/skills.
Statisticians seek to draw highly objective conclusions by designing a meaningful study
design, collecting high quality data, and performing analyses using methods that fit thepurpose at hand. Risks predicted in the process of data collection/analysis and publication ofresults are properly assessed and dealt with appropriately.
Statisticians seek to earn the trust of society by explaining their roles and the significanceof outcomes in a way that citizens can understand correctly.
3) Act with honesty and integrity
Statisticians act on their own initiative with honesty and integrity, and work in a way thatenables them to ensure the appropriateness of their work, accuracy of results, and validity ofthe science.
Statisticians derive conclusions through scientific processes; therefore, they seek to build
appropriate relationships with their employers and clients so as to avoid pressure or undue
influence from others. Moreover, they avoid to be engaged in unreasonable work, commit acts3

of misconduct such as fabrication and falsification, or be complicit in misconduct.
Statisticians describe their activities and outcomes, along with their grounds. Used data andanalysis results are clarified to the extent possible, and the method used for the analysis areclearly described, including why it was adopted. In addition, statisticians provide fairassessment and sound criticism on outcomes obtained by their colleagues and others, andengage in active opinion exchange. When an error, etc. is pointed out, they shall respondpositively to it.
When carrying out research or work, statisticians evaluate the performance of others, andrespect intellectual property rights.
III. Standards of conduct
1. Exhibit professionalism
Statisticians acquire expertise, skills, judgment ability, and communication skills, and act
responsibly. In order to produce high-quality outcomes, they shall strive to maintain andimprove their knowledge and skills. The roles of statisticians also include providing
appropriate education and training or advice to their colleagues, students, and those who are
newly involved in statistical work, so that they can acquire knowledge and skills. The abilityof each individual may vary depending on their education and training they received orqualifications, but work shall be performed within the range of their competence. They areaware of the possibility that work that exceeds their competence could cause disadvantages tosociety.
Statisticians realize that each person needs autonomy, and seek to resolve a problem andachieve a goal through independent thinking, expression of opinions, and dialogue withothers. They strive to avoid conforming to a predetermined conclusion.
If a difficult problem arises that has not been experienced before, a working groupconsisting of experts should be formed to decide on new measures and policies based on
discussions. The contents of discussions and the basis for results delivered shall be clearlypresented. The same is true in cases where statisticians have differing opinions on a certainissue.
2. Carry out work properly
Statisticians give consideration to the following in carrying out their work:(1) Develop a meaningful plan: Develop a work plan or research plan that will contributeto an increase in knowledge in the relevant field.
(2) Collect appropriate data: Collect data with the accuracy required to derive reasonableresults. Unnecessary data shall not be collected.
(3) Use appropriate methods to draw conclusions: Select and use appropriate methods toderive conclusions that are scientifically valid for the purpose intended. Whilestatisticians should be acquainted with standard techniques, they strive to adopt or4

develop new methods as appropriate, being conscious of the fact that statistical methods
are constantly progressing.
(4) Publish and describe outcomes: Publish the obtained results from an objective
standpoint. Statisticians avoid withholding results from publication on the grounds thatdesired conclusions could not be obtained. Realizing that data are finite, and thatobtained conclusions have limitations, they strive to explain the uncertainty to others as
well. While published results shall be made available across the widest possible range ofthe literature, care shall be exercised, such as to examine whether results might work
against the interests of a specific group, etc. Moreover, statisticians seek to prevent theirconclusions from being misinterpreted or misused, and try to correct misuses if theynotice them.
3. Clarify roles and responsibility to others
Statisticians explain their roles and responsibility to others, such as their employers, clients,colleagues, experts in other fields, policy makers, investors, and journalists, and seek toimprove their work environment by establishing fair relationships.
They provide accurate information that is neither too much nor too little, explain theinformation, and provide fair advice to policy planners and decision makers.
4. Publish and describe work and outcomes
Statisticians strive to clearly present and describe the content of their work, i.e., the dataset
used, statistical methods, analysis results, and interpretation of the results, etc., so that a third
party can verify them. As for outcomes, efforts shall be made to describe what theirsignificance and impact are to people, organizations, and society.
Statisticians also take measures to communicate with the public in an easily understandable
manner so that their roles, work, and outcomes can be accurately disseminated. To journalists
and public relations officials, they seek to ensure that their work and outcomes will beconveyed correctly.
When new knowledge, such as a new method, is developed, it shall be communicatedopenly and actively.
5. Assess and prevent risks
Statisticians properly assess predictable risks when carrying out their work, after clarifying
uncertainty. If there are possible risks to study subjects, a specific group, the general public, orthe environment, etc., judgment shall be made by weighing their impact and benefit. If asignificant risk to others is predicted, precautionary measures shall be taken to the extent
possible, such as notifying those who are able to address the risk.
6. Handle information appropriately
Statisticians honor confidentiality regarding undisclosed data and information that they5

come to learn or obtain in carrying out their work.
If information that greatly affects the health and safety of people or the development andstability of society is obtained, and if it is judged by those concerned including experts in therelevant field that publicizing the information would contribute to public interests, it is madepublic.
7. Comply with laws and guidelines
Statisticians respect and comply with laws and guidelines of other fields. Should there be a
conflict between these guidelines and statisticians’ values and principles, they make a sensible
judgment on priorities and act accordingly. The process and rationale leading to their decision
shall be explained clearly.
8. Respect human rights
Since statisticians accumulate and analyze information and data related to human health,
livelihood, property, and safety, etc., they are aware of the possibility that their activities maythemselves violate the rights of individuals and groups. Information obtained from study
subjects and data providers are appropriately recorded, stored, and reused, including thetiming and method of disposal. If necessary, appropriate measures shall be taken, such as
obtaining consent from subjects. When publishing outcomes, they shall avoid disclosing
information that may be used to identify individuals or organizations to the extent possible.
9. Prevent misconduct
Statisticians avoid to select and use illogical methods, engage in misconduct such as
fabrication and falsification of data, or be complicit in misconduct. When such misconduct isdetected, they point out the matter rather than overlook it, and seek to maintain anenvironment that prevents dishonest acts.
10. Prevent adverse effects of conflicts of interest
Statisticians predict various conflicts of interest (situations in which a certain act becomes
one’s benefit and another’s disadvantage at the same time) that are likely to affect their work,and seek to guard against their adverse effects by taking preventive measures, or properly
disclosing economic benefits, etc.

6Materials: Background Note
Statistics is a field used as the basis of policy- and decision-making in various fields, and isessential for maintaining and improving people’s health and safety. Thus, statisticians whocarry out work and research are expected to produce high-quality outcomes. It is essential forstatisticians to earn the trust of society, and have citizens submit data with a sense of security;
for this purpose, they must first realize that their work is of a public nature and act responsiblywith high ethical standards and autonomy.
In the past, Japan has experienced problems related to work involving statisticians, which
included researchers interpreting the absence of significant difference as “equivalent” in theassessment of new drug efficacy in clinical studies of drugs, municipal officials falsifying thenumber of residents in national census surveys, or survey companies fabricating data without
conducting surveys.
It is self-evident that, in order to show that activities and outcomes of statisticians working
in a wide range of fields are dependable, and to meet the expectations of society, individual
statisticians working in diverse fields, as well as the community of statisticians, must beaware of the need to function in an autonomous fashion, and to voluntarily formulate
standards with which they comply. In 2012, the Biometric Society of Japan undertook arevision of the “Code of Ethics,” which was drawn up in 2008; seizing this opportunity, theStandards of Conduct were established upon approval from the Council of the JapaneseFederation of Statistical Science Associations to formulate a code of conduct that applies
more widely to statisticians in general, for common use by the associations.
<Reasons why “principles” rather than “rules” were adopted>
There are “rules” such as laws that specify what is permitted or prohibited (dos/don’ts), and“principles” that are embraced by each person as the foundation for considering how to act(shoulds/shouldn’ts OR do’s/don’ts), both of which stipulate how people should behave.
Statistical work requires high expertise, so non-experts cannot judge whether the process or
outcome is appropriate, and is characterized by the fact that much work is done singlehandedly. As with other professionals, statisticians are expected to think and act proactively
about issues and problems at hand, and thus, it is obvious that heteronomous rules—whichinevitably promote a passive stance—would be of no use. Therefore, we formulated the basis
for autonomous principles that urge statisticians to take an active stance. This document canbe presented to others when statisticians are unduly influenced, and so can serve as a potential
tool to protect statisticians themselves.
<Points considered and the background for formulation>
International guidelines relating to statistics include Ethical Guidelines for Practice of theAmerican Statistical Association (ASA)1), Declaration on Professional Ethics of theInternational Statistical Institute (ISI)2), and the Code of Conduct of the Royal StatisticalSociety (RSS)3). Among these, ASA and ISI guidelines are proposed as principles. In7

establishing the Standards of Conduct, we considered compliance with these guidelines, andfurther, we took into account issues that are specific to the history of statistical work and theenvironment surrounding the activities of statisticians in Japan.
The Working Group of the Biometric Society of Japan conducted interviews anddiscussions with statisticians, and identified the following problems: there are many cases inwhich wrong conclusions are drawn as a result of statisticians lacking professional knowledge
or skills; opinions of statisticians are not valued due to their low position as an expert; andthere are customs in the workplace that make it difficult for people with lower position or age
to speak up, or for anyone to voice frank opinions as keeping harmony is valued. Accordingly,
we mention in this document that statisticians need to be aware of the fact that insufficientknowledge and skills could work to the detriment of society and that they should carry out
their work within their competence, and that in the workplace, each individual should be able
to work as an independent statistician, and an environment needs to be created to achieve this.
The Working Group began its activities in May 2012, had several discussions, and prepareda draft in March 2013. Subsequently, the draft was submitted to the Council of the JapaneseFederation of Statistical Science Associations in April 2013.
<Need for revision>
We hope that these Standards will constantly be reviewed and improved through periodic
updating and amendment.
<Working Group members>
Keiko Sato (Kyoto Univ., Bioethics Specialist)
Manabu Iwasaki (Seikei Univ., The Japan Statistical Society)
Yoshiyuki Inaba (Keio Univ., The Japan Statistical Society)
Hideki Suganami (KOWA, Biometric Society of Japan)
Toshiya Sato (Kyoto Univ., Biometric Society of Japan)
Hiroe Tsubaki (The Institute of Statistical Mathematics, Biometric Society of Japan, JapaneseSociety of Applied Statistics)
Collaborators (members of the Ethics Committee of the Institute of Statistical Mathematics):
Takashi Nakamura, Tadahiko Maeda<References>1) http://www.amstat.org/committees/ethics/index.html
2) http://www.isi-web.org/about-isi/professional-ethics/43-about/about/
296-declarationprofessionalethics-2010uk
3) http://www.rss.org.uk/uploadedfiles/documentlibrary/142.pdf

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