Ethics Committee

Empa set up an internal Ethics Committee in 2016 in order to meet its high standards of thorough and conscientious research. At researchers' request, the Ethics Committee assesses projects that could be critical for Empa for ethical, political or other reasons.

For example, it assesses research projects that could be damaging to Empa's integrity, reputation and credibility due to the topic, the partners involved or any dependencies that may arise. It can also assess research projects for which the funding agency requires an evaluation from an ethical perspective. The Ethics Committee is an advisory body for Empa's researchers and the directorate. Its remit is limited to projects that are not subject to the statutory obligation to submit to cantonal ethics committees, e.g. many projects in the field of human research. All members of the Ethics Committee are experienced Empa experts. If necessary, external specialists can be consulted. The procedure of the Ethics Committee is determined by its regulations.