Purpose

SA AIA exists to professionalise and support South Africa’s adventure tourism, outdoor education, and adventure-based learning sectors through standards, competence, ethics, safety, and accountability. This Code sets the minimum professional conduct and ethical expectations for SA AIA members and is a condition of membership. 

 

Core Commitments

All members commit to: 

1. Act lawfully and ethically, and uphold the reputation of SA AIA and the profession. 

2. Operate within scope: provide services only within the limits of your training, competence, certification, and legal registration requirements (where applicable). 

3. Prioritise safety: apply risk management appropriate to the activity, environment, and participant profile. 

4. Be honest in representation: market services truthfully (qualifications, registrations, experiences, and scope). 

5. Respect people: treat clients, learners, colleagues, communities, and partners with dignity and fairness. 

6. Protect the environment: apply responsible practice (including Leave No Trace principles where relevant). 

7. Maintain competence: commit to ongoing learning and professional development. 

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Professional Conduct Standards

Members shall:

• Conduct themselves in a manner befitting a SA AIA member and avoid conduct that could bring SA AIA, its members, or the sector into disrepute. 

• Comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including those relevant to tourism operations, guiding, safety, children, labour, privacy/data protection, and environmental obligations. 

• Operate only within the scope of their legal registration and qualifications, and must not misrepresent competence, registration category, or authority to guide/lead activities. 

• Provide information to the public that is accurate, not misleading, and presented in a clear form. 

• Refrain from fraudulent, dishonest, corrupt, discriminatory, abusive, or criminal conduct. 

• Use good professional judgement and provide fit-for-purpose services aligned to client needs, risk profile, conditions, and participant capability. 

• Ensure staff/contractors are competent, appropriately briefed, and suitably equipped, and that equipment is maintained and used correctly. 

• Promote a culture of learning: keep abreast of evolving practice, standards, and research and share learning where appropriate. 

 

Use of SA AIA Name, Logo, Status and Claims

Members shall not:

• Misrepresent SA AIA membership as a legal licence, endorsement, or “verification” unless SA AIA has explicitly issued that status in writing. 

• Use SA AIA branding in a way that implies accreditation, designation, or approval beyond what has been granted. 

• Use SA AIA name/logo for personal gain, product endorsement, or marketing claims without permission where required by SA AIA policy. 

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Duty to Standards, Systems and Accountability.

Members shall:

• Follow recognised good practice for safety, risk management, incident reporting, and emergency preparedness. 

• Cooperate with reasonable SA AIA governance processes (including audits or investigations) relating to ethics, safety, or professional conduct. 

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Breach, Investigation and Disciplinary Action

• Any alleged breach of this Code shall be addressed in accordance with the SA AIA Disciplinary Process as published and amended from time to time. 

• Complaints may be submitted in writing via the SA AIA email and recorded in the Complaints Register. 

• The National Executive Committee (NEC) shall conduct a preliminary review of complaints and may initiate an investigation in accordance with the published Disciplinary Process. 

• The member concerned shall be notified of the complaint and afforded a fair opportunity to respond. 

• Where a breach is established, sanctions may include advisory measures, corrective requirements, suspension, cancellation of membership, or referral to appropriate authorities, as provided for in the SA AIA Disciplinary Process. 

• Members have the right to appeal any disciplinary outcome within 20 business days as per the the SA AIA Appeals Policy and Procedure. 

• All disciplinary and appeals proceedings shall be conducted in line with principles of procedural fairness, transparency, and confidentiality, and in compliance with applicable legislation including POPIA. 

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Declaration

By joining or renewing SA AIA membership, the member confirms they have read, understood, and agree to abide by this Code of Conduct and Professional Ethics and accept that disciplinary action may be taken if they fail to comply.