IA Promulgates 'Participant Bill of Rights'

US research trade body The Insights Association has announced the publication of the Participant Bill of Rights, which aims to foster 'trust, transparency and respect' between research participants and the profession.

The Bill, which is accompanied by an in-depth report, establishes a 'foundational framework' for the entitlements of participants in market research studies. This includes the right to clear communication, privacy, freedom from harassment, and fair treatment: market researchers are encouraged to communicate these rights to participants prior to focus group sessions, and by noting them prominently on company web sites, in research communities and on their communications. The IA says they also should be incorporated into staff training and relayed to clients.

Four key pillars are Transparency; Privacy Protection; Equity and Respect; and Informed Consent - but these lead to '16 fundamental rights' which form the main part of the Bill. The accompanying report underlines the vital role of participants in the success of projects, the importance of positive experience in achieving accurate and actionable data, and considerations such as minimizing survey fatigue, ensuring accessibility, and offering fair incentives.

The Bill is the result of collaboration between the Association's Council for Data Integrity and the insights and analytics industry, via a number of public feedback sessions, with the process led by 10K Humans' Kerry Hecht. Shannon Danzy, IA's Senior Director of Research Strategy, comments: 'We're so thankful to the many volunteers and contributors from across the profession who shared their expertise and good sense in bringing this essential initiative to fruition. The work is far from over, however. To have real impact, the entire profession must embrace the tenets outlined here and incorporate them across each project and interaction'.

The IA says it urges industry stakeholders - corporate researchers, agencies, and consultancies - to adopt and integrate the Bill into their practices. The Bill itself and the report are available in English and Spanish at www.insightsassociation.org/Resources/Data-Quality-Standards/Participant-Bill-of-Rights .