CASRO's 325+ member companies and their 32,000 employees, all of whom are afforded membership benefits, represent nearly $8 billion in global annual revenue–about 85% of the US research industry and 30% of the global research industry. All CASRO members must adhere to the CASRO Code of Standards and Ethics, the enforceable standard for research businesses for more than 30 years.

Overview

It is the standard to which all CASRO member companies pledge to abide. An internationally cited code that protects the public's right to privacy, ensures the ethical treatment of survey respondents and outlines responsibilities to clients. As a market researcher it touches everything you do on a daily basis. But how well do you and your staff really know the CASRO Code of Standards and Ethics for Survey Research?

In this era of privacy legislation and litigation, confusing new data collection standards, and heightened client demands, it is imperative that employees throughout your organization know their way around the industry's rule book.

In a series of articles, John Gilfeather, formerly an executive at Yankelovich, Gfk Roper and TNS and one of the authors of the Code, takes you through it and along the way poses real-world questions to test your knowledge. This is a valuable exercise for all market research companies. No doubt questions will emerge as you discuss these sample scenarios and compare them to procedures and practices in your office.

CASRO Code of Standards and Ethics
History and Overview
- Read Article
Responsibilities to Respondents (Part One)
Confidentiality, Privacy and Avoidance of Harassment
Responsibilities to Respondents (Part Two)
Online Research
Responsibilities to Respondents (Part Three)
Active Agent Technology and Privacy
- Read Article
Responsibilities to Clients
- Read Article
- Test Your Knowledge
Responsibilities in Reporting to Clients
and the Public
- Read Article
- Test Your Knowledge

John Gilfeather

John is executive vice president of Koski Research. Previously John was Managing Partner at Yankelovich, responsible for all the custom research of the firm. After 30 years at Yankelovich, he joined Roper Starch Worldwide where he was Vice Chairman and head of Roper Public Affairs and Media. Following this, he was Executive Vice President in charge of Stakeholder Management research for TNS North America and then President of John Gilfeather & Associates, a firm dedicated to providing independent and objective research and management assistance and advice to research firms and research departments.

John is a past chair of CASRO and served on its board for nine years. He is a founding member of the Institute for Public Relations' Commission on Measurement and Evaluation and is Immediate Past President of the Market Research Council.

John graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Sociology and attended graduate school at Columbia University. He served 20 years on the Board of Advisors for the University of Georgia Master in Marketing Research program.