Our commitment to ethical research practice
CSIRO undertakes a wide range of research to inform and improve the health, welfare, sustainability and productivity of people, communities, regions and industries. Where this research requires the involvement or study of people, their data or their tissue, CSIRO accepts responsibility for the welfare of those participants within the scope of its research activities.
What is human research?
Human research is research conducted with or about people, their data or tissue. Human participation in research can include:
- taking part in surveys, interviews, workshops or focus groups
- testing new designs of emerging technologies or methods
- undergoing psychological, physiological or medical testing or treatment
- taking part in behavioural experiments
- being observed by researchers
- researchers accessing personal documents or other materials
- the collection and use of body organs, tissues, fluids or exhaled breath
- researchers having access to information (in individually identifiable, re-identifiable or non-identifiable form) as part of an existing published or unpublished source or database, including government or customer datasets, online forms and social media.
About CSIRO’s human research
CSIRO’s human research can be grouped into two main categories:
Social and interdisciplinary research: this research typically involves engagement with individuals and communities, both within Australia and overseas, to explore the connections between natural, agricultural, industrial and urban ecosystems, and social and economic processes. It also includes research to understand stakeholder perspectives on climate change, future scenarios regarding emerging energy technologies, and studying human and technology interactions for the purpose of developing new information technology tools and communication platforms.
Health and medical research: this research includes intervention trials and cohort analyses examining the effectiveness of behavioural and lifestyle programs and other preventive health approaches, surveillance and interventions for vector borne and zoonotic disease, piloting of innovative electronic applications within hospitals and residential settings, DNA analysis to predict disease risk profiles within the population.
Compliance with national standards
In accordance with CSIRO’s Human Research Ethics Procedure all human research undertaken by the organisation must comply with the values, principles, governance and review processes specified in the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2023) and any relevant state and national legislative requirements such as the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
This includes ensuring that any research we do is justified by its potential benefit and is conducted with integrity by qualified staff using appropriate methods and resources. At all times CSIRO will seek to minimise any risk of harm to participants.
It also commits the organisation and its staff to showing due regard for the privacy, welfare, beliefs, customs and cultural heritage of those involved in our research and their capacity to make their own decisions.
A copy of the National Statement can be found at: https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/node/8345
National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2023 | NHMRC
Your rights as a research participant
As a participant in a CSIRO research project, you have a right to:
- be treated with respect and consideration
- receive sufficient information about the project, in a form which you can understand, so that you can make a free and informed decision about whether or not you wish to participate. This includes information on why the research is being done, what participation in the project will involve, how any information collected from you will be used, published and stored, who is funding the research and who will own any knowledge that is generated
- be given sufficient time to consider your decision and not be coerced in any way
- have your personal or sensitive information treated confidentially, except where you give permission for it to be used otherwise
- withdraw your participation at any time
- know who to contact if you have questions, concerns or wish to make a complaint regarding the conduct of the research
- be notified if there are any important changes made to the research project which affect your participation and how the information you provided will be used.
Further information
The information on this can also be found in the Human Research Ethics factsheet .
Our commitment to ethical research practice
CSIRO undertakes a wide range of research to inform and improve the health, welfare, sustainability and productivity of people, communities, regions and industries. Where this research requires the involvement or study of people, their data or their tissue, CSIRO accepts responsibility for the welfare of those participants within the scope of its research activities.
What is human research?
Human research is research conducted with or about people, their data or tissue. Human participation in research can include:
- taking part in surveys, interviews, workshops or focus groups
- testing new designs of emerging technologies or methods
- undergoing psychological, physiological or medical testing or treatment
- taking part in behavioural experiments
- being observed by researchers
- researchers accessing personal documents or other materials
- the collection and use of body organs, tissues, fluids or exhaled breath
- researchers having access to information (in individually identifiable, re-identifiable or non-identifiable form) as part of an existing published or unpublished source or database, including government or customer datasets, online forms and social media.
About CSIRO’s human research
CSIRO’s human research can be grouped into two main categories:
Social and interdisciplinary research: this research typically involves engagement with individuals and communities, both within Australia and overseas, to explore the connections between natural, agricultural, industrial and urban ecosystems, and social and economic processes. It also includes research to understand stakeholder perspectives on climate change, future scenarios regarding emerging energy technologies, and studying human and technology interactions for the purpose of developing new information technology tools and communication platforms.
Health and medical research: this research includes intervention trials and cohort analyses examining the effectiveness of behavioural and lifestyle programs and other preventive health approaches, surveillance and interventions for vector borne and zoonotic disease, piloting of innovative electronic applications within hospitals and residential settings, DNA analysis to predict disease risk profiles within the population.
Compliance with national standards
In accordance with CSIRO’s Human Research Ethics Procedure all human research undertaken by the organisation must comply with the values, principles, governance and review processes specified in the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2023) and any relevant state and national legislative requirements such as the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
This includes ensuring that any research we do is justified by its potential benefit and is conducted with integrity by qualified staff using appropriate methods and resources. At all times CSIRO will seek to minimise any risk of harm to participants.
It also commits the organisation and its staff to showing due regard for the privacy, welfare, beliefs, customs and cultural heritage of those involved in our research and their capacity to make their own decisions.
A copy of the National Statement can be found at: https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/node/8345
National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2023 | NHMRC
Your rights as a research participant
As a participant in a CSIRO research project, you have a right to:
- be treated with respect and consideration
- receive sufficient information about the project, in a form which you can understand, so that you can make a free and informed decision about whether or not you wish to participate. This includes information on why the research is being done, what participation in the project will involve, how any information collected from you will be used, published and stored, who is funding the research and who will own any knowledge that is generated
- be given sufficient time to consider your decision and not be coerced in any way
- have your personal or sensitive information treated confidentially, except where you give permission for it to be used otherwise
- withdraw your participation at any time
- know who to contact if you have questions, concerns or wish to make a complaint regarding the conduct of the research
- be notified if there are any important changes made to the research project which affect your participation and how the information you provided will be used.
Further information
The information on this can also be found in the Human Research Ethics factsheet PDF (1 MB).
Ms Cathy Pitkin
Executive Manager, Social Responsibility (Ethics and Integrity)