2.7 Reputation of the industry
Researchers must not do anything that might damage the reputation of market research. They must
always be mindful of the core principles of the ICC/ESOMAR Code in the work they and their companies
conduct and avoid activities and practices that could undermine public confidence in market research.
Some people consider their mobile phone to be a personal and private instrument. The researcher must be
sensitive to these privacy concerns and therefore differentiate the calling protocols for research via mobile
phone from the practices used in fixed-line phones research. For example, the researcher should consider
limiting the number and pattern of call-backs when contacting a known mobile number.
In line with the ICC/ESOMAR Code requirement that researchers identify themselves, calls to mobile
numbers should be set to allow the display of the caller’s number where this is possible and this facility
should not be deliberately suppressed. If the researcher chooses to leave a voicemail message for a
potential respondent (who may have to pay to retrieve the message) then this message should detail how
the researcher will offer to recompense for the cost of retrieval.
Wherever feasible, it should be made possible for the called party to contact the researcher by calling the
number displayed to establish the researcher’s identity. It is good practice to provide a toll-free contact
number, recognising that the respondent may need to call the researcher over a fixed-line