Purpose • To cover the professional behaviour and practice required of all CDI members. • To inform the public of the ethical principles to which all CDI members adhere. The CDI, whilst recognising the diversity of backgrounds and work contexts of its members, requires all members to be just and fair to all, to respect human rights and dignity and to adhere to legal requirements and obligations. All members are required to uphold the highest standards of professional behaviour as set out in the principles below. 

1. Accessibility

Members must promote access to career development activities and services in a range of ways that are appropriate and ensure inclusion.

2. Accountability

Members are accountable for their career development activities and services and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their role, including the CDI Discipline and Complaints Procedure. Members must act in the interests of society and at all times exercise integrity, honesty and diligence. Members must in all circumstances endeavour to enhance the standing and good name of the career development profession and the Career Development Institute.

3. Autonomy

Members must encourage individual autonomy in making decisions and always act in the individual’s best interests.

4.  Competence

Members must monitor and maintain their fitness to practice at a level that enables them to provide an effective service. Members must represent their professional competencies, training and experience accurately and function within the boundaries of their training and expertise.

5. Confidentiality

Members must respect the privacy of individuals.  Personal guidance interactions/ interviews should be conducted in an agreed and suitably private environment.  Clients must be informed of the limits of confidentiality and data-sharing at the outset.  Disclosure of confidential information should only be made with informed consent or when required  by law.

6.  Continuous Professional Development

Members must maintain their professional competence, knowledge and skills through participation in continuous professional development informed by reflective practice and the National Occupational Standards: Career Development.
7.  Duty of Care – to Clients, Colleagues, Organisations and Self

Members have a duty of care and are expected always to act in the best interests of their clients. Members must develop and maintain professional and supportive working relationships with colleagues both inside and external to their own organisation and respect the contributions of other career development professionals to the activities and services on offer. Members must fulfil their obligations and duties to their employer (where applicable), except where to do so would compromise the best interests of clients. Members have a duty of care to themselves, both in terms of their personal integrity, personal safety and their capacity to practise in order to provide an effective service to clients.

8. Equality

Members must actively promote equality and diversity and work towards the removal of barriers to personal achievement resulting from prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination.

9. Impartiality

Members must ensure that professional judgement is objective and takes precedence over any external pressures or factors that may compromise the impartiality of career development activities and services. In doing so, members must ensure that advice is based solely on the best interests of and potential benefits to the client. Where impartiality is not possible this must be declared to the client at the outset.
10. Transparency

Members must provide career development services and activities in an open and transparent manner.

11. Trustworthiness

Members must act in accordance with the trust placed in them, ensure that the clients’ expectations are ones that have reasonable expectation of being met and honour agreements and promises.
Within the Code of Ethics reference to specific job roles or services has been avoided. All career development activities and services are covered by this code regardless of how they are delivered, e.g. face to face, in groups, by telephone or web-based. A complaint of a breach of this Code of Ethics will be dealt with in accordance with the CDI Discipline and Complaints Procedure. https://www.thecdi.net/Code-of-Ethics For further information on the legal requirements please see www.gov.uk. Links to specific legislation for each of the principles can be found at:  https://www.thecdi.net/Code-of-Ethics
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