PrintEthics
Background
CIPFA adopted its new Ethics Statement of Professional Practice (SOPP on Ethics) in May 2006. This new SOPP applies to all CIPFA members and students.
What are the main features of the new SOPP?
The SOPP is based on the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) Code of Ethics. CIPFA has adopted the IFAC code in full.
The new code is based on five principles. They are: -
- Integrity
- Objectivity
- Professional Competence and Due Care
- Confidentiality
- Professional Behaviour
The Code is split into three sections.
- Part A - Applies to all CIPFA members
- Part B - Accountants employed in practice; for CIPFA members this includes members who are employed in the National Audit Agencies and framework contract firms
- Part C - Accountants in Business, which includes members employed in public sector organisations, charities and in industry
The full version of the CIPFA code is available at http://www.cipfa.org.uk/conduct/ethics_code.cfm
Has CIPFA produced any supporting guidance for the IFAC Code?
CIPFA acknowledges that the IFAC code is a large document. In order to make it more accessible and relevant to our members in the public sector, we have prepared a short guidance document - Ethics and You
Ethics and You provides additional guidance to the IFAC code adopted by CIPFA. It includes public sector information that is relevant to the code, which assists CIPFA members in understanding how the Code applies to them in the workplace. It also includes ten case studies which are scenario based in different sectors and cover CIPFA members at different stages of their careers.
What do you do if you have an ethical dilemma?
If you encounter an ethical dilemma whilst at work, you should refer to the full text of the CIPFA SOPP on Ethics. The supporting guidance booklet - Ethics and You is intended as an introduction only, and is not the formal Standard.
However, if you feel you that you need specific ethical advice, the institute provides some additional support to members via the Ethics helpline on ethics@cipfa.org
If it is a professional issue, a member of the institute staff will try and respond to the query raised.
A personal query may be referred to a member of the Ethics Sounding Board.
What is the Ethics Sounding Board?
The Ethics Sounding Board is a confidential service available to all members.
Some individual CIPFA members who make up the Ethics Sounding Board have indicated that they are willing to discuss difficult ethical issues confidentially. This is a confidential service and is separate from the institute. Conversations with members of the Ethics Sounding Board are totally confidential and aimed at assisting members explore the full range of options open to them in respect of professional dilemmas. Members of the Board are familiar with all the Institute's procedures as well as other help lines and resources. They cannot, however, give legal advice and any comments they make are on a personal basis, and must not be assumed to represent the Institute.
For a query to fall within the ambit of the Ethics Sounding Board it should be in respect of an ethical issue concerning a member's professional conduct in relation to the Standard of Professional Practice on Ethics.
Current members of the Ethics Sounding Board include:
- Director of Finance at an English Local Authority
- Director of Finance at a Welsh Local Authority
- District Auditor
- Partner with a major accountancy firm
- Director of a National Audit Agency
Whistleblowing
Whistleblowing is an area that is governed by the Provisions of "PIDA" (the public Interest Disclosure Act 1998). A short review of the legal issues is available - please click here.