It is mandatory for all members of IAPP to adhere to the Code of Ethics set forth in the principles listed in detail below. Officers of chapters and members or officers of IAPP committees will be expected to adhere to the requirements established within their respective committee charters.
A code of ethics is a set of rules outlining the responsibilities of or proper practices for an individual or organisation. In its 2007 International Good Practice Guidance, Defining and Developing an Effective Code of Ethics for Organizations, the International Federation of Accountants provides the following working definition:
"Principals, values, standards, or rules of behavior that guide the decisions, procedures and systems of an organization in a way that (a) contributes to the welfare of its key stakeholders, and (b) respects the rights of all constituents affected by its operations."
Principles
The IAPP Code of Ethics contains five principles or components. They are: integrity, objectivity, confidentiality, professional competency, and tone at the top.
Integrity
The principle of integrity establishes the expectation of all IAPP members to be honest and straightforward in all professional activities, dealings with others, and when representing the IAPP in any public forum. This principle also specifies that IAPP members should not falsify information within their organisation or provide misleading or false statement to others.
Objectivity
The principle of objectivity establishes the expectation of all IAPP members not to compromise their professional or business judgment because of bias, undue influence of others or conflict of interest. A member may be exposed to such situations and should make every effort to avoid the situation. If there are any known conflict of interest situations, they should be remedied immediately.
Confidentiality
A member should maintain confidentiality of IAPP, company, and competitor information.
- A member should not disclose confidential information acquired as a result of professional and business relationships without proper and specific authority unless there is a legal duty to do so.
- A member should maintain confidentiality even in a social environment.
- A member should maintain confidentiality disclosed by a prospective employer.
A member should maintain confidentiality obtained from/disclosed by a competitor in the conduct of IAPP business, IAPP sponsored training, IAPP sponsored networking, or any other IAPP related event.
Professional Competency
This principle establishes the following standards for IAPP members:
- IAPP members should maintain the professional knowledge and skill at the level required to ensure that the position held is performed at the highest competency.
- IAPP members should act diligently in accordance with applicable technical and professional standards while supporting their organisation or company.
- IAPP members who are supervisors are expected to provide their staff with training along with an awareness of all AP educational offerings and material.
- IAPP members have responsibility to act in accordance with the requirements of an assignment or position and to ensure that all deliverables are completed in an accurate and timely manner.
Tone at the Top
Member supervisors and managers contribute to establishing the ethical tone of their organisations. This principle builds on the foundations of integrity, objectivity, confidentiality, and professional competency and requires adherence to the IAPP Code of Ethics. IAPP recommends:
- Pre-employment background checks of education, employment history, and personal references.
- Periodic training about the organisation's core values, including:
- What constitutes unethical behaviour.
- The employee's responsibility to report unethical behaviour.
- How to report unethical behaviour.
- Performance reviews that include discussions of an employee's contribution toward creating the appropriate workplace environment.
- Continuous evaluation of compliance with the organisation's values.
- Confirmation of:
- An understanding of the organisation's expectations.
- Compliance with the organisation's code of conduct.
- A listing of known violations or statement of no known violation.
