Code of Professional Ethics and Guide to Good Practice

Code of Professional Ethics

So that the public in general, and employers and employees in particular, may be informed of the nature of the services rendered by members, the Council of Management of the Institute has formulated the following statement as to the professional ethics which shall be observed by all practicing members of the Institute of whatever grade.

Members of the Institute of Management Services of all grades shall:

  1. Conduct themselves in a manner which will merit the respect of the community for persons engaged in the profession.
  2. Uphold the reputation of the Institute and the dignity of the profession.
  3. Carry out their professional duties responsibly and with integrity.
  4. Collect and marshal facts without bias, and not allow their personal views or the views of others to influence their professional judgement, interpretation, analysis and presentation of those facts.
  5. Not discuss with, or disclose to, any persons not authorised to receive such information by their employer or their employer’s delegated representative, whether within or outside their employer’s organisation, the data, results, reports or proposals arising from their work; nor shall they cause such confidential information to be misused or to be published without permission.
  6. Not use information acquired during a previous employment in any way which could be detrimental to their former employer.
  7. Not receive any undisclosed material benefits other than their normal emoluments consequent upon any recommendation they may make in the course of their duties.

Guide to Good Practice in Management Services

The following notes are intended to provide professional guidance to those practicing in the management services field, particularly members of the Institute of Management Services.

  1. While management services practitioners are primarily responsible to the management of the organisation in which they are employed, they also have obligations to their profession and must always attempt to use their professional skills with integrity and objectivity in the interests of the organisation as a whole. Should practitioners at any time find these two commitments conflicting they should stress their professional accountability and the overriding need for trust within the organisation that their skills will be used impartially and responsibly.
  2. The work of management services practitioners can be concerned with people at any level within an organisation and management services practitioners should therefore aim to build relationships based on mutual respect. To do this they must be alert and self disciplined at all times when carrying out their professional duties and extremes of behaviour or dress should be avoided. It should be clear from the demeanour of management services practitioners that they are responsible members of the management team.
  3. As management services practitioners are responsible for assembling facts, analysing particular situations, and for making recommendations for action, they should ensure that management are fully aware of all the effects that the implementation of the recommendations might entail. This will particularly apply to the field of industrial relations when the management services practitioner is involved with the assessment of work and methods of payment.
  4. Management services practitioners should not give a direct order to those who are responsible to the manager or supervisor of the particular work situation with which they are currently engaged unless specifically authorised to do so. They should always refer to the manager or supervisor matters concerning technical aspects of the work under review and should not allow themselves to be used as a diversion for complaints about management or supervision.
  5. Management services practitioners should always attempt to be fully conversant with current industrial and other appropriate legislation and ensure that any recommendations for which they are responsible accord with such legislation.
  6. There can be no objection to management services practitioners joining trade unions in their own individual capacity. They should however not allow any conflict to affect the objectivity of their professional skills.