Canadian HR Reporter

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Oftentimes referred to simply as the "code," its provisions serve to govern the conduct of members of each of its provincial member associations. Setting out both fundamental principles and be- havioural guidance that holders of the CPHR (formerly the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP)) designation are held to, the new code provides an easy-to- understand framework along with more prescriptive rules that mem- bers can consult — and the public can have confidence in. In revising its code, CPHR Canada endeavoured to produce a document that is clear and re- sponsive to modern human re- source management practice. Im- portantly, the revised code should not be seen as an abandonment of, or departure from, the pre-exist- ing version. Rather, it can more reasonably be characterized as an elaboration and refinement of its predecessor. While ethics, in and of them- selves, draw upon the philosophi- cal, CPHR Canada has taken a relatively unencumbered ap- proach to ethics in recognizing they are about making responsible choices. In making choices and being faced with ethical dilemmas, the majority of us can agree on the premise that we wish to choose a course of action that is good. In the sphere of professional ethics, we must broaden our thinking to ensure our choice is not only good but that we implement that choice in a way that is also morally right. Ethical decision-making can sometimes be difficult — not be- cause people elect to make wrong choices, but because no Code of Ethics or decision-making model can unequivocally provide the solution to all ethical challenges. e Code of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct does not constitute an exhaustive book of rules but, rather, a source of guid- ance as the passage from the code replicated below emphasizes: "e Code of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct provide spe- cific statements — Principles and Rules — which represent the as- sociations' minimum standards of acceptable professional conduct or behaviour. "Importantly, while the code intends to provide clear and pre- scriptive guidance in ethical is- sues, it is conceivable that it pos- sibly (does) not exhaust the full range of enforceable ethical con- siderations that the member will encounter nor does it extinguish or replace the need for association members to exercise professional judgment." e new code encompasses six fundamental principles that guide its member governance culture: 1. Reverence for protection of the public (duty to the public); 2. Appreciation for collective re- sponsibility to the profession (duty to the profession); 3. Focus on employer and client in- terests (duty to the organization); 4. Preservation of well-being in the workplace (duty to the individual); 5. Undertaking to safeguard against conflicts of interest (duty to self and others); 6. Cautionary treatment of confi- dential information (professional duty). Along with these principles, the code also outlines Rules of Professional Conduct. ese rules define member comportments that are specifically prescribed or prohibited relying on greater behavioural specificity. In those instances, where the rules may be found lacking for an encountered situation, a member is counselled to revisit the principles contained in the Code of Ethics and encour- aged to exercise judgment in the application of the code's provi- sions — such that members can implement "good" choices in a "right" manner. e code expresses the profes- sional commitment that CPHR Canada member bodies make to the ethical delivery of human re- sources practice in Canada. e code serves not only as a guide to the profession itself but as a source of assurance of the pro- fession's concern for the public it serves. It is a hallmark of a profession that there is a voluntary accep- tance by its members that ethical conduct is, first and foremost, for the benefit and protection of the public, and also that there exists the conscious exercise of skilled and appropriate conduct within the profession. It is to these pur- poses CPHR Canada's standards are directed. A dominant objective of CPHR Canada and its member bodies is to protect the interests of the pub- lic by ensuring human resources professionals are competent and conduct themselves in an honour- able and ethical manner. Plainly stated, CPHR Canada and its members acknowledge that human resources manage- ment professionals must exercise a number of important character traits while possessing also the acumen and skill to make adept authoritative and moral judge- ments that serve the interests of society. HR management professionals play a central function in organi- zations and an important role in society — one that impacts the welfare of other people. Con- sequently, it is imperative that these professionals perform com- petently and with due care; ever mindful of the code that effective- ly serves to guide and to facilitate the exercise of sound and prudent judgement in the performance of that work. Faithfully adopted and applied, the Code of Ethics, with accom- panying Rules of Professional Conduct, promotes the integrity and trustworthiness of the as- sociation and its members while establishing a standardized base- line against which the actions of members can be postulated. From a governance perspec- tive, the code confirms the pro- fession's merit to self-regulate in conformance with the associa- tion's powers. From a more pragmatic view- point, the code establishes a pub- lic doctrine of honesty, faithful- ness and objectivity. All the while, the code provides a practical framework affording guidance to human resources profession- als — prescribing acceptable pro- fessional member conduct and implicitly defining professional misconduct. To be clear, this code sets out the duties owed of human resources management professionals onto employers, clients, employees, other professionals, the profes- sion and the public. It applies to all CPHR designation holders, whether responsible for human resources management activities as employees, consultants or in- dependent practitioners. Tony Ariganello is CEO of the Human Resources Management Association (HRMA) and Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (CPHR) Canada in Vancouver. e Code of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct can be found at www.chrp.ca. The code establishes a public doctrine of honesty, faithfulness and objectivity.

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