The Code of Ethics and the seven Standards of Professional Conduct

Code of Ethics

The CFA Institute has outlined six components to its Code of Ethics. Members of the CFA Institute must:

1. Act with integrity, competence, diligence, respect, and in an ethical manner with the public, clients, prospective clients, employers, employees, colleagues in the investment profession, and other participants in the global capital markets.

2. Place the integrity of the investment profession and clients’ interests above their own personal interests.

3. Use reasonable care and exercise independent professional judgment when conducting investment analysis, making investment recommendations, taking investment actions, and engaging in other professional activities.

4. Practice and encourage others to practice professionally and ethically to reflect credit on themselves and the profession.

5. Promote the integrity of, and uphold the rules governing, capital markets.

6. Maintain and improve their professional competence and strive to maintain and improve the competence of other investment professionals.

Standards of Conduct

With regard to Standards of Conduct, there are seven areas by which one must be held accountable.  They are as follows:

1. Professionalism

• Knowledge of the law
• Independence and objectivity
• Misrepresentation
• Misconduct

2. Integrity of Capital Markets

• Material non-public information
• Market manipulation

3. Duties to Clients and Prospective Clients

• Loyalty and prudence
• Fair dealing
• Suitability
• Performance presentation
• Preservation of confidentiality

4. Duties to Employers

• Loyalty
• Additional compensation arrangements
• Responsibilities of supervisors

5. Investment Analysis, Recommendations, and Action

• Diligence and Reasonable Basis
• Communication with clients and prospective clients
• Records retention

6. Conflicts of Interest

• Disclosure of conflicts
• Priority of transactions
• Referral fees

7. Responsibilities as a CFA Institute Member or CFA Candidate

• Conduct as participants in CFA Institute programs
• Reference to CFA Institute, CFA designation, and CFA program

Ethical Responsibilities Required by the Code and Standards

I. Professionalism

Standard I is broad in scope and directed toward competence within a small business environment. This standard makes it clear high ethical standards must apply even when an issue hasn’t been identified in writing. In addition, it specifies that investment professionals must have a working knowledge of laws and a framework for resolving ethical dilemmas.

II. Integrity of Capital Markets

Standard II discusses sharing of material information qualified as non-public and the intent to manipulate markets. It prohibits CFA members from acting in a way to distort market value through manipulation.

III. Duties to Clients and Prospective Clients

Standard III addresses client loyalty, discretion, and care; fair dealing; suitability; performance presentation; and maintaining confidentiality. Investment professionals are obligated to put the interests of their clients before that of their organization or their personal interests.

IV. Duties to Employers

Standard IV outlines basic responsibilities by investment professionals for their employers. Language includes the premise of “do no harm” toward an employer, bearing that there can occasionally be a conflict of loyalty between personal and agency interests.  There are also specific instances outlined in which an investment professional may be considered in violation of duties to employers, including unfair competition and sharing of confidential information. Whistleblowing, or reporting unethical employers, is also addressed in this section.

V. Investment Analysis, Recommendations, and Action

Standard V outlines the responsibility of investment professionals regarding due diligence before making recommendations to clients.  The intent is to prevent conjecture in the form of a “hot tip” but rather provides that recommendations be made based on a firm’s independent research or the quantitative research of other reputable sources.

VI. Conflicts of Interest

There are bound to be conflicts of interest and loyalty within any business organization, leading to an ethical dilemma.  Standard VI specifies that CFA members and candidates must disclose any potential conflicts between clients and employers, individual interests, and the like.  The purpose of this is to protect employers from an unknown clash of concerns that may promote unethical decisions.

VII. Responsibilities as a CFA Institute Member or CFA Candidate

Finally, Standard VII indicates that members and candidates must not risk the integrity of the CFA Institute or the CFA designation through unethical action.  This standard also addresses cheating on CFA exams.