CCHRA introduces new Code of Ethics & Rules of Professional Conduct

Breaches may result in disciplinary action, where appropriate

The Canadian Council of Human Resources Associations (CCHRA) has implemented a new Code of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct, governing the conduct of members of each of its provincial member associations.  

The documents sets out the ethical standards human resource professionals are expected to meet. These standards require ethical conduct, competent service and good character and provide both broad general principles and some details about how those principles should be applied in practice, said the council.

“A fundamental objective of the CCHRA is to protect the interests of the public by ensuring that human resources professionals are competent and conduct themselves in an honourable and ethical manner. The code sets out the duties owed by human resources professionals to employers, clients, employees, other professionals, the association and the public.”

The code applies to all members, whether working as employees, consultants or independent practitioners, said the CCHRA.

“The code applies when a member provides services outside of their own jurisdiction but other jurisdictions may impose their own local standards and, to the extent they differ from the code, local standards take precedence over the code.”

The code’s contents represent the association’s minimum standards of acceptable professional conduct or behaviour, it said.

“While the code intends to provide clear and prescriptive guidance in ethical issues, it will not exhaust the full range of ethical issues that the member may encounter nor does it extinguish or replace the need for members to exercise sound professional judgment.”

Breaches of the code may result in disciplinary action by the association where appropriate, said the CCHRA.

“Members are subject to discipline by their association for any professional misconduct, conduct unbecoming or incompetence no matter where the conduct occurred. Penalties where a member is found to have breached the code may include a reminder, a reprimand, suspension of membership in the association or cancelation of membership and removal of the CHRP designation.”

The full document can be found at CCHRA.

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