All members of [name of professional institution] must at all times comply with the following principles:

Laws:  You must comply with all laws in all jurisdictions in which you operate.

Criminal activity:  You must not:

• act dishonestly
• defraud or deceive anyone
• give or receive a bribe, or any unlawful payment, benefit or advantage
• give or receive any gift, hospitality, entertainment, donation, or other benefit that may improperly influence a decision, or impair independence or judgement
• participate in any unlawful cartel or price fixing arrangement
• participate in any other criminal activity, such as extortion, abuse of power, embezzlement, or money laundering.

Conflicts of interest:  You must avoid, or deal openly and appropriately with, situations in which your own, or your family’s, personal interests could conflict with your professional obligations or duties.

Ethical behaviour:  You must at all times behave ethically.   Ethical behaviour is a higher standard than the criminal law:  an act may be unethical even if it is not unlawful.  Behaving ethically means behaving in a manner which is truthful, fair, and honest, and which is in keeping with the high standards of your profession.

Professional responsibilities:  You must not knowingly or recklessly:

• provide, conceal, or approve work, materials, equipment or services which are not of the quality and quantity required under law or contract
• provide false, inaccurate or misleading information
• withhold information which another person has the right to see
• make or submit false, inaccurate, misleading or exaggerated records, invoices, claims, applications for variations or extensions of time, or requests for payment
• without good reason refuse or fail to approve, or delay in approving, work, materials, equipment, services, invoices, claims, applications for variations or extensions of time, or requests for payment
• without good reason refuse or fail to pay, or delay in paying, sums due.

Management responsibilities:  Where you have a management responsibility over any function, activity or personnel, you must:

• not authorise or condone any corrupt activity within such function or activity, or by such personnel
• take reasonable and proportionate measures to prevent any such corrupt activity from occurring
• in the event that any such corrupt activity is reported or suspected, take reasonable and appropriate steps to investigate and deal with such corruption.

Direct and indirect actions:  The above obligations apply to any actions taken by you either directly, or through or on behalf of any other person or organisation.

Breach of this Code of Conduct:  In the event that any member breaches any part of this Code of Conduct, then

• [Name of professional institution] will take reasonable and appropriate steps to investigate such breach.
• If there is reasonable evidence that such a breach has occurred, then [name of professional institution] will refer the matter to its [Disciplinary Process].

Reporting:  If you suspect that any member of [name of professional institution] has breached any part of this Code of Conduct, then you must report such suspicion as soon as possible to the [name of professional institution] Reporting Line.  The Reporting Line is:

     Name: ………………….

     e-mail: ………….……..

     Telephone: ……………

In all cases, you may report anonymously.  If you do not make your report anonymously, you may at the time of reporting request [name of professional institution] to keep your identity confidential.