Standards of Professional Practice and Code Of Ethics

1. Member firms undertake to maintain a high degree of professionalism and integrity in all their activities and pledge that they will serve both client organizations and the individuals they work with to the fullest extent of their professional ability.
   
2. A member firm shall always be aware of the unique dual relationship that it has with its corporate clients and with individuals to whom it is working and needs to provide the required service to each party without compromising the interests of the other.
   

1. Acting always in a professional and sober-way in all its dealings with corporate and individual clients and with the public in general.
   
2. Maintaining the confidentiality of communications received from both individuals and organizations.
   
3. Respecting the privacy of the individuals it serves.
   
4. Responding effectively to the emotional reactions of those who are under stress or other pressure.
   
5. Affording to individuals served both a high degree of competence in all they do and respect for their autonomy.
   

1. Every member firm is responsible for serving the interests of individuals and must communicate clearly this assumption of responsibility to sponsoring organizations.
   
2. The scope of service to be provided shall normally be agreed in advance of the assignment and shall be communicated fully and frankly to the individuals involved. A member shall not knowingly accept an assignment that it is unlikely to complete.
   For example, where an individual is being corporately sponsored and appears to need medical or psycho-therapeutic assistance, the member firm shall candidly discuss the particulars of the case with the sponsoring organization (with due regard for the confidentiality owed to the individual) together with the limits of the career management consulting process in the case. Should the assignment then be continued, the member has the responsibility to establish clearly what shall be the respective responsibilities of all the parties involved.
   
3. A member firm will only commence an assignment when the individual involved has indicated his or her willingness to proceed.
   
4. A member firm shall treat with respect and dignity all individuals referred to them.
   

1. Where an assignment is referred to a member firm, the member firm commits to keeping the corporate client informed on a regular basis regarding progress of assignments currently being handled with the full knowledge of the individuals concerned and subject always to maintaining strict confidentiality.
   
2. It is the policy of ACF International and its members to promote free and fair competition in the provision of outplacement services. Neither ACF International nor any member or consortium members will engage in any unlawful restraint or trade, unfair methods of competition, or other violations of antitrust and competition laws.
   

1. A member firm and its employees commit to respect the confidential nature of information communicated by both the corporate client and the individual and such "privileged information" should not be passed to the other party or to anyone else unless specific and unequivocal authorisation has been given to do so. Although a member firm may assist a corporate client with pretermination planning, or other corporate consulting services, the member firm under no circumstances participates in any way in the separation decision or similarly sensitive move which is the exclusive responsibility of the employer.
   
2. There shall be no external discussion of specific assignments without the specific and unequivocal approval of the organizations and individuals involved.
   

1. A member firm will accept only those assignments it is qualified to undertake on the basis of full knowledge of the client situation and the professional competence and capability of the consultants involved.
   
2. A member firm undertakes on behalf of its staff to address issues of professional development so that standards of service delivery are maintained and progressively improved.
   
3. A member firm clearly designates which consultant will have primary responsibility for co-ordinating the services to be provided to any particular individual or group of individuals.
   
4. A member firm presents its individual consultant's and firm's qualifications openly, clearly and without embellishment to all those who have reason to be informed.
   
5. A member firm shall have formal and effective means for assuring the professional quality and integrity of the services it provides. These means may include, but need not be confined to, internal review by those competent to undertake it, and surveys of candidate satisfaction during and after the provision of a service. It might also involve examination or certification by a suitable external body competent to undertake the systematic validation of service quality and ethical behaviour.
   

1. No member firm that is involved in both outplacement and placement, whether permanent or temporary, shall charge fees for both services but shall perform one of these services free of charge in respect of individuals who are involved in them both.
   
2. Once an assignment has begun no member firm will seek to intervene with the established relationship between client and consultant regardless of whether the consultant is connected with a member firm or not.
   

1. ACF International firms may advertise. Any such advertising shall, however, be conducted in a dignified and professional manner in conformity with national and local laws and regulations.
   
2. Member firms must not engage in promotion, public relations or other media or business activity that expresses or implies, false, deceptive, unsubstantiated, or misleading claims about the efficacy of their services.