Personal and Professional Ethics
Domain 6 connects private character to workplace conduct and tests whether you can apply integrity, accountability and fairness in role-based dilemmas.
Core standards
- Integrity: consistency between values, words and actions.
- Honesty and truthfulness in reporting, billing and academic work.
- Accountability: accepting responsibility for decisions and correcting harm.
- Respect for persons: dignity, non-discrimination and safe conduct.
- Confidentiality and privacy within lawful limits.
- Competence and due care; avoiding conflicts of interest or disclosing them.
- Professional codes guide conduct, but law is a floor, not the whole of ethics.
Worked example
An accountant finds that a manager has inflated travel expenses. A weak answer says “follow orders.” A strong answer identifies duties to the employer, shareholders and the profession; examines evidence; considers consequences of silence; and uses the least harmful effective channel, such as internal reporting and, if necessary, whistleblowing to an authorized body. Confidentiality does not protect fraud.
Traps that cost marks
- Equating legal compliance with ethical conduct.
- Treating confidentiality as absolute when harm or illegality is involved.
- Using “the end justifies the means” without testing proportionality.
- Ignoring stakeholders such as clients, junior staff and the public.
- Confusing personal preference with professional duty.