Professional Ethics, Standards, and Practice Management
Scope
This domain tests professional conduct and practice management for planners and surveyors: ethics, competence, conflicts of interest, quality assurance, records and continuing professional development.
Core rules
- The S+SNZ code of ethics expects honesty, integrity, competence, confidentiality, respect for the Treaty of Waitangi and compliance with the law. Members must not misrepresent their qualifications or sign off work outside their competence.
- A conflict of interest must be identified, disclosed and managed. Client loyalty does not override the public interest or a duty to the court or consent authority.
- Quality assurance includes peer review, checking source data, documenting assumptions, version control and retaining records. Survey work must comply with the Cadastral Survey Rules 2021 and planning evidence must be traceable to its source.
- Practice management covers engagement scope, fees, insurances, health and safety, subcontractors, data security and continuing professional development.
Worked example
A planner is asked by a client to certify an assessment that relies on an old flood map the planner knows has been superseded. The planner should not sign the assessment as accurate. They should disclose the issue, obtain the current flood model or record the limitation clearly, and recommend that the client commission updated modelling. If the client insists on the old map, the planner should decline to certify and document the advice.
Traps
Letting client pressure override professional judgement; treating a small error as acceptable because it is convenient; failing to document conflicts or advice; and signing work outside your competence.