Professional Ethics and Standards
This domain tests whether you act with integrity when commercial or political pressure points the other way. Ethics questions reward the boring, truthful answer over the loyal, convenient one.
Standards to apply
- Integrity - be straightforward and truthful; do not mislead by omission.
- Objectivity - weigh evidence, not hierarchy or personal gain.
- Confidentiality - share only with those who need it, within legal limits.
- Competence and due care - work within your expertise; seek review at the edge of it.
- Conflicts of interest - declare, then manage or withdraw.
- Accurate reporting - distinguish fact, estimate and opinion; never present uncertainty as certainty.
Worked example
A sponsor asks you to remove a red risk from a board report because it "distracts". Reasoning: the risk is material and within the board's decision rights. Options include reporting it with mitigation and a clear ask, or escalating through the governance route. Removing it would misrepresent the position and breach integrity. The professional response is to keep the risk, improve the explanation, and record the sponsor's request and your rationale.
Traps
- Loyalty to a manager over accuracy.
- "Everyone does it" as a justification.
- Declaring a conflict but continuing to decide.
- Using confidentiality to suppress legitimate escalation.
- Presenting optimistic forecasts as commitments.
- Treating silence as approval.