Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct

Why ethics holds the investment industry together, how CFA Institute enforces its Code and Standards, and the map you need for every ethics question: the six components of the Code of Ethics and the seven Standards of Professional Conduct with all their sub-sections.

1. 1. Why ethics matters in investingCapital markets only work if investors trust them, and laws alone cannot create that trust, so individuals and firms need ethical principles and a habit of applying them.Free11 min
2. 2. Who maintains and enforces the Code and StandardsThe Standards of Practice Council maintains the Code and Standards, while the Professional Conduct Program, together with the Disciplinary Review Committee, investigates possible breaches and imposes sanctions.13 min
3. 3. The six components of the Code of EthicsThe Code of Ethics is six high-level aspirations, and the seven Standards of Professional Conduct turn them into concrete rules that members and candidates must follow.Video · 5 min11 min
4. 4. Standards I–III: professionalism, markets, clientsStandards I to III ask you to be a competent and honest professional, to keep markets fair, and to put clients first while treating them fairly and suitably.14 min
5. 5. Standards IV–VII: employers, analysis, conflicts, CFAStandards IV to VII cover loyalty to employers and supervision, how to analyse and communicate recommendations, how to handle conflicts of interest, and how to behave as a member or candidate of CFA Institute.14 min