EPC Member Code Of Ethics

Member Code of Professional Conduct

The Canadian Initiative for Elder Planning Studies and its member Elder Planning Counselors stand for the highest of professional principles and standards regardless of their profession. This Code of Professional Ethics sets forth the minimum ethical conduct for all members. Voluntary compliance at the very highest levels is our expectation. The EPC designation is an earned privilege and CIEPS reserves the right to deny anyone membership for behavior it determines detrimental to its members and principles.

Elder Planning Counselors will at all times:

1. Place the needs, objectives and interests of their clients, customers, patients and prospects above their own at all times.

2. Protect their clients, customers, patients and prospects from unscrupulous business and professional activities.

3. Give clients, customers, patients and prospects the same advice and service they would expect themselves if the circumstances were the same.

4. Keep confidential all personal and business details of their clients’ affairs they become aware of during the course of their work.

5. Keep the quality of their recommendations high through continuing education and training.

6. Abide by the letter and spirit of the law or any applicable regulations or professional codes in all their business or professional activities.

7. Shield the CIEPS and fellow EPCs from dishonour by agreeing to immediate suspension of their membership if charged with an offence of a criminal or civil nature or professional misconduct until a full review has been completed by the CIEPS Compliance department.

8. Charge a fair and appropriate fee (If on a fee for service basis) based on the time, skill and expertise required.

THE CIEPS CODE OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS FOR EPC DESIGNATION HOLDERS

An Elder Planning Counselor will be expected to adhere to the CIEPS Code of Professional Ethics.

The objective of the Code of Professional Ethics is to specify and set forth the means to enforce the minimum ethical conduct expected of all Members as professionals and to facilitate voluntary compliance with the standards considerably higher than the required minimums.

Our integrity of both the Initiative and the EPC is uncompromising and will at all times reflect the highest principles and standards to be followed. These standards will be the key to building long-term relationships and providing credibility with your elder clients, patients and prospects.

In order to maintain high standards of professional conduct, those EPC designees who have demonstrated that they are unable, or are likely to be unable, to discharge their professional responsibilities shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary procedures.

Adhering to the Code of Professional Ethics is mandatory for all EPC designees and its provisions will be strictly enforced.

The CIEPS Code of Professional Ethics is fundamentally based on the following seven tenets. These Tenets "Tenets" serve as model standards of exemplary professional conduct. They express the general concepts and approaches from which more specific rules (the principles) are derived.

Tenet 1

The member should endeavor as a professional to place the public interest above his or her own.

The member has a duty to understand and abide by all principles of professional conduct. These are prescribed in the Code of Conduct.

The member shall not directly or indirectly condone any act that the member is prohibited from performing by the principles of this Code of Conduct.

The member shall place the needs and best interest of the client above the needs and interests of the member, member’s employees and/or business associates in all cases, and shall not allow the pursuit of financial gain or other personal benefit to interfere with the exercise of sound professional judgment and skill.

Tenet 2

Members should be diligent in the performance of their occupational duties.

The member shall competently and consistently discharge his or her occupational duties to every employer, client, purchaser, or user of the member's services, so long as those duties are consistent with what is in the client’s best interest.

In the making of oral or written recommendations to clients, the member shall (a) distinguish clearly between fact and opinion, (b) base the recommendations on sound professional evaluation of the client’s needs, and (c) support the recommendations with appropriate research and adequate documentation of facts.

In the rendering of a professional service to a client, the member has the duty to maintain the type and degree of professional independence that (a) is required of practitioners in the member’s occupation, or (b) is otherwise in the public interest, given the specific nature of the service being rendered.

Tenet 3

The member shall not disclose to another person any confidential information entrusted to or obtained by the member in the course of the member’s business or professional activities, unless a disclosure of such information is required by law, or is made to a person who necessarily must have the information in order to discharge legitimate occupational or professional duties.

Tenet 4

Members should seek continually to maintain and improve their professional knowledge, skill and competence.

The member shall keep informed on all matters that are essential to the maintenance of the member’s professional competence in the area in which he/she specializes and /or claims expertise.

Tenet 5

Members must obey all laws and regulations and avoid any contact or activity that would cause unjust harm to those who rely upon their professional judgment and skill.

The member shall be subject to disciplinary action for professional misconduct and has the duty to know and abide by the laws and regulations and all legal limitations pertaining to the members’ professional activities.

In the conduct of business or professional activities, the member shall not engage in any act or mission of a dishonest, deceitful, or fraudulent nature. The member shall not knowingly misrepresent or conceal any material limitation on the member’s ability to provide the quantity or quality of service that will adequately meet the needs of the client.

In marketing a product, a member shall not knowingly misrepresent or conceal any material limitations on the product’s ability to meet the financial needs of the client, and shall scrupulously avoid any statements that are likely to mislead the client regarding the future results of any recommendation.

The member has the duty to disclose fully and accurately the material facts representing the true cost, benefits, and limitations of any service or products recommended; and disclose any actual or potential conflict of interest that could impair objectivity.

Tenet 6

Members holding the designation EPC should use the fact of membership in a manner constant with the principles of professional conduct.

The member shall not misrepresent the criteria for admission to the Canadian Initiative for Elder "Elder" Planning Studies™. The criteria:

Successful completion of required qualification programs, and a written commitment to abide by the agreements and the Code of Conduct of the Canadian Initiative for Elder "Elder" Planning Studies™

Members will not misstate their authority to represent the Canadian Initiative for Elder "Elder" Planning Studies®.

Members may use the EPC facts for the following non-commercial purpose: in introductions if the speaker clearly states that the ideas presented are their own and not necessarily those of the Canadian Initiative for Elder "Elder" Planning Studies®.

Members or prospective members applying for the EPC designation will not misrepresent any credentials or affiliations with other organizations.

Tenet 7

Members should assist in maintaining the integrity of the Member Code of Conduct of the EPC designation.

The member shall not sponsor as a candidate for membership any person who is known by the member to engage in business or professional practices, which violate the rules of the code.

A member possessing unprivileged information concerning an alleged violation of the code shall, upon request, reveal such information to the body or other authority empowered by the Canadian Initiative for Elder "Elder" Planning Studies to investigate or act upon the alleged violation.

The member shall immediately notify the Canadian Initiative for Elder "Elder" Planning Studies® of any accusation or actual violation of the code of professional conduct of any professional organization to which they are subject, and full details must be given.

The member shall immediately notify Canadian Initiative for Elder "Elder" Planning Studies of a revocation or suspension by a provincial or federal licensing or regulatory agency and forward complete details to Canadian Initiative for Elder Planning Studies™ for review.

Canadian Initiative for Elder Planning Studies Inc.
203-4438 Ontario Street

Beamsville, ON L3J 0A4

Toll Free Phone 855-882-3427 Toll Free Fax 866 209-5111

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