Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions at IIT

I acknowledge:

That I have an obligation to management therefore, I shall promote the understanding of information processing methods and procedures to management using every resource at my command.

That I have an obligation to my fellow members, therefore, I shall uphold the high ideals of DPMA as outlined in its International Bylaws. Further, I shall cooperate with my fellow members and shall treat them with honesty and respect at all times.

That I have an obligation to society and will participate to the best of my ability in the dissemination of knowledge pertaining to the general development and understanding of information processing. Further, I shall not use knowledge of a confidential nature to further my personal interest nor shall I violate the privacy and confidentiality of information entrusted to me or to which I may gain access.

That I have an obligation to my employer whose trust I hold, therefore, I shall endeavor to discharge this obligation to the best of my ability, to guard my employer's interests, and to advise him or her wisely and honestly.

That I have an obligation to my country, therefore, in my personal, business and social contacts, I shall uphold my nation and shall honor the chosen way of life of my fellow citizens.

I accept these obligations as a personal responsibility and as a member of this association, I shall actively discharge these obligtions and I dedicate myself to that end.

Standards of Conduct

These standards expand on the Code of Ethics by providing specific statements of behavior in support of each element of the Code. They are not objectives to be strived for, they are rules that no true professional will violate. It is first of all expected that an information processing professional will abide by the appropriate laws of their country and community. The following standards address tenets that apply to the profession.

In recognition of my obligation to management I shall:

• Keep my personal knowledge up-to-date and insure that proper expertise is available when needed.
• Share my knowledge with others and present factual and objective information to management to the best of my ability.
• Accept full responsibility for work that I perform.
• Not misuse the authority entrusted to me.
• Not misrepresent or withhold information concerning the capabilities of equipment, software or systems.
• Not take advantage of the lack of knowledge or inexperience on the part of others.

In recognition of my obligation to my fellow members and the profession I shall:

• Be honest in all my professional relationships.
• Take appropriate action in regard to any illegal or unethical practices that come to my attention. However, I will bring charges against any person only when I have reasonable basis for believing in the truth of the allegations and without regard to personal interest.
• Endeavor to share my special knowledge.
• Cooperate with others in achieving understanding and in identifying problems.
• Not use or take, credit for the work of others without specific acknowledgement and authorization.
• Not take advantage of the lack of knowledge or inexperience on the part of others for personal gain.

In recognition of my obligation to society I shall:

Protect the privacy and confidentiality of all information entrusted to me. Use my skill and knowledge to inform the public in all areas of my expertise.

To the best of my ability, insure that the products of my work are used in a socially responsible way.

Support respect, and abide by the appropriate local, state, provincial, and federal laws.

Never misrepresent or withhold information which is germane to a problem or situation of public concern nor will I allow any such known information to remain unchallenged.

Not use knowledge of a confidential or personal nature in any unauthorized manner or to achieve personal gain.

In recognition of my obligation to my employer shall:

Make every effort to ensure that I have the most current knowledge and that the proper expertise is available when needed.

Avoid conflict of interest and insure that my employer is aware of any potential conflicts.

Present a fair, honest and objective viewpoint Protect the proper interests of my employer at all times.

Protect the privacy and confidentiality of all information entrusted to me. Not misrepresent or withhold information which is germane to the situation.

Not attempt to use the resources of my ernployer for personal gain or for any purpose without proper approval.

Not exploit the weakness of a computer system for personal gain or personal satisfaction.

Purpose of DPMA

Data Processing Management Association (DPMA) serves the information processing and computer management community. Among its principal objectives:

• Education and research activities focused on the development of effective management programs for self-improvement of the membership.
• Encouragement of high standards of competence and conduct and promotion of a professional attitude among the membership.
• Increasing member and public awareness of the impact of information processing and the computer on society and stressing member's responsibility to employers and society.
• Fostering of a better understanding of vital business role of data processing in society, and the proper relationship of data processing to management

*Advance the interest of members and society-at-large concerning computer related legislation.

Adopted November 1, 1981