Code of Ethics

This Code of Ethics guides the conduct of House of Montrose (HOM) and the New Zealand Curriculum Design Institute,  Education and Business Consultants.

1.      HOM consultants provide the highest standards of service in all dealings with their Clients:  

HOM consultants will:

a.      Deal with each person fairly, equitably, without prejudice and with due regard for his/her values, beliefs
         and life experiences;
b.      Accept the rights of the Client to make independent choices, to take responsibility for decisions
         reached, and to engage in self-direction and self-development;
c.      Preserve confidentiality;
d.      Be honest;
e.      Seek our Client's expressed consent before disclosure of Client information;
f.       Acknowledge precedence of professional objectivity over institutional pressures and personal interests
         and the declaration of any factors which might limit the impartiality of advice offered to a Client;
g.      Conduct professional development services for which we are properly educated and qualified;
h.      Recognise the boundaries of our competency and arrange for appropriate consultations and
         referrals based on the best interests of our Clients;
i.        Provide accurate, current and relevant information;
j.        Value high standards of professional competence and strive to offer high standards of
          professional knowledge, skills and expertise and  
k.       Are committed to the principle of life-long learning to maintain and improve both our professional
         growth and the development of our knowledge, skills and competence.
 
2.      In promoting consulting services to new Clients, HOM will:

a.      Represent all experience, education, and services honestly and accurately;
b.      Describe accurately the services being offered;
c.      Honestly represent professional qualifications and affiliations;
d.      Provide comprehensive and clear quotes (costs are not hidden or staged);
e.      Provide Clients with a range of options and ways to achieve their aspirations;
f.       Support the development of holistic internal organisational knowledge, skills, attitudes and values
         with a view to supporting excellence and quality in education and
g.      Provide advice and work options in a responsible manner with the interests of the Client in mind.

3.      In conducting education or professional development, HOM consultants will:

a.      Provide education only in those areas in which the consultant is well qualified;
b.      Base education on the best and most recent research and informed opinion and
c.      Strive to meet the specific needs of both Clients and the Client organisation.

4.      In dealing with materials provided by the Client HOM consultants will:

a.      Consider all materials to be confidential and
b.      Request and receive written permission before using any participant materials outside the
         consulting situation, and then protect the anonymity of the Client unless given prior permission to
         disclose those names.

5.      In dealing with intellectual property in all forms, HOM consultants will:a.     

a.      Observe all relevant national and international laws, legal precedents, and best practices;
b.      Avoid illegal or uncredited use, in presentations and publications, of others’ materials and
c.      Support the protection of Clients’ intellectual property.
6.      In creating materials for a Client, HOM consultants will:
a.      Provide material which meets the needs of Clients and intended readers;
b.      Write copy in accordance with relevant laws, regulations, and professional standards;
c.      Be rigorously honest and accurate in representation of products or services when writing sales
         or promotional materials for any Client;
d.      Advise the Client when written materials and practices of the Client are not consistent with the
         ethical standards of the professional community.
e.      Undertake work that is specifically suited to a Client (HOM does not copy and re-use work undertaken
         for other Clients)
 
6.     In relating to other education consultants, HOM consultants will:

a.      Encourage a spirit of cooperation and collegiality within the education community;
b.      Maintain the highest integrity in obtaining prospective Client information and in contacting them;
c.      Give only honest and accurate references for other consultants, or none at all and
d.      Compete openly and fairly for consulting work and Clients.

7.      If affiliated with an educational institution, HOM consultants will:

a.      Meet all obligations to the educational institution and to the Learners in the institution;
b.      Meet the terms of any contract signed with the educational institution as they apply to consulting work;
c.      Use facilities and supplies of the educational institution for consulting work only if the institution    
         approves of such use and is adequately recompensed for it and
d.      Avoid conflicts of interest and advise the Client and the institution of any potential conflict.


It is here acknowledged that this Code of Ethics draws upon the Monash University Career Consultants Code of Ethics (http://www.careers.monash.edu.au/Students/code-of-ethics.html)