CODE OF ETHICS OF THE MEMBERS OF ESTONIAN CONSULTANTS ASSOCIATION (EKA)
Members of EKA act according to the ethical norms and professional rules approved by FEACO and ICMCI. This code is in compliance with the EU directives protecting the interests of the person who orders (the client) and it regulates the activities of the consultant belonging to EKA, setting ensuring of provision of ethical consultation in Estonia as the main goal.
Following the code is compulsory for all EKA members and recommended for all consultants who are not EKA members.
EKA acts pursuant the understanding that consultation is a professional activity that helps the client solve their specific problems and promotes the spreading of successful practices.
- Consultant shall not sign agreements with the client in a field where the consultant cannot provide a competent solution.
- The basis of the cooperation between the consultant and the client is the latter’s need, not wishes and ideas.
- The cooperation between the consultant and the client is usually formalised as an agreement which provides the aims, content, duration and costs of the work.
- Consultant shall not set non-contractual conditions for the client.
- Consultant’s work results do not always need to be measurable in numeric values.
- Consultant shall strictly abide by the promises made regarding the content, form, terms and results of the work.
- The most important indicator of the assessment to a consultant’s work result is the client’s satisfaction.
- The consultant shall determine a price for their work based on the client’s problem, work volume, direct expenses and price level on the market.
- Consultant shall refuse all agreements that damage free competition.
- Consultant shall not disclose any client’s information to third parties without the relevant approval from the client.
- Consultant shall not make any proposals to the client which are in the interest of the consultant or their other clients, and harm the interest of the given client.
- Consultant shall not continue or take over the work of other consultants without previously agreeing on it with them.
- Consultant cares for the development of their professional field and shares experience and information with other consultants, making sure that it does not harm the interests of their client.
- Consultant shall always have the courage to admit their mistakes.
- Consultant shall always work, based on the ethical aspects, on developing their ideas, feelings and will by going through trainings, supervision and collegial interventions, for which the feedback from the clients is an excellent source.
Code of Ethics of Consultants is valid and binding for all consultants registered as EKA members.
Violation of this code results in exclusion from EKA. EKA Court of Honour shall make the relevant decision.