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Institute for Credentialing Excellence

Code of Ethics

The Institute for Credentialing Excellence recently celebrated another milestone to advance standards of excellence in the credentialing industry: adoption of its first Ethics General Principles Statement for organizational members. The development of this statement has been an important and significant journey for I.C.E. toward achievement of its strategic objective to nurture an innovative culture leading to increased quality programs and services to meet the needs of the industry. The Code of Ethics Task Force — which includes Claudia Carr, Katherine Church, William Cordes, Boyd Crouse, David Jennette, Matthew O’Hara and Michele Warholic — was charged to create and recommend a Code of Ethics Statement for the I.C.E. membership.

Read I.C.E.'s Code of Ethics Statement for organizational members below or download a copy.

INTRODUCTION:
ETHICS GENERAL PRINCIPLES STATEMENT

The Institute for Credentialing Excellence (I.C.E.) advances credentialing through education, standards, research, and advocacy to ensure competence across professions and occupations.

The spirit of I.C.E.’s strategic objective to nurture an innovative culture leading to increased quality programs and services to meet the needs of the industry is embodied in these principles. It is expected that the aspiration of member organizations’ Ethics Statements and Principles will also engender integrity, respect, excellence and organizational transparency.

As an organization committed to advancing standards of excellence in the credentialing industry, I.C.E.has adopted the following Ethics general principles for its organizational members. The principles are aspirational in nature, which means they are intended to guide and inspire member organizations toward the very highest ethical ideals and goals in their efforts to ensure competence across professions and occupations.

These principles are broad in nature and are not intended to serve as the basis for any type of enforcement or to be construed as mandatory standards for membership. It is expected that individual membership organizations would develop their own ethical standards or codes of conduct for their certificants, boards of directors, volunteers, and staff, consistent with best practices for thecredentialing industry.

INTEGRITY

I.C.E. Organizational Members* should:

  1. Increase the recognition and respect of the credentialing agency or organization.
  2. Promote and participate in activities that are credible and befitting of the credentialing agency or organization.
  3. Ensure business activities align with the organization’s mission and vision.
  4. Uphold the same high standards expected of members and stakeholders.

RESPECT AND DIGNITY

I.C.E. Organizational Members* should:

  1. Respect the confidentiality of sensitive information about the organization, its members, constituents, stakeholders, board of directors and employees.
  2. Demonstrate respect and responsiveness to stakeholders.
  3. Promote a culture of dignity, respect and inclusivity; appreciating and embracing diversity.
  4. Exhibit good stewardship for the credentialing organization and its resources.

EXCELLENCE

I.C.E. Organizational Members* should:

  1. Strive to achieve excellence through the adoption of best practices appropriate to the credentialing organization and/or profession it serves.
  2. Continually focus on achieving its mission with integrity and ensuring the effectiveness of its program for the benefit its stakeholders.
  3. Review program relevance to consumers and the public.
  4. Maintain a high level of customer service, quality delivery, trustworthiness, and a commitment to the highest industry standards, to effectively meet the needs of the public.

TRANSPARENCY

I.C.E. Organizational Members* should:

  1. Foster trust, specifically striving for good faith and fair dealing so as to contribute toward the efficacy of information exchange.
  2. Maintain visibility into the functions of the organization for its stakeholders.
  3. Communicate through established policies for the organization.
  4. Share information in a fair and honest manner

*Organizational Members are a classification of I.C.E. Membership.