What is a professional code of ethics?

• A. A professional membership certificate
• B. A profession's promise to society to monitor its members in areas not expressly covered by the law
• C. A code of conduct for management
• D. A recall policy

Answer: (B)

A professional code of ethics is a set of standards that guide how practitioners should behave, focusing on protecting the public interest and sustaining trust in the profession. The described idea—it's a profession’s promise to society to monitor its members in areas not expressly covered by the law—captures this well. Laws define minimum requirements, but ethics fill in the gaps by outlining expectations for integrity, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, safety, fairness, and accountability. Professional associations typically develop and enforce these standards, providing guidance and disciplinary action when members fall short, which helps ensure the profession serves the public good. This goes beyond a simple membership certificate, which is just proof of affiliation, and beyond a recall policy or a narrow code of conduct for management.