Understanding Responsibilities to the Profession

The PMI PMP Code of Professional Conduct places the greater emphasis on responsibilities to the profession of project management. This section is comprised as follows:

• Compliance with all organizational rules and policies

• Candidate/certificant professional practice

• Advancement of the profession

Compliance with All Organizational Rules and Policies

This area outlines your duty to be accurate and truthful with representations to the PMI. The majority of this component entails your compliance with the PMI certification process, although you are also asked to report violations of the PMI PMP code of professional conduct and cooperation with PMI investigations of ethical breaches. There is also a professional obligation to fully disclose conflicts of interest to business associates.

Accurate and Truthful Representations

You are responsible for accurately representing yourself and your professional work experience throughout the PMI certification process as well as in your continued reporting to PMI when recertification is necessary. The information you submit to PMI should be truthful and complete. This requirement applies to all aspects of the PMI Certification Program, including

• Application for membership and certification

• Test preparation and test item banks

• Examinations and answers

• Candidate information

• PMI Continuing Certification Requirements Program reporting forms

Violation of the PMI PMP Code of Professional Conduct, particularly the falsification of applicant information, can result in disciplinary action, including certification and membership revocation.

Violations of PMI PMP Code of Professional Conduct

As a project management professional and PMI member, you have a personal responsibility to report possible violations of professional conduct within the project management professional community. This is a self-policing provision.

Cooperation with PMI Investigations

In accordance with your charge to report professional conduct violations, you are also required to cooperate with PMI in their investigation of ethics violations and the collection of pertinent information. An investigation requiring your cooperation might arise independent of you actually reporting a possible ethics violation.

Disclosure of Conflict of Interest

Full disclosure of any conflicts of interest, either real or perceived, to all stakeholders is crucial to comply with the PMI PMP Code of Professional Conduct. You are responsible for informing clients, customers, owners, contractors, and/or vendors of even the appearance of impropriety.

Conflicts of interest can arise if you are related to a vendor performing services for your company or have previous unacknowledged relationships with contractors bidding on work you are responsible for managing. This applies to your entire project team. It is ideal to address any potential conflicts of interest prior to project initiation.

This is a best practice for all business transactions and assures all business associates are acting in good faith. If an actual conflict of interest is determined, all stakeholders can decide the best course of action for resolution of the conflict. By disclosing any perceived conflicts of interest, you avoid the appearance of impropriety.

As a project manager with decision-making responsibility that affects a project, you must take the high moral ground. Your judgments and decisions must appear beyond reproach. If a conflict of interest arises that is not disclosed, this potential conflict can impair your ability to successfully lead the project. Your client, your fellow team members, and your professional colleagues might question your choices regarding any conflict of interest as well as all other decisions you are responsible for making.

Your truthfulness, reputation, and integrity are paramount as a project manager. PMI believes this is an obligation to the profession as well as to the customer. The concept of a conflict of interest being tied to your responsibilities as a project management professional is set forth in both sections of the PMI PMP Code of Professional Conduct. This first section stresses conflict of interest in relation to your profession. In the later section, conflict of interest is discussed with emphasis on your obligations to your customer and the public.

Conflict of interest is a key concept. It appears in both sections of the PMI PMP Code of Professional Conduct. Expect the exam to ask questions related to this responsibility.

Candidate/Certificant Professional Practice

This area extends the previous admonishment to be accurate and truthful in your representations to PMI to a greater purview your professional practice of project management. You are directed to exhibit honesty and integrity in all aspects of your work. You are responsible for representing your qualifications, experience, and performance of services in an accurate, truthful manner.

This also applies to any advertising and/or solicitations for professional project management services. Compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and accepted ethical standards governing the practice of project management is mandatory. Your honesty and integrity reflect on the entire project management profession and your fellow PMP certified practitioners.

Advancement of the Profession

This area concerns the advancement of the profession through support and distribution of the PMI PMP Code of Professional Conduct as well as upholding intellectual property rights. Adherence to and promotion of the ethical standards set forth by PMI follows on the heels of the earlier requirement to report possible ethical violations. The credibility of the project management profession and the value of PMP certification directly tie to the integrity and professional standards upheld by existing practitioners.

In the course of providing project management services, you might come to possess information developed or owned by others. This information, commonly known as intellectual property, is usually copyright protected and can include patents, business methods, and industrial processes. The PMI PMP Code of Professional Conduct instructs you to recognize and respect this property. You must act with discretion and confidentiality when intellectual property is involved. There can be legal repercussions if intellectual property is not adequately safeguarded.