The Career Professional’s Creed: A Declaration of our Code of Professional Conduct

The Career Professional’s Creed
“I am proud to be part of a helping profession. In all interactions with clients and colleagues, I demonstrate unwavering ethics, integrity, and purposeful kindness. I consistently act with professionalism, practicing only within the boundaries of my qualifications. I seek out opportunities to learn and grow because my clients deserve leading-edge support. I embrace the values of diversity and inclusion, showing respect to all clients as I ensure their unique needs are met and their dignity is maintained. The members of my community of practice are my strongest allies and collaborators. Collectively, we nurture trusting and effective relationships with the individuals we are privileged to serve.”
Demonstrate your commitment to The Career Professional’s Creed by adding it to your website, along with a link leading back to Career Professionals of Canada as the original source.
Career Professionals of Canada’s Code of Professional Conduct outlines our rules, standards, and ethical guidelines. Members of Career Professionals of Canada must know, honour, and adhere to this code of conduct. It’s a framework that helps guide us to behave honestly and professionally, make thoughtful decisions, and uphold the quality and integrity of the services we provide. The four principles of the code define our commitment to ethics and integrity, professionalism and competence, diversity and inclusion, and community and relationships. Where the Code of Professional Conduct is very detailed and uses rather formal language, The Career Professional’s Creed is a shorter declaration written in real-world, first-person language.
What is the Definition of a Creed?
A creed is a statement of belief or set of principles that a group of people or an individual freely hold to be true. It is often used in a religious context where it is a formal statement of faith. However, creeds can also be used in other contexts, such as in politics, philosophy, professions, and business, to articulate a set of core beliefs or values that guide an individual or group’s worldview and actions. In fact, some businesses now include their creed on employment offer letters. It appears right beside the signature block, so the soon-to-be-employee knows exactly what they’re signing up for.
What are the Benefits of Having a Creed?
A well-crafted creed can serve as a unifying force that brings people together around a shared sense of purpose and identity, helping to align their actions and decision-making with the organization’s mission and values.
A creed can also help to foster a sense of accountability and responsibility among members of the organization, as it sets a standard for behaviour and performance that is based on shared principles and ideals. A well-communicated and well-understood creed can help to attract like-minded individuals to the organization.
However, it’s important to note that simply having a creed is not enough — it must be consistently and effectively reinforced and lived out by all members of the organization in order for it to be truly effective.
The Career Professional’s Creed
This creed is based on the four principles of CPC’s Code of Professional Conduct. It is crafted to allow career professionals to “see” themselves in the declarations.
“I am proud to be part of a helping profession. In all interactions with clients and colleagues, I demonstrate unwavering ethics, integrity, and purposeful kindness. I consistently act with professionalism, practicing only within the boundaries of my qualifications. I seek out opportunities to learn and grow because my clients deserve leading-edge support. I embrace the values of diversity and inclusion, showing respect to all clients as I ensure their unique needs are met and their dignity is maintained. The members of my community of practice are my strongest allies and collaborators. Collectively, we nurture trusting and effective relationships with the individuals we are privileged to serve.”
Where Can The Career Professional’s Creed be Used?
A creed should be prominently displayed and used in contexts where it is relevant and meaningful to the organization and its members. Feel free to use The Career Professional’s Creed in any of these ways and include an attribution with a link leading back to Career Professionals of Canada as the original source. Here are some examples of where the creed might be used and displayed:
- On your organization’s website: The creed can be included on the “About Us” or “Mission and Values” page of your organization’s website to communicate your core beliefs and principles to visitors.
- In marketing and promotional materials: The creed can be used in your marketing and promotional materials, such as brochures, flyers, and social media posts, to help build awareness and understanding.
- In internal communications: The creed can be used in your internal communications, such as emails, newsletters, and memos, to reinforce the mission and values of an organization.
- In training and orientation materials: The creed can be incorporated into training and orientation materials for new members or employees, to help them understand and align with your organization’s principles of professional conduct.
- In physical spaces: The creed can be displayed in physical locations, such as on office walls or in conference rooms, to serve as a visual reminder of your organization’s shared beliefs and goals.
Do you see yourself in The Career Professional’s Creed? Where do you think you’ll use it in the important work you do? Please let us know in the comments.
Cathy Milton has been a member of CPC for 10 years now, and holds MCRS, MCIS, MCCS, MCES, and MCWS designations. She is a member of the board of CPC and the association’s Compliance Director. When she’s not working, Cathy enjoys cooking, sailing in summer, and taking care of her pets.
Portions of this article include content modified from text generated by AI.