	Ethical Practice

Introduction

Administration and Management

Service Delivery Administration Standards

Service Standards

CA-ETH 1: Open, Transparent Operations

The organisation operates in an open and transparent manner in accordance with applicable legal requirements and uses assets exclusively and effectively to serve the purpose for which it has been created.

CA-ETH 1.01

The public has access to clear, timely, accurate information, as appropriate to the type of organisation, about the organisation’s programmes, activities, service recipients, and finances.

Interpretation: Consumers of services, donors, volunteers, and public officials are among those for whom access to information should be assured.

COA recognises that for profit organisations are not required to disclose financial information to the public.

CA-ETH 1.02

The organisation accurately portrays its mission or purpose in all communications that contain such a representation.

CA-ETH 1.03

Foundations, not-for-profit corporations, for-profit subsidiaries, or holding companies/separate legal entities established under the organisation’s auspices, or on the organisation’s behalf, take only those actions that are in the organisation’s and the stakeholder’s best interests.

Note: Please see Tip Sheet: CA-EAP Parent Companies in the Tools Index for additional assistance with this standard.

NA The organisation has established no separate legal entities.

CA-ETH 1.04

The organisation eliminates internal and external barriers to achieving ethical practice throughout the organisation, including unawareness of expectations and current information.

Interpretation: The organisation promotes and maintains the education of the governing body, advisory group, owners, and staff regarding ethical practice and sets expectations for operating in an open, transparent manner.

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	PURPOSE: The organisation earns and sustains the public trust through honest, truthful, and responsible transactions, partnerships, and relationships with individuals, communities, providers, businesses, donors, and government entities.

RELATED FILES


	PROGRAMME A system of services offered by an organisation. For example, an organisation providing a mental health service may offer several mental health programmes to different populations, e.g., a mental health programme for adolescent teens. The word “programme” can be used interchangeably with the word “service” or to describe specific programmes.


	SERVICE RECIPIENT The individuals, groups, organisations, or communities that use, receive, or benefit from programmes and services. Service recipients can include consumers, patients, family members, legal guardians, advocates, public/private organisations, employers, and purchasers. All are regarded as significant stakeholders served in a variety of agencies and practice settings.


	CONSUMER The individual, family, group, or community that seeks or receives services.


	SERVICE One or more organisation-operated programmes or activities that have a common general objective and deploy the organisation’s material and human resources in a planned and systematic manner. An organisation that publicly promotes or identifies itself in writing as offering a service, is licenced to deliver a service, assigns personnel and/or space to a service, or allocates financial resources to a service is considered to offer that service.


	VOLUNTEER An individual who performs services for an organisation for civic, charitable, or humanitarian reasons, without promise, expectation, or receipt of compensation for services rendered. Such service must be offered freely and without pressure or coercion, direct or implied, from an employer. If the individual is otherwise employed by the same employer for which s/he volunteers, the individual cannot volunteer to perform the same type of services that s/he is paid to perform as an employee.


	STAKEHOLDER Any person, group, or organisation that has a vested interest in the services provided by the organisation. Examples: clients, consumers, personnel, funding organisations, referral organisations, vendors, and governmental bodies.


	PRACTICE Established actions or ways of proceeding in the regular performance of organisational duties. Policies and procedures often guide practice.


	GOVERNING BODY A person or persons with the legal authority and responsibility to set policy and oversee the operations of an organisation. Generally, the governing body is a group, such as a board of directors or board of trustees. While the exact responsibilities of the governing body depend on the nature and character of the organisation, the governing body has minimum fiduciary responsibilities to the organisation set by Letters Patent, statute, regulation, and case law, and typically assume responsibilities for long term planning, risk management, and evaluation and effectiveness of management.


	ADVISORY GROUP A group of individuals selected by an organisation's governing body or management who possess unique skills and/or knowledge and whose role is to make recommendations, provide information, and/or share input from stakeholders. Advisory groups do not have formal governance authority or responsibilities. Advisory groups can be ongoing or ad hoc.