Management accountants should behave ethically. They have an obligation to follow the highest standards of ethical responsibility and maintain good professional image. The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) has developed four standards of ethical professional conduct.
The IMA Statement of Ethical Professional Practice has been revered as the central code of ethics for management accountants.
1. Competence
Maintain an appropriate level of professional expertise by continually developing knowledge and skills.
Perform professional duties in accordance with relevant laws, regulations, and technical standards.
Provide decision support information and recommendations that are accurate, clear, concise, and timely.
Recognize and communicate professional limitations or other constraints that would preclude responsible judgment or successful performance of an activity.
2. Confidentiality
Keep information confidential except when disclosure is authorized or legally required.
Inform all relevant parties regarding appropriate use of confidential information. Monitor subordinates' activities to ensure compliance.
Refrain from using confidential information for unethical or illegal advantage.
3. Integrity
Mitigate actual conflicts of interest; regularly communicate with business associates to avoid apparent conflicts of interest. Advise all parties of any potential conflicts.
Refrain from engaging in any conduct that would prejudice carrying out duties ethically.
Abstain from engaging in or supporting any activity that might discredit the profession.
4. Credibility
Communicate information fairly and objectively.
Disclose all relevant information that could reasonably be expected to influence an intended user's understanding of the reports, analyses, or recommendations.
Disclose delays or deficiencies in information, timeliness, processing, or internal controls in conformance with organization policy and/or applicable law
Resolution of Ethical Conflict
In applying the Standards of Ethical Professional Practice, you may encounter problems identifying unethical behavior or resolving an ethical conflict. When faced with ethical issues, you should follow your organization's established policies on the resolution of such conflict. If these policies do not resolve the ethical conflict, you should consider the following courses of action:
Discuss the issue with your immediate supervisor except when it appears that the supervisor is involved. In that case, present the issue to the next level.
If you cannot achieve a satisfactory resolution, submit the issue to the next management level. If your immediate superior is the chief executive officer or equivalent, the acceptable reviewing authority may be a group such as the audit committee, executive committee, board of directors, board of trustees, or owners. Contact with levels above the immediate superior should be initiated only with your superior's knowledge, assuming he or she is not involved. Communication of such problems to authorities or individuals not employed or engaged by the organization is not considered appropriate, unless you believe there is a clear violation of the law.
Clarify relevant ethical issues by initiating a confidential discussion with an IMA Ethics Counselor or other impartial advisor to obtain a better understanding of possible courses of action.
Consult your own attorney as to legal obligations and rights concerning the ethical conflict.