Preamble
  
All members of Danish Management Board (DMR) undertake to act in conformity with this Code of Professional Conduct. The definition of the principles is laid down by DMR's Council for Professional Ethics, and the council's decisions serve as a supplement to the guidelines. The guidelines contain general perceptions of good professional conduct and may be dispensed with in certain specific cases.

In order for a consulting institute to become a member of DMR, it must have a good reputation for its professional expertise and ethics.

Principles

1. A member will accept only assignments which the member has the skills and knowledge to perform.

2. A member will carry out the assignment effectively.

3. A member will draw up a written agreement for any assignment and ensure current evaluation with the client of their mutual expectations.

4. A member will work loyally in all dealings with the client.

5. A member will maintain a professional and proper approach towards the client's potential or current employees and customers.  

6. A member will treat client information as confidential. 

  
GUIDELINES TO CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

A member will accept only assignments which the member has the skills and knowledge to perform

1.1 A member will by exercising due diligence, dignity, and integrity aim at maintaining the confidence of the client and the reputation of management consulting institutes. 

1.2 A member will accept only assignments which the member has the skills and knowledge to perform - alone or in cooperation with one or more capable consulting institutes. 

1.3 A member will not without probable cause refrain from taking on an assignment in such a way that it prevents the client from, in due course and without consequential loss, to obtain other consultancy or assistance.

A member will carry out the assignment effectively

2.1 A member will work determined and exercise responsibility in handling the interests of the client in accordance with the written agreement.  A member will carry out only assignments which are included in the agreement. The work plan will be drawn up and executed in such a way that all solutions proposed or implemented can be adhered to and managed after the completion of the assignment.

2.2 The fee determined for the consultancy will be commensurate with the work and the responsibility taken on by a member. 

2.3 A member will continuously assure the quality of the work carried out.

A member will draw up a written agreement for any assignment and ensure current evaluation with the client of their mutual expectations

3.1 A member will provide a written agreement under the terms of DMR's Code of Professional Conduct covering agreements on management consultancy. The agreement will establish the objectives, scope and responsibility, as well as fee and other costs incurred by the client in connection with the conduct of the work.  

3.2 The demand for a written agreement may be waived for small assignments.

3.3 Any change in the objectives or scope of the assignment during the course of the project will be subject to a written agreement.

3.4 The conduct of the work will be documented in writing throughout the period of the assignment.

3.5 A member will refrain from encouraging unrealistic expectations with the client regarding the result of the assignment.

3.6 A member will at all times carry a professional liability insurance.

A member will work loyally in all dealings with the client  
  
4.1 A member will avoid acting simultaneously for intercompeting clients on strategic or potentially conflicting areas without informing all parties in advance and obtaining their acceptance.

4.2 A member who is operating as part of an organisation or enterprise will hold such a degree of autonomy that the objectivity of the consultancy and the assistance is maintained at all times.

4.3 A member will on own initiative inform the client in writing of conditions which may in the specific case challenge the objectivity of the consultancy - for instance due to cooperation relations or financial interests.

4.4 A member will engage in the implementation of recommended and accepted changes at the client's request, if the member has the skills and knowledge to do so.

4.5 A member will ensure that any management consultant carrying out work on behalf of the member is conversant with and abide by this Code of Professional Conduct.

4.6 A member will for a period of one year after termination of an assignment refrain from encouraging the employees of a client to seek employment elsewhere without first discussing it with the client.

4.7 A member will carry out the work in a way that does not compromise the member's objectivity or detachment. Consequently, a member will not promote products or provide advice to a client that are in any way to the member's advantage or potential advantage without disclosing this to the client.

4.8  A member will not without informing the client in advance receive commission or other benefits from a third party, a supplier, or any other party whom the member has promoted.

4.9 A member will not without informing the client in advance award commission or other benefits to a third party in order to influence another person's purchase of consultancy services.

A member will maintain a professional and proper approach towards the client's potential or current employees and customers

5.1 For assignments comprising personnel assessments, please refer to the guidelines for "Personnel Assessments”.

A member will treat client information as confidential

6.1 A member will treat client information that is not public knowledge as confidential. The confidentiality will remain after the termination of the assignment. 
  
 
  
  
PERSONNEL ASSESSMENTS
 
Preamble
 
The following guidelines for personnel assessments are to be seen as a supplement to DMR's Code of Professional Conduct.  
  
Personnel assessments measure one or more individuals' ability to meet the demands of a specific employment, as well as performance and conduct required in this respect.   

Personnel assessments are therefore not defined by the name of the assignment, but by their nature, for instance:  

• Test: Usually in the form of a questionnaire, which is subsequently discussed with the consultant. This may result in an independent assessment from the consultant to the client; or alternatively the client may make the assessment in interaction with the consultant and the test person.  
  
• Advice: The individual to be assessed is the client, and the assessment will normally have no career-related consequences. Typically consulting, guidance, coaching, or supervision.  
  
• Development: Personnel assessments of employees in organisations, or personnel assessments conducted on behalf of organisations. The consultant may either make an independent assessment or merely act as an catalyst for the communication between client and employee, applicant etc.  
  
• Screening: Personnel assessments conducted to the point when applicants are excluded due to job-related criteria.  
  
• Selection: Personnel assessments conducted on a known group of applicants, who have been informed in advance that they may be relevant in connection with a specific job.

Depending on the character of the personnel assessments, the below guidelines must be followed in such a way that the individuals to be assessed are being treated in a fair manner.

Guidelines
  
1. Foundation of agreement and information  

1.1 A member will, before carrying out a personnel assessment, inform the client and the assessee of the assessment methods and criteria both in writing and verbally, and obtain their acceptance.  

1.2 A member will ensure that the written agreement establishes that assessments will be conducted on one or more individuals. 

2. Methods, criteria, and solutions
  
2.1 A member will ensure that the personnel assessment is made on the basis of acknowledged methods and criteria.    

2.2 A member will ensure that the assessment displays a complete evaluation of the content of the concrete position/job, the structure of the organisation, and the individual's performance and situation.  

2.3 A member will, when conducting a personnel assessment, endeavour to produce constructive solutions that will consider the needs of both the organisation and the assessee, which may include alternative suggestions for the future activities of the assessee.  

2.4 A member will objectively and adequately inform the assessee in person and in writing of the results of the assessment before submitting the final report to the client.    

2.5 A member will, within a stipulated time-limit, accept written remarks from the assessee for consideration.

3. Reporting
  
3.1 Personnel assessments may not always be concluded by a report to the client. If a report is to be submitted, it shall contain a summary of the methods, criteria, and terms employed and agreed upon as the foundation for the assignment.  

3.2 A member will present his independent evaluation of the assessees in the report to the client.  

3.3 Any recommendation in the report must describe main opportunities, alternative solutions, and possible consequences of such solutions.  

3.4 The contents of the written and personal reports to the assessees shall together with their written remarks form part of the final written report to the client.
 
     

  
ENFORCEMENT OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT   

Complaints

Clients, members, and other persons with interest in the subject matter may lodge a complaint to the Council for Professional Ethics against a member who has allegedly violated DMR's Code of Conduct. Complaints to the council may also be lodged by DMR.

Any complaint must be made in writing.
 
In the event that a member discovers that another member is violating DMR's Code of Conduct and/or statutes, the member in question shall be made aware of the violation.

If a member notices repeated violations, the member is under an obligation to report these to the Council for Professional Ethics.

Nature of cases

Complaints may be lodged of members' violation of DMR's Code of Conduct. Complaints may also be lodged of the total fee, if this is not in accordance with the written agreement between a member and a client. Complaints of the rates and forms of a member's fees will be disregarded.

Procedure

Complaints are to be sent in writing to the Secretariat of DMR for the attention of the Council for Professional Ethics.
 
In the event that the complaint is made against a member, who also has a seat in the Council for Professional Ethics, the member will for the duration of the investigation be replaced by another member appointed by the council.

The Council for Professional Ethics may decide that a complainant shall pay all costs incidental to the complaints procedure. The council may further decide to refer a complaint to another body outside DMR if the circumstances so prompt

Decisions   
  
The Council for Professional Ethics will adopt a professional ethical view.   
  
In cases that are to be heard on their merits by the Council for Professional Ethics, the Secretariat will handle the exchange of pleadings and ensure that the parties get the opportunity to present further briefs in the case and comment on the briefs of the opposing party.
 
At the discretion of the Council for Professional Ethics the complainant and the respondent may obtain an interview with the council as part of the procedure.     
 
Sanctions

A complaint may result in the following decisions:

• Dismissal due to lack of relevance, grounds etc.  
  
• Dismissal of the claim  
  
• Success in the claim and written reprimand to the respondent     
  
• Success in the claim and exclusion of the respondent

The decision shall without delay be revealed to the complainant, the respondent, and the  executive committee of Danish Management Board. If the case relates to matters of principle, the members will receive an anonymized summary.
 
Publication

Exclusion on grounds of violation of the Code of Conduct and the statutes of Danish Management Board shall be conveyed to the members of DMR.

If a member has grossly or repeatedly violated the Code of Conduct, this may also be published on the website of Danish Management Board. Such publication shall be decided upon by the Council for Professional Ethics and approved by the executive committee by special majority.

The decision of the executive committee may be brought before the next general assembly for conclusive decision.