RULES OF CONDUCT FOR GR PRACTITIONERS

GR Practitioners just like lawyers, doctors, teachers and other professions are bound by professional codes of conduct or by contracts that contain standards of conduct. A GR professional who fails the duties required of the profession may be judged incompetent and subject to a disciplinary board or an employer may terminate employment. 

Lack of preparation is one aspect of incompetence

(1) A GR Practitioner is expected to provide competent representation to a client. Competent representation requires knowledge, skill, thoroughness, and reasonable preparation for the representation. In other words, incompetence may be failure to apply knowledge or skill, lack of thoroughness or preparation and failure to maintain competence that is once the Practitioner has gained expertise in a certain area, he/she must maintain that level of knowledge and skill. Being an expert is not enough if the GR Practitioner is unprepared at any given moment. In determining whether a GR Practitioner employs the requisite knowledge and skill in a particular matter, relevant factors include the relative complexity and specialized nature of the matter, the GR Practitioner’s general experience, the GR Practitioner’s training and experience in the field in question, the preparation and study the GR Practitioner  is able to give the matter and whether it is feasible to refer the matter to, or associate or consult with, a GR Practitioner of established competence in the field in question.

(2) A GR Practitioner is expected to serve a client with skill and care commensurate with that generally afforded to clients by other GR Practitioners in similar matters.

Integrity 

A GR Practitioner has a duty to carry on the GR practice and discharge all responsibilities to clients, the public and other members of the profession honourably and with integrity.

[1] Integrity is the fundamental quality of any person who seeks to practice as a member of the GR profession. If a client has any doubt about the GR Practitioner’s trustworthiness, the essential element in the true GR Practitioner-client relationship will be missing. If integrity is lacking, the GR Practitioner’s usefulness to the client and reputation within the profession will be destroyed, regardless of how competent the GR practitioner may be.

[2] Public confidence in governance and in the GR  profession may be eroded by a GR Practitioner’s irresponsible conduct. Accordingly, a GR Practitioner’s conduct should reflect favourably on the GR  profession, inspire the confidence, respect and trust of clients and of the community, and avoid even the appearance of impropriety.

[3] Dishonourable or questionable conduct on the part of a GR professional in either private life or professional practice will reflect adversely upon the integrity of the GR profession and governance. Whether within or outside the professional sphere, if the conduct is such that knowledge of it would be likely to impair a client’s trust in the GR professional, the GR Association may be justified in taking disciplinary action.

[4] Generally, however, a GR Association will not be concerned with the purely private or extraprofessional activities of a GR Practitioner that do not bring into question the GR Practitioner’s professional integrity.

A GR Practitioner has a duty to uphold the standards and reputation of the GR  profession and to assist in the advancement of its goals, organizations and institutions.

Collectively, GR Practitioners are encouraged to enhance the profession through activities such as:

(a) sharing knowledge and experience with colleagues and students informally in day-to-day practice as well as through contribution to professional journals and publications, support of school projects and participation in panel discussions, GR education seminars and university lectures;

(b) Community GR services programmes or providing GR services on a pro bono basis;

(c) filling elected and volunteer positions with the GR Association

(d) acting as directors, officers and members of local, provincial, national and international associations and their various committees and sections;

and (e) acting as directors, officers and members of non-profit or charitable organizations.