About the ADPO
Code of Professional Conduct
Members of the Association of Data Protection Officers shall behave in accordance with the principles set out
below:
Protection of Public Interest and Legal Compliance
Members shall:
- exercise their skills in such a way as to observe and comply with the appropriate Data Protection and
professional conduct legislation
- recognise the privacy rights of individuals, engage professionally with third parties and not prejudice
the intellectual property rights of others
- recognise the rights of individuals and groups with regard to the confidentiality of their data
- take reasonable steps to know and understand the relevant legislation, regulations and standards and
comply with such requirements in carrying out their work
- recognise basic human rights and endeavour to avoid actions that have an adverse effect on such rights
Responsibility to Employers and Clients
Members shall:
- perform professional work that meets the requirements of their employer or client and draw the
employer's or client's attention to the consequences of ignoring or overruling the member's professional
judgement
- perform professional work to time and to budget and notify the employer or client early if such
requirements are unlikely to be fulfilled
- not offer or provide any inducement to a third party in return for business secured with a client,
unless there is full disclosure of the facts to that client
- not disclose or authorise the disclosure of confidential information gained in the course of
professional work, except with the prior written permission of the employer or client, nor use such
information for personal gain
Professional Dignity and Promotion of Professional Aims
Members shall:
- protect the reputation of the data management profession and strive to improve professional standards
through personal participation in their development, use and regulation and avoid actions that will
adversely affect the good standing of the profession
- raise individual awareness, advance public knowledge and enhance the appreciation of Data Protection
and, wherever possible, counter false or misleading statements detrimental to the profession
- encourage and support fellow practitioners in their professional development and, where possible,
provide
opportunities supporting the development of new entrants to the profession
- uphold the principles which underpin the Data Protection legislation, and support the work of the Office
of
the DP Commissioner in disseminating an accurate, practical and constructive interpretation of the
legislation in their professional activities
- act with integrity towards fellow practitioners and towards members of other professions who may be
engaged in related work and avoid any activity that is incompatible with professional status
Competence, Ethics and Impartiality
Members shall:
- take reasonable steps to upgrade their personal professional skills and their awareness of relevant
informatics developments
- avoid claims to levels of competence that they do not possess
- accept professional responsibility for work they perform, or performed under direction and not terminate
a professional assignment except for good reason and with reasonable notice
- commit to continuous professional development in order to maintain the highest level of awareness
regarding relevant legislation and industry best practice
- avoid situations that give rise to conflict of interest and make full disclosure to clients in advance
of any such conflict of interest that may arise
