ICG Ethics and Standards Committee

The ESC operates independently of Council, and ESC members cannot be Council members, although the Chair of ESC is in attendance at Council.  The members of ESC (a maximum of 15) are all experienced practitioners from a wide variety of guidance backgrounds who have demonstrated commitment to the ethical practice of career guidance. Members are elected by the membership to the ESC for a period of 4 years.  The terms of reference for membership have been revised during 2010, and members will now serve a maximum of two terms on the Committee, but may be eligible to re-join at a later date.  

The principal duties and responsibilities of ESC are

• To advise on any matter for which ethical standards may be an issue.
• To support individual members who encounter ethical dilemmas in practice.
• To rule on the acceptability of alternative guidance qualifications for the various grades of ICG membership.
• To maintain and promote the Code of Ethics and Standards.
• To investigate complaints against members alleged to have broken the Code of Ethics, and to take action as required.
• To act as the disciplinary committee of the ICG.
• To act as the appeal forum for any qualification for which the ICG is the awarding body.
• To advise on the criteria for applications to the Register.

ESC members consider that their role is to assist members in entry to the profession and the ICG, and overall to promote the cause of guidance.  They aim to help both the individual and the profession as a whole, and particularly to assist members in their own career progressions. 

The principal ESC activities in 2009/10 were as follows -

• The revised Code of Ethics was presented to AGM at Blackpool in November 2009, and accepted.  The ESC is now looking at ways of promoting the Code, and particularly at the collection and dissemination of case studies illustrating the types of ethical dilemma that members may face, with possible solutions.  These will go on the ICG website and it is hoped that members will make contributions of case studies, comments, etc.
• Applications for ICG membership by alternative entry were considered, as were applications for Fellowships.
• A review of all relevant Bye Laws was made, and amendments agreed.
• ESC members are involved in the current review of the Register of Practitioners.
• Provision of advice and guidance to Council and the officers of the Institute on matters that have an ethical dimension.
• Attendance at Council meetings to provide an ethical perspective on the professional aspects of the Institute's operations.

The Committee would want to draw to the attention of the membership that the Code of Ethics was revised to make it more relevant to the wider membership (practitioners, managers, employers and membership organisations) of the Institute.  Commitment to the Code is a fundamental requirement for entry to every membership category within the Institute and the Committee would like to work with guidance organisations and professionals to establish development projects that make practical use of the Code of Ethics in the delivery and management of guidance services.  The intention is that the Code should not just be a criterion for entry to the Institute but should be regarded as central to the delivery of professional practice.  The Committee wishes to establish a community of interest which focuses on the wider promotion of the Code of Ethics.

John B. Hamilton

14^th January 2011