Ensure confidentiality

Handle confidential information carefully. In the digital age, where cyber-attacks and data breaches are increasingly common, protecting confidential information is even more important. Customers expect their data to be safe, and breaches can cause enormous financial, legal, and reputational damage.

At DSI, ten core principles are central to our Code of Conduct. They provide financial professionals with guidance to act with integrity every day and strengthen trust in the sector. Every DSI-certified individual commits to these principles, helping us contribute to a transparent and ethical financial sector. Discover all 10 core principles of DSI here.

Real-life integrity dilemmas

What can you learn from this ruling DSI 2022-001 by the DSI Ethics Committee?

Situation:
A senior private banking relationship manager had been sending client and company data from his employer to his personal email address for several years. He did this with the intention of working from home. Even after the bank tightened its internal policies on this matter, he continued the practice. It only came to light after he left the bank that he had stored large amounts of confidential data – including information on more than 1,200 clients – on his personal computer.

What went wrong?
Transmitting confidential data outside the bank’s secure IT environment is a direct breach of client trust and a violation of the DSI Code of Ethics. Regardless of his intentions, the relationship manager should have been fully aware of the risks involved.

Ruling of the DSI Ethics Committee:
The Ethics Committee ruled that the relationship manager had seriously violated the DSI Code of Ethics, specifically Article 7.1.7 regarding confidentiality. He received an official reprimand.

What does this mean for your day-to-day work?

• Working remotely? Always use your organisation’s secure IT environment.
• Never send client or company information to personal accounts – even with the best of intentions.
• Stay informed about current guidelines and be alert to updates.
• Confidentiality is more than a rule – it is a cornerstone of professional conduct in the financial sector.

“Treat confidential information as if it were your own. In doing so, you not only protect your organisation from potential risks, but also strengthen your own professional integrity.”

View the full ruling

Integrity Report to DSI

What if you, as a professional, notice an integrity issue?

Ethical dilemmas are ideally discussed early within your own organization, so you can come to a careful and justifiable decision together. Prevention is better than cure, and integrity should be a constant topic of discussion within teams and the management of organizations in the financial sector.

However, when a situation goes beyond an internal dilemma and potentially involves an integrity violation, financial professionals can report it to DSI. This is based on the DSI Code of Conduct and may lead to disciplinary proceedings. Discover everything about making an integrity report, the DSI Code of Conduct and DSI Ethics Enforcement via the buttons below.