DSI Core principle 2
Put the interests of the customer first. Conduct thorough research into the financial situation and goals of your customer and provide advice that is in their best interest. This also means that you do not always go along with the customer’s wishes. Inform your customer fully and honestly about costs and results, and act transparently and carefully at every step of the process.
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.
Learn about real-life integrity dilemmas linked to this core principle
Discover articles 7.2.1, 7.2.2, 7.2.5 and 7.2.6 from the DSI Code of Conduct that are related to this core principle.
What if you, as a professional, notice an integrity issue?
A certified manager of a financial company was instructed by the Board of Directors to carry out a large transaction. There was internal discussion about this transaction, as there were indications that confidential information may have played a role. However, the Board of Directors decided to proceed.
The manager faced a choice: should he follow the order or further investigate the possible risks? He chose to carry out the transaction, assuming that the Board had already made the ethical considerations.
However, the Disciplinary Committee ruled that the manager had his own responsibility in this situation. As a senior professional, he should have recognized that the situation posed an integrity risk. He should have raised this issue and, if necessary, involved compliance. Blindly trusting the decision of superiors was not enough.
Even when a decision is made by management, your own responsibility still stands. If you see a potential integrity risk, ask questions, discuss it within your team, or involve compliance. By acting proactively, you can prevent becoming unintentionally involved in an ethical dilemma.
“Do not blindly trust the decisions of others, but dare to take responsibility yourself.”
View the full ruling
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.