For an ethical and competent financial sector
A DSI (candidate) certified professional commits to the DSI Code of Conduct, which ensures expertise and integrity, among other things. Our ten core principles provide a summary of this Code of Conduct. Enforcing the Code of Conduct falls under DSI Disciplinary Law. On this page, you will find more information about disciplinary procedures, how to submit an integrity report, and the rulings of the DSI Ethics Committee.
DSI Ethics Enforcement is a form of adjudication where a special body, the DSI Ethics Committee, assesses whether a DSI certified professional has worked according to the applicable codes of conduct. These codes of conduct are laid down in the DSI Code of Conduct and are mandatory for every (candidate) certified professional.
DSI Ethics Enforcement serves a preventive function. As an (investment) professional, you are aware that a ruling from the Ethics Committee will impact your career, and the standards set out in the Code of Conduct are not optional.
DSI Ethics Enforcement provides numerous practical examples of integrity dilemmas in the investment sector. The rulings of the DSI Ethics Committee are published on the DSI website. This way, the learning outcomes of the ethical rulings are brought back to practice.
If a professional has not adhered to the DSI Code of Conduct (Article 7), you can submit a report to DSI about this professional. DSI has its own prosecutor who investigates whether there is sufficient grounds to bring the complaint to the DSI Ethics Committee.
If the complaint is brought to the DSI Ethics Committee and the Committee deems the complaint justified, the professional may face a sanction, such as:
Any sanction imposed by the DSI Ethics Committee will be recorded in the DSI Public Register. As you can understand, a suspension or permanent revocation of a DSI certification has a significant impact on the certified professional’s career. A ruling by the Ethics Committee can be appealed to the Appeals Committee.
Professionals who trade, advise on or provide information to private or institutional clients about investments, and who work on behalf of an employer that is a DSI participant are all subject to DSI Ethics Enforcement. Compliance professionals employed by the DSI participant are also subject to DSI Ethics Enforcement.
Freelancers may be subject to DSI Ethics Enforcement if they are DSI-certified and perform work on behalf of at least one client who is also a DSI participant.
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.
Click on the image for more information on these 10 core principles and how they promote integrity and ethics in your work.
Not every dilemma is a violation of the DSI Code of Conduct. In many cases, the best approach is to seek a solution within your own organization. However, if you suspect that a professional is not adhering to the code of conduct, you can report this to DSI.
Sometimes, reporting to DSI is not the right route. For example, if you have a complaint about a financial service provider, you can contact Kifid. If it’s a claim for damages, the civil court is the appropriate body. DSI Disciplinary Board handles only cases related to the DSI Code of Conduct and cannot award compensation.
For all information on how to submit an integrity report, visit this page. There, you will find details on the process and the contact information for submitting your report.
If you are interested in past ethics enforcement verdicts, please see this page. These verdicts are informative examples of integrity-related dilemmas that every investment professional may encounter over the course of their career. We have also produced some short videos illustrating various verdicts on the DSI YouTube channel. Additionally, we link our rulings to the 10 core principles of integrity that collectively form the essence of our DSI Code of Conduct.
The verdicts on our website were issued by the DSI Ethics Committee and the Appeals Committee, which deal with ethics enforcement cases involving certified financial professionals and DSI.