The Stormwater Certification Group has adopted the Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility for its members in
order to to establish the highest principles and standards. These Principles are general statements expressing the
ethical and professional ideals certificants and registrants are expected to display in their professional
activities. As such, the Principles are aspirational in character and provide a source of guidance for certificants
and registrants. These principles reflect the Stormwater Certification Group’s recognition of certificants' and
registrants' responsibilities to the public, clients, colleagues and employers.
Integrity:
Always provide professional services with integrity.
Integrity demands honesty and candor which must not be subordinated to personal gain and advantage. Certificants
are placed in positions of trust by clients, and the ultimate source of that trust is the certificant’s personal
integrity. Allowance can be made for innocent error and legitimate differences of opinion, but integrity cannot
co-exist with deceit or subordination of one’s principles.
Objectivity:
Always provide professional services with integrity.
Objectivity requires intellectual honesty and impartiality. Regardless of the particular service rendered or the
capacity in which a certificant functions, certificants should protect the integrity of their work, maintain
objectivity and avoid subordination of their judgment.
Competence:
Maintain the knowledge and skill necessary to provide professional services competently.
Competence means attaining and maintaining an adequate level of knowledge and skill, and application of that
knowledge and skill in providing services to clients. Competence also includes the wisdom to recognize the
limitations of that knowledge and when consultation with other professionals is appropriate or referral to other
professionals necessary. Certificants make a continuing commitment to learning and professional improvement.
Fairness:
Be fair and reasonable in all professional relationships. Disclose conflicts of interest.
Fairness requires impartiality, intellectual honesty and disclosure of material conflicts of interest. It
involves a subordination of one’s own feelings, prejudices and desires so as to achieve a proper balance of
conflicting interests. Fairness is treating others in the same fashion that you would want to be treated.
Confidentiality:
Protect the confidentiality of all client information.
Confidentiality means ensuring that information is accessible only to those authorized to have access. A
relationship of trust and confidence with the client can only be built upon the understanding that the client’s
information will remain confidential.
Professionalism:
Act in a manner that demonstrates exemplary professional conduct.
Professionalism requires behaving with dignity and courtesy to clients, fellow professionals, and others in
business-related activities. Certificants cooperate with fellow certificants to enhance and maintain the
profession’s public image and improve the quality of services.
Diligence:
Provide professional services diligently.
Diligence is the provision of services in a reasonably prompt and thorough manner, including the proper planning
for, and supervision of, the rendering of professional services.