CCEA Code of Ethics

The standards in this Code are to be applied to:

• relationships among CCEA staff; and
• relationships between CCEA staff and its customers, other partners in the education service and the general public.

CCEA staff are required at all times to carry out their duties in accordance with the provision of this Code. They should remember that a breach of standards could lead to a loss of public support and, in appropriate circumstances, a disciplinary investigation. CCEA staff have a right to expect that when carrying out their duties in accordance with the provision of this Code they will receive the full support of CCEA management. All members of CCEA staff are expected to work in such a way as to exercise integrity, and objectivity and, where appropriate, to observe confidentiality. In addition, all actions taken should ensure equality.

All members of staff are expected to act with integrity towards their colleagues and others and:

• to be accountable and to perform their work with honesty, diligence and responsibility;
• to observe the law and report any wrong doing, including suspicion of fraud or other illegal activity;
• not to take part knowingly in any illegal activity, or in any acts that discredit CCEA.

All members of staff are expected to act with objectivity towards their colleagues and others and:

• not to participate in any activity or relationship that may affect or appear to affect their unbiased judgment; and
• not to accept a reward or a gift that may influence or appear to influence decisions they make.

All members of staff are expected to give equal respect to an individual’s traditions and beliefs and not to discriminate on the following grounds:

• sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital/familial or other status.

In respect of confidentiality, all members of CCEA staff are expected:

• not to disclose confidential information about CCEA’s work, including examinations results, to anyone outside CCEA;
• not to disclose information to colleagues, prior to issue of results, about individual candidate examination results
• not to use CCEA information for any personal gain or in any manner that would be contrary to the law;
• follow guidelines for contact with the media.

Under the provisions of this Code, CCEA staff have the right to:

• be spoken to politely;
• be treated with respect;
• have their lives and commitments outside the working environment respected in the context of a work/life balance;
• expect colleagues to treat them as a fellow professional;
• speak out if they are the victim of bullying, vindictiveness, verbal or physical aggression, injustice or inequality and to expect their complaint to be taken seriously. (Staff may speak out to their own line manager or to any other manager)

Under the provisions of this Code, CCEA staff have the responsibility to:

• aim for full attendance at work and perform work to the best of their ability;
• treat all colleagues as individuals and show sensitivity to their needs;
• praise work well done and balance praise against any constructive criticism of work that could be done better;
• be assertive and not aggressive;
• listen to what others have to say and respect their point of view;
• take action swiftly if they witness or are made aware of unreasonable behaviour;
• try to learn from mistakes in handling relations with others;
• take every complaint or disagreement seriously and work to find common ground.

CCEA staff are expected to be fit to carry out their responsibilities when at their place of work and when representing CCEA outside its premises. The following guidelines should be followed:

• Staff are expected to be clean and tidy when at work and wear clothes in work or outside work when representing CCEA appropriate to the duties they are undertaking.
• Staff should not be unfit or impaired when at work or when representing CCEA as a result of drinking alcohol, using a substance for non-medical purposes or intentionally misusing a prescription drug.
• In their dealings with customers, stakeholders and members of the general public, staff is expected to behave in a manner that does not lead to reputational risk to CCEA.