Am ong other p rim ary goals, the N ABCEP is d ed icated to the im p lem entation of ap p rop riate p rofessional stand ard s d esigned to p rotect consu m ers and the p rofession. N ABCEP Cand id ates an d Certificants are exp ected to act in an ap p rop riate m anner, w hich p rom otes the integrity of, an d reflects p ositively on, the p ractitioner, the N ABCEP, and the renew able energy p rofession, con sistent w ith accep ted m oral, ethical, an d legal stan d ard s.
N ABCEP COD E OF ETHICS
As a p rofessional in the field s of renew able and su stain able energy an d energy efficiency technologies, a N ABCEP Cand id ate or Certificant has the obligation to:
d eal w ith all clients, con su m ers, an d other p rofession als and p rofession al organizations fairly and in a tim ely m anner;
p rovid e safe and qu ality services to clients an d con su m ers;
resp ect and p rom ote the rights of clients and consu m ers by offering only p rofessional services that he/ she is qu alified to p erform , and by ad equ ately inform ing clients an d con su m ers abou t natu re of p rop osed services, inclu d ing any relevant concern s or risks;
m aintain the confid entiality and p rivacy of all client an d consu m er inform ation; avoid con d u ct w hich m ay cau se a conflict w ith client or others;
engage in m oral and ethical bu siness p ractices, inclu d ing accu rate and tru thfu l rep resentation s concerning p rofessional in form ation an d system p erform ance exp ectations;
be tru thfu l w ith regard to research sou rces, fin d ings, and related p rofessional activities; m aintain accu rate and com p lete bu siness an d p rofession al record s;
resp ect the intellectu al p rop erty and contribu tion s of others;
fu rther the p rofessionalism of renew able energy ind u stry services; an d ,
behave in a cou rteou s an d p rofession al m anner w hen com m u nicating w ith N ABCEP rep resentatives.
N ABCEP STAN D ARD S OF CON D UCT
The follow ing N ABCEP Ethical Stand ard s of Cond u ct d escribe ap p rop riate and enforceable p rofession al p ractice stand ard s, an d set forth the m inim al ethical stan d ard s of p rofession al cond u ct for N ABCEP Cand id ates and Certificants. These Ethical Stan d ard s of Con d u ct also serve as a p rofessional resou rce for renew able energy ind u stry p ractitioners, as w ell as for those served by N ABCEP Certificants and C and id ates, in the case of a p ossible ethical violation.
SECTION A: COMPLIAN CE WITH LAWS, POLICIES, AN D RULES RELATIN G TO THE PROFESSION 1. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill be aw are of, and com p ly w ith, all ap p licable fed eral, state, and local law s an d regu lations governing the p rofession. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Can d id ate w ill not know ingly p articip ate in, or assist, any acts th at are con trary to ap p licable p rofessional law s an d regu lation s. Lack of aw areness or m isu nd erstand ing of these law s and regu lations d oes not excu se inap p rop riate or u nethical behavior.
2. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill be aw are of, and com p ly w ith, all N ABCEP ru les, p olicies, and p roced u res, in clu d ing ru les concerning the ap p rop riate u se of N ABCEP certification m arks and the p rop er rep resentation of N ABCEP cred entials. Lack of aw areness or m isu nd erstan d ing of a N ABCEP ru le, p oli cy, or p roced u re d oes not excu se inap p rop riate or u nethical behavior. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Can d id ate w ill not know ingly p articip ate in, or assist, any acts th at are contrary to N ABCEP ru les, p olicies, and p roced u res.
3. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill m ake all reasonable an d ap p rop riate efforts to p rom ote com p liance w ith, and aw areness of, all ap p licable law s, regu lations, an d N ABCEP ru les and p olicies governing the p rofession.
4. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill m ake all reasonable an d ap p rop riate efforts to p revent violations of ap p licable law s, regu lations, an d N ABCEP ru les and p olicies governing the p rofession.
© NABCEP 2014 Appendix I – Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct
5. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill p rovid e accu rate, tru thfu l, and com p lete inform ation to N ABCEP concerning all certification related eligibility inform ation, an d w ill su bm it valid ap p lication m aterials for fu lfillm ent of cu rrent certification and recertification requ irem ents.
6. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill m aintain the secu rity, and p revent the d isclosu re, of N ABCEP certification exam ination inform ation and m aterials.
7. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill rep ort p ossible violations of this Cod e of Ethics to the ap p rop riate N ABCEP rep resentative(s).
8. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill coop erate fu lly w ith the N ABCEP concern ing the review of p ossible ethics violations an d the collection of related inform ation.
SECTION B: PROFESSION AL PRACTICE
1. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill d eliver safe, com p etent services in a tim ely m anner, and w ill p rovid e qu ality services w ith ap p rop riate p rofessional skill and com p etence.
2. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill recognize the lim itations of h is/ her p rofessional ability, an d w ill only p rovid e and d eliver p rofession al services for w hich he/ she is qu alified . The N ABCE P certificant/ cand id ate w ill be resp onsible for d eterm ining his/ her ow n p rofessional abilities based on his/ her ed u cation, know led ge, com p etency, cred entials, extent of p ractice exp erien ce in the field , and other relevant consid eration s.
3. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill p rovid e clients an d con su m ers w ith ad equ ate and d etailed inform ation regard ing the natu re of p rop osed services, an d the related op tion s, ou tcom es, risks, and concerns.
4. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill u se all p rofessional resou rces in a technically ap p rop riate and efficient m anner.
5. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill p rovid e services based on client or con su m er requ ests an d need s, and w ill avoid u nnecessary services. The N ABCEP certificant/ cand id ate w ill p rovid e services that are both ap p rop riate and necessary to satisfying client or con su m er requ ests and need s.
6. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill exercise d iligence and thorou ghness in p rovid ing services, and in m aking p rofessional assessm ents and recom m en d ation s solely for the benefit of the client or consu m er. The N ABCEP certificant/ cand id ate w ho offers his/ her services to the p u blic w ill not d ecline a client or consu m er based on age, gen d er, race, color, sexu al orien tation, nation al origin, d isability, religiou s af filiation, or any other basis th at w ou ld constitu te u nlaw fu l d iscrim ination.
7. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill p rep are and m aintain all necessary, requ ired , or otherw ise ap p rop riate record s concerning his/ her p rofessional p ractice, inclu d ing com p let e and accu rate client and consu m er services record s.
8. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill not d elegate the resp on sibility to p rovid e p rofessional services to an u nqu alified p erson. Where su p ervision is ap p rop riate and necessary, the N ABCEP certificant/ cand id ate w ill n ot d elegate resp onsibility for the p rovision of p rofessional services w ithou t p rovid ing ap p rop riate su p ervision.
9. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill not act in a m anner th at m ay com p rom ise his/ her p rofessional ju d gm ent, p erform ance, or obligation to d eal fairly w ith all clients an d consu m ers.
10. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill be tru thfu l and accu rate in all ad vertising and rep resentation s concerning p rofessional qu alifications, exp erience, com p etency, and p erform ance of service s, inclu d ing rep resentations related to p rofession al statu s and / or areas of com p etence. The N ABCEP certificant/ cand id ate w ill n ot m ake false or d ecep tive statem ents concerning p rofessional or occu p ation al training, exp erience, com p etence, ability, acad em ic training or d egrees, cred entials, in stitu tional or association affiliation s, services, or fees for services.
11. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill not know ingly m ake false or m islead ing statem ents abou t, or gu arantees concerning, any service or the efficacy of an y renew able energy system , p rod u ct, or d evice, orally or in w riting.
SECTION C: CON FLICT OF IN TEREST AN D APPEARAN CE OF IMPROPRIETY
1. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill not engage in cond u ct that m ay cau se an actu al or p erceived conflict betw een his/ her ow n interests an d the interests of his/ her client or organization. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill avoid cond u ct that cau ses an ap p earance of im p rop riety.
© NABCEP 2014 Appendix I – Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct
2. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill act to p rotect the interests of the client or consu m er before his/ her ow n interests, u nless su ch action is in conflict w ith any legal, ethical, or p rofessional obligation.
3. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill d isclose to clients an d organization s any circu m stance th at cou ld be constru ed as a conflict of interest or an ap p earance of im p rop riety, or that cou ld otherw ise in flu ence or interfere w ith the exercise of p rofession al ju d gm ent.
4. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill refrain from offering or accep ting in ap p rop riate p aym ents, gifts, or other form s of com p ensation for p ersonal gain, u nless in conform ity w ith ap p licable law s, regu lation s, and N ABCEP ru les and p olicies.
SECTION D : COMPEN SATION AN D REFERRAL D ISCLOSURES
1. If resp on sible for setting p rofessional fees and related costs, the N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill charge fair, reasonable, an d ap p rop riate fees for all p rofessional services, an d w ill p rovid e clients and consu m ers w ith tru thfu l an d accu rate inform ation concerning su ch services.
2. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill charge fees th at accu rately reflect the services p rovid ed to the client or consu m er.
3. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill m ake all ap p rop riate d isclosu res to clients and con su m ers and p rosp ective clients and consu m ers regard ing any benefit p aid t o others for recom m end ing or referring his/ her services.
4. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill m ake all ap p rop riate d isclosu res to clients and con su m ers and p rosp ective clients an d consu m ers regard ing any benefit received for recom m end ing or referring t he services of another in d ivid u al.
SECTION E: CLIEN T CON FID EN TIALITY AN D PRIVACY
1. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill m aintain and resp ect the confid entiality of all client and consu m er in form ation obtained in the cou rse of a p rofessional relation ship , u nless: the inform ation p ertains to illegal activity; the client or consu m er exp ressly d irects the release of sp ecific in form ation; or, a cou rt or governm ent agency law fu lly d irects the release of the inform ation.
2. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill resp ect and m aintain the p rivacy of his/ her clients an d consu m ers.
SECTION F: RESEARCH AN D PROFESSION AL ACTIVITIES
1. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill be accu rate an d tru thfu l, and otherw ise act in an ap p rop riate m anner, w ith regard to research fin d ings and other p rofession al activities, and w ill m ake reasonable and d iligent efforts to avoid any m aterial m isrep resentations.
2. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill m aintain ap p rop riate, accu rate, and com p lete record s w ith resp ect to research and other p rofessional activities.
3. When p rep aring, d evelop in g, or p resenting research or other p rofession al inform ation and m aterials, the N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill not cop y or u se, in su bstantially sim ilar form , m aterials p rep ared by others w ithou t acknow led ging the correct sou rce and id entifying the nam e of the au thor and / or p u blisher of su ch m aterial.
4. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill resp ect and p rotect the intellectu al p rop erty rights of others, and w ill otherw ise recognize and p rotect the p r ofessional contribu tions of others.
SECTION G: MISCON D UCT PROHIBITION S
1. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill not engage in any crim in al m iscond u ct relating to his/ her p rofessional activities.
2. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill not engage in cond u ct involving d ishonesty, frau d , d eceit, or m isrep resentation relating to his/ her p rofession al activities.
3. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill not engage in u nlaw fu l d iscrim in ation relating to his/ her p rofessional activities.
4. The N ABCEP Certificant/ Cand id ate w ill avoid any behavior th at is clearly contrary to accep ted m oral, ethical, or legal stan d ard s, and th at m ay com p rom ise the integrity of, or reflect negatively on, the p rofession
© NABCEP 2014 Appendix II – Appeals Policy