Code of Ethics & Disciplinary Mechanism

Code of Ethics

ACPA Supports the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) ethos and is committed to its broad objective of developing and enhancing a coordinated worldwide accountancy profession with harmonised standards.

ACPA has defined standards of professional conduct and competence for all members and registered students. We have adopted IFAC’s Code of Ethics in their entirety in order to provide our members and students with a clear set of guiding principles to abide by.

The Code of Ethics provides a set of objectives and fundamental principles that members and registered students can work by and should adhere to. Members and students can apply them to their own situations and circumstances to ensure that they maintain their competence as a professional student, Certified Project Accountant or Certified Corporate Executive Accountant.

ACPA reserve the absolute right to modify, extend or decrease the governing rule set as required from time to time.

Ethical obligations of all our students and members

All members and registered students should adhere to the Code of Ethics. It is a disciplinary offence if you are found to contravene any of the guidelines stated.

If a complaint is made against you as a member or registered student, failure to comply with the appropriate guideline(s), if relevant, will be taken into account in deciding whether ACPA will investigate your actions further within the disciplinary process.

Please make sure you are aware of your ethical obligation as an ACPA member or registered student by downloading the Code of Ethics.

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Disciplinary Mechanism

Complaints against ACPA members are extremely rare, which we beleive reflects the general integrity and high values held by our membership. However, we are a professional association and we take our obligations to both our members and the public very seriously. Therefore we do have a Disciplinary Mechanism which is available to us if, on those rare occassions, it is needed.

The ACPA operates a strict disciplinary procedure, which is designed to:

  • Protect the public
  • Protect ACPA, its officers and its membership
  • Protect the profession of Project Accountants, and Corporate Accountants
  • Uphold the highest standards within the profession
  • Maintain the public confidence in the profession

The ACPA cannot give legal advice, provide compensation or restitution, or get involved in fee or trade disputes.

How the Disciplinary Mechanism (DM) works

The DM is made up of a single Disciplinary Board (DB), consisting of:

  • ACPA Chairman
  • ACPA Vice Chairman
  • ACPA Member
  • Independent Non-ACPA Member

The DB will meet as required to review complaints against ACPA students and members. The complaint will be given proper attention before a decision will be made as to the validity of the complaint, the seriousness of the complaint, and the appropriate next course of action.

The steps in the procedure are as follows:

  1. A formal complaint is received from a "Plaintiff" against an ACPA student or member ("Defendant")
  2. The Complaint details are copied to the student or member who is the subject of the complaint.
  3. The Defendant is given 30 days grace in which to respond to the complaint.
  4. If a response is received from the Defendant within the 30 day grace period the DB will review the case and a decision will be made.
  5. If no response is received from the Defendant within the 30 day grace period the DB will review the case, giving appropriate consideration to the absence of any defence, and a decision will be made.
  6. The decision of the DB will be sent simultaneously to the Plaintiff and the Defendant. Both will be given a 5 day period in which to comment on the decision of the DB.
  7. On the sixth day after the DB has made its decision, the decision will be published on the ACPA web site, together with any comments on the decision received from the Plaintiff and Defendant respectively.
  8. If the DB decision involves external escalation, then the appropriate authorities will be given all details and evidence, concerning the matter, for their due consideration.
  9. The DB will ratify their decision internally, and the matter will be closed.
  10. There is no appeal against the DB decision and their decision is final.

Decisions and Sanctions

The ACPA Disciplinary Board will arrive at one of the following decisions as a result of their review of each complaint:

  • Vindication - Based upon the evidence, the DB has found that the Defendant has acted, in every way, in a professional and proper manner, and that the complaint is unfounded. The Plaintiffs deposit will be retained.
  • Undecided - Based upon the evidence, the DB has found that there is too much doubt concerning the substance of the complaint in order to uphold the Plaintiffs allegations. However, the DB is concerned that the Defendant did not mitigate himself or herself enough, or placed himself or herself in such a situation as to run the risk of bringing the Defendant and consequently the ACPA, into disrepute. In such a case, the Plaintiffs deposit will be returned, and the Defendant will receive a note of caution.
  • 1st Reprimand - Based upon the evidence, the DB has found that the complaint has substance and that the Defendant has acted in a manner that is less than becoming a professional and honourable person with regard to the Plaintiff, the ACPA and the profession. However, the severity of the Defendants actions, considering any mitigating evidence, does not warrant Expulsion therefore a fine of $2,000 and a reprimand will be sanctioned against the Defendant. The Plaintiffs deposit will be returned.
  • 2nd Reprimand - Based upon the evidence, the DB has found that the complaint has substance and that the Defendant has acted in a manner that is less than becoming a professional and honourable person with regard to the Plaintiff, the ACPA and the profession. However, the severity of the Defendants actions, considering any mitigating evidence, does not warrant Expulsion. Nevertheless, this is a second "offence" therefore a fine of $10,000 and a severe reprimand will be sanctioned against the Defendant. The Plaintiffs deposit will be returned.
  • Expulsion - Based upon the evidence, the DB has found that the complaint has substance and that the Defendant has acted in a manner that is less than becoming a professional and honourable person with regard to the Plaintiff, the ACPA and the profession. The Plaintiffs deposit will be returned, and either:
    • The severity of the Defendants actions, despite any mitigating evidence, is such that Expulsion from the ACPA is the only appropriate remedy. or
    • The severity of the Defendants actions, considering any mitigating evidence, does not warrant Expulsion. Nevertheless, this is a third "offence" therefore Expulsion is the only appropriate remedy.

Where the DB is concerned that the legality of the Defendants actions is dubious, the DB will forward all evidence to the appropriate authorities for their consideration. In such an event, expulsion will be mandatory. In addition, where the DB is concerned about the legality of the Plaintiff's actions, the DB will forward all evidence to the appropriate authorities for their consideration and the Plaintiffs deposit will be retained.

The proceeds from all fines and retained complaint deposits will be donated to a childrens' charity, so that some good may be salvaged from such an unfortunate event as a disciplinary matter.

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How to make a Complaint

ACPA will only investigate complaints made against individual students or members of ACPA.

All complaints must be made via the official ACPA complaints e-form.

All complaints must be accompanied by a returnable deposit of $100.00 (payable via PayPal). The purpose of the deposit is to ensure that the person making the complaint is who they say they are, is serious about their actions, and are confident that they have a legitimate grievance. In such a case the deposit will be refunded after the Disciplinary Board has made its decision public. However, if the DB vindicate the subject of the complaint then the complaint deposit will be forfeited by the Plaintiff, and the deposit will be donated to a Childrens' charity.