CodeofEthicsforAdministrativeProfessionals(Prefacenote:TheInternationalAssociationof

AdministrativeProfessionalsdefinesadministrativeprofessionalsas"individualswhoareresponsiblefor
administrativetasksandcoordinationofinformationinsupportofanofficerelatedenvironmentandwho
arededicatedtofurtheringtheirpersonalandprofessionalgrowthintheirchosenprofession.")Recognizing
thatapositionoftrustimposesethicalobligationsuponadministrativeassistants,officecoordinators,
executivesecretariesandothertypesofadministrativeprofessionalstoactforbenefitofemployers,clients,
andthepublic,membersoftheInternationalAssociationofAdministrativeProfessionals(IAAP)
establishedandpromulgatedfourstandardsofprofessionalconductandresolvetobeguidedbythemas
embodyingtheethicalidealsoftheirprofession.ThedevelopmentofaCodeofEthicsdemonstratesthat
theadministrativesupportprofessionacceptstheobligationtoengageinselfdisciplineandacceptsthe
responsibilityandtrustearnedbyadministrativeprofessionalsthroughoutpastgenerations.Each
administrativeprofessionalhasapersonalobligationtosupportandfollowtheCode,recognizingthatthe
greatestpenaltypossibleforitsviolationislossoftherespectofprofessionalcolleaguesandthetrustof
employers,clients,andsociety.EthicalbehaviorisencouragedbyboththeCodeandtheprofession.An
administrativeprofessional'spersonalethicalbehaviormayoftenexceedtherequirementsoftheCode,
whichdonotdemandlessthanthelaw,andoftenexceedthoseofthelaw.Personsfoundguiltyofviolating
lawswillbeconsideredinprimafacieviolationoftheCodeandmaybecensuredorotherwisepenalizedby
theassociationorprofession.1.Theadministrativeprofessionalshallactasatrustedagentinprofessional
relations,implementingresponsibilitiesinthemostcompetentmannerandexercisingknowledgeandskill
topromotetheinterestsoftheimmediateandcorporateemployer.Theimmediateemployershallbe
consideredtobethepersonorpersonswho,byanestablishedandpredeterminedarrangement,receive
directlytheagreeduponservicesoftheadministrativeprofessional.
Thecorporateemployershallbeconsideredtheentity(companyororganization)providingthe
administrativeprofessional'scompensation.Incaseswheretheimmediateemployerdoesnotprovide
compensationfortheadministrativeprofessional,theadministrativeprofessional'sprincipalobligation
shallbetoservethecorporateemployer.Inservingtheimmediateemployer,however,theadministrative
professionalshallnotactcontrarytointerestsofthecorporateemployerortopublicsafetyandwelfareor
insuchawayastoimpairthedignityandstatusoftheprofession.Theadministrativeprofessionalshall
strivetoavoidconflictsofinterestwiththeimmediateemployerwheneverpossible,butifsuchconflicts
cannotbeavoidedorresolved,theadministrativeprofessionalshallfullydisclosetotheimmediate
employerandallinterestedpartiestherelevantreasonsandcircumstances.Communicationsand
informationeithergiveninconfidenceorsuchthatconfidentialityisrequiredtoservethebestinterestsof
theimmediateemployershallnotberevealedbyanadministrativeprofessionalunlesspermissiontodoso
isgrantedbytheimmediateemployerorcontinuedconfidentialityisharmfultothecorporateemployer,
client,public,orprofession.Testimonyinacourtoflawregardingconfidentialmattersshouldbegiven
onlyundertheimmediateorcorporateemployer'sauthorization,underlegalcompulsion,ortoprotectthe
publicfromharm.Theadministrativeprofessionalwillassumeresponsibilitiesonlywhenqualifiedby
trainingandexperienceandshallinformtheimmediateorcorporateemployerconcerninganylackof
qualificationwhichmightharmtheinterestsoftheemployerorimpairtheadministrativeprofessional's
capacitytoservesuchinterests.Inactingasagentforanimmediateemployer,theadministrative
professionalshallstrivetoaccuratelyandhonestlyrepresenttheviewsandinterestsoftheimmediate
employeraswellastheviewsandinterestsofthosewhoseektocontactorinfluencetheimmediate
employer,andshallnotdistortormisrepresentsuchviewsandinterests,whetherforpersonaladvantageor
toprotecttheemployerfromunwelcomeinformation.Theadministrativeprofessionalshallrespondto
thoseseekingtheimmediateemployer'sprofessionalattentionwithimpartialcourtesyandconsistentgood
will,recognizingthatbytheadministrativeprofessional'sdemeanortheimmediateemployerwillbe
judged.Whenentrustedwithfundsormaterialgoodsessentialtoservetheemployer,anadministrative
professionalshallneverappropriateorusesuchfundsorgoodsforpersonalornonprofessionalpurposes,
andanadministrativeprofessionalshallneverusetheemployer'sfacilitiesortimeforthepursuitofsuch
purposeswithouttheexpressconsentoftheimmediateemployer.Theadministrativeprofessionalshallnot
acceptoutsideemploymentoracceptanyformofcompensationfromoutsidesourceswhichwouldimpair
theefficiencyandeffectivenessoftheadministrativeprofessionalorwhichwouldbeinconflictwiththe

employer'swelfare.2.Theadministrativeprofessionalshallstrivetomaintainandenhancethedignity,
status,competence,andstandardsoftheprofessionanditspractitioners.Theadministrativeprofessional,
whenapplyingfororbeinglistedforemployment,shallnotmakeexaggerated,misleading,orfalseclaims
concerningtrainingorqualifications.Whenjudgingthequalificationsofotherpersons,whetherin
providingreferences,assistingwithassignments,orevaluatingperformances,theadministrative
professionalshallstrivetoprovidefairandobjectiveappraisalsandshallattempttoavoidanyfalse,
malicious,orindiscriminateinjurytoorcriticismoftheprofessionalreputationorworkofothers.The
administrativeprofessionalwillcooperatewithotheradministrativeprofessionalsinextendingpublic
knowledgeandappreciationoftheprofessionanditsachievementsandwillstrivetoprotectitfrom
misrepresentationandmisunderstanding.Theadministrativeprofessionalshallstrivetoimprovethe
standardsoftheprofessionbybelongingtoaprofessionalassociation,attendingandencouragingothersto
attendprofessionalmeetings,exchangingknowledgeandinformationwithotheradministrative
professionals,andbyachievingandencouragingotherstoachievetheCertifiedProfessionalSecretaryor
CertifiedAdministrativeProfessionalrating.3.Theadministrativeprofessionalshallinsistthatjudgments
concerningcontinuedemployment,compensation,andpromotionbebaseduponprofessionalknowledge,
ability,experience,andperformance.Theadministrativeprofessionalshallstrivetoimproveworking
conditionsandtoensureequalemploymentopportunitieswithintheprofessionandthroughoutthe
organizationbywhichemployed.
Theadministrativeprofessionalshallrefusetocooperatewithorcondonebysilencetheactionsof
coworkersoremployerswhomisusetheirpositionsforpersonal,nonprofessionaladvantage.The
administrativeprofessionalshallresist,andifnecessaryreporttotheproperauthorities,instancesinthe
workplaceofharassmentforreasonsofsex,creed,race,orage.Theadministrativeprofessionalshall
informtheemployerconcerninganychangesinconditionsofemployment,includingfringebenefits,which
encourageinefficiencyormakedifficulttheproperperformanceofprescribedassignments.4.The
administrativeprofessionalmustconsiderthepromotionandpreservationofthesafetyandwelfareofthe
publictobetheparamountduty.Theadministrativeprofessional,inadditiontosharingwithallconcerned
citizensanobligationtopromotethegeneralwelfareandsafety,hasaspecialobligationtocooperatewith
andpromotetheinterestsofotheralliedprofessionsandtoexerciseparticularconcernforthosedirectly
affectedbytheactionsofemployersserved.Ifrequestedorrequiredbyanemployertoengageinor
passivelycondoneactivitieswhicharecontrarytothepublicsafetyorwelfare,theadministrative
professionalshallindicateclearlytotheemployerthepossibleharmfulconsequencesand,ifsuchactivities
continue,theadministrativeprofessionalmusteitherresignornotifytheproperauthorities.The
administrativeprofessionalisobliged,beforereportingtotheproperauthoritiesactionscontrarytothe
publicinterest,todeterminethatthefactualevidenceiscorrect,tobemotivatedbynodesireforpersonal
benefitorvindication,andtoinformtheemployerofsuchanintentionunlessdoingsowillbeharmfulto
thepublic.###(AdoptedJuly1980andamendedAugust1998byactionoftheInternationalAssociation
ofAdministrativeProfessionals.)