SCA asks staff to follow conduct code

Abdullah Al Turifi, Chief Executive Officer of the Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) said that soon after its approval the SCA has embarked upon the implementation of the "Code of Professional Conduct and General Profession Ethics", approved by the UAE Cabinet.

In a keynote address to SCA staff during a Ramadan get-together, he said the code underscores the significance of human resources and the vital role it plays in uplifting the level of sustainable development in accordance with the strategy of the UAE federal government.

"By going through this document, one will observe clearly a major focus on the need for the general performance of employees to be within the framework of certain values and ethical principles which dictate the professional conduct of public office holders. This is to streamline the rhythm of government performance in a way that would reflect positively on the general public and uplift the performance of the government body involved to enable it compete advantageously among federal government entities," he stated.

He pointed out that the principles contained in the document of the "Code of Professional Conduct and General Profession Ethics" and those contained in the SCA's "Code of Conduct and Profession Dignity" from the "Employee Guide" complement each other.

"May I seize this opportunity to urge you all to go through the 'Code of Conduct and Profession Dignity' from the 'Employee Guide' on the SCA internal website. I would also urge you to read the 'Code of Professional Conduct and General Profession Ethics'. I'm sure you would see how interconnected the two documents are to each other. This underscores the fact that the SCA is always working to ensure continuous development of its human resources through training to sharpen their skills, the adoption of best administrative and professional practices and the implementation of the most effective and most advanced methods of work," he stated.

The SCA Chief Executive Officer outlined the principles contained in the "Code of Professional Conduct and General Profession Ethics", which, he said, include abiding fully by and respecting the dignity of public office, eschewing abuse of power that is associated with senior public offices, eschewing conflict of interest, abiding by the rules and regulations in the use of resources, refraining from any action or inaction that would impact negatively on employee's works and duties, upholding the professional rules of engagement and upholding loyalty and allegiance to the state.

He said the SCA was a pioneer among the federal government institutions in terms of promulgation of ethical rules and codes which aim at protecting the dignity of public service, adding that the basic values contained in the document of the "Code of Professional Conduct and General Profession Ethics" are similar to the basic values contained in the SCA's strategy.

"Generally, the document aims at finding and developing institutional culture for public officers to boost their professional values and instill in them the spirit of responsibility and noble ethics in dealing with their superiors, colleagues and service recipients according to the basic human resources values. It is also to boost confidence and credibility in the government sector, thus improving the standard and quality of service," he stated, adding that the basic values of the professional conduct and general profession ethics is manifested in impartiality, hard-work, excellence, objectivity, neutrality, truth, fidelity, economy, competence, pioneer, transparency, equity and equality.

Continuing, he said the document also outlined a set of principles of professional conduct and general profession ethics which all employees must strictly abide by at the highest standards. It also imposes on all government employees a number of service-related obligations in the course of discharging their professional duties by being courteous and showing great respect to superiors and colleagues, upholding the principles of privacy and confidentiality regarding official and private information, and by being fair and neutral, while holding firm to the tradition and norms of the UAE society and obeying the instructions and directives of superiors.

"On the other hand, the document also outlines a number of obligations for the federal bodies towards their employees. These obligations include encouraging the spirit of initiatives and creativity among employees and encouraging them to dialogue and share ideas on matters related to their professional duties and responsibilities, providing for employees safe and healthy working conditions and educating them about the principles of professional conduct and basic values," he added.

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