The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) has revealed that 60,000 candidates around the world have now completed its online ethics test, IntegrityMatters, as it marks the milestone as part of Global Ethics Day.

The test has been completed by an average of 10,000 candidates a year since 2013 including by many thousands of Financial Planners in the UK.

The professional body, which runs the Certified Financial Planner designation in the UK, says the milestone highlights how integrity  is an “important part of the Institute in developing professionalism, skills and knowledge.”

Simon Culhane Chartered FCSI, CISI chief executive, said, “I am delighted that over 60,000 IntegrityMatters tests have now been taken, and this milestone has been reached so close to Global Ethics Day. Integrity and ethics are at the heart of the CISI and professionalism is the effective combination of knowledge, skills and behaviour.”

Integrity Matters is a short, online test which challenges all CISI members to complete a series of questions on integrity and ethics when it comes to dealing with clients.

CISI members have told the CISI what taking the test meant to them. All passed the test with full marks.

Martin Bacon CFPTM Chartered MCSI, director of Oculus Wealth Management (Bath), said “At the foundation of any enduring client relationship is trust, which demands one acts ethically, even when no one is looking. Through the principles of IntegrityMatters: honesty; openness; transparency and fairness, l have been able to challenge and develop my ethical compass.  

“For me, this learning has provided a template to benchmark my approach to real life ethical dilemmas.”

Guy Stephens, Chartered MCSI, technical investment director of Rowan Dartington & Co in Bristol, said: “The scenarios in the test are all dilemmas with the ability to turn into career ending disasters.  Referring back to the four basic principles of honesty, openness, transparency and fairness in each example will keep your career intact, your firm safe and most importantly, your clients interests secure.”

The CISI says that the latest research from the  latest research from the Edelman Trust Barometer found that Integrity and trust are both increasingly important within financial services.

Edelman’s research indicated that in 2014, the financial services profession received a trust score of just 48% which increased by 6 points to 54% in 2018.

The CISI says one of its aims with the test are to  increase “public perception” of financial services as a trustworthy profession and “improve culture” within financial services organisations.

The online ethics workshop IntegrityMatters offers users six dilemmas all based on real life examples from the financial sector, with each dilemma evolving over a series of steps. The initiative was made mandatory by the CISI in April 2013.