STUDENTSHIP

1. Council reserves the right at its discretion to change the curriculum and study processes, rules and regulations during a person's studentship.

2. Only students registered WITH THE INSTITUTE are permitted to write its examinations.

The closing date for registration by a student registering for the first time, and wishing to write:

a) the May Examinations – 31 January.

b) the November Examinations – 31 July.

Application forms for registration, or re-registration, are obtainable from the office in Harare. The appropriate fee must accompany the relevant application.

All students are required to re-register annually on 1 January. Students must register by 31 January if they intend to write examinations in May.

3. Every applicant for registration must produce evidence of having passed an examination entitling the applicant to entrance to a University in his or her country of residence or be the holder of some other educational qualification acceptable to the Institute.

4. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age.

5. The application forms must indicate that at the time of application, the applicant is engaged in the office of a company or other public authority or body or society or institution; or that he or she is undergoing a course of systematic instruction approved by the Institute; or that if at the time of application he or she cannot fulfill either of these requirements, he or she is contemplating a career as a Chartered Secretary and is fully aware that success in the examinations of the Institute does not entitle him or her to membership unless he or she also has the necessary qualifying services and character reference.

6. The application forms must bear the recommendation of a member of the Institute or an approved official of the applicant’s company or educational institution certifying, from personal knowledge, that he or she is a fit and proper person for admission to the examinations of the Institute.

7. Registration confers no rank of membership and no voting rights except with Student Societies of which students are automatically members.

8. It must be noted that no duplicate receipt can be issued for any payments made. Students are advised to keep their receipts safely.

9. Every student is expected to attend at least two conferences in the mould of the Winter School. The first should be attended during Part A and B and the second during Part C and D. The Institute reserves the right to stop a student from attempting Part C and D subjects before one has fulfilled the conference attendance.

 

CODE OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS AND CONDUCT

The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators requires members to observe the highest standards of professional conduct and ethical behaviour in all their activities.

By maintaining these standards, members enhance their reputation as corporate managers and increase confidence in the management and administration of private and public sector organizations.  As the conduct of an individual member can reflect upon the wider profession of corporate management and the Institute’s membership as a whole, the code sets out what are deemed to be appropriate standards of professional conduct.

Members are required to uphold the Institute’s Charter and comply with the Bye-laws.

GENERAL

1.    The Chartered Secretaries (Private) Act 1971 requires the observance of rules of conduct as a condition of membership and render a member liable to disciplinary action if found guilty of misconduct, which includes but is not confined to, any act or default likely to bring discredit to the member, Institute or profession.

2.    Members are required to exercise integrity, honesty, diligence and due care in carrying out their duties and responsibilities.  They shall conduct themselves with courtesy and consideration towards all with whom they come into contact in the course of their professional work.

3.    Members shall at all times be cognizant of their responsibilities as professional persons towards the wider community.

4.    Members shall at all times safeguard the interests of their employers, colleagues and clients and shall not knowingly be a party to any illegal or unethical activity.

5.    Members shall not enter into any agreement or undertake any activity which may be in conflict with the legitimate interests of their employer or client or which would prejudice the performance of their professional duties.

6.    Members shall ensure that their knowledge, skills and technical competence in relation to their professional activities remain up to date.

7.    Members shall refrain from conduct or action which detracts from the reputation of the Institute.

8.    In accepting or continuing a professional assignment a member should always have regard to any factors which might reflect adversely upon his integrity and objectivity in relation to that assignment.

9.    Members shall not use any confidential information gained in the performance of their duties for any personal gain nor in a manner which would be detrimental to their employer or client.

1.    PROFESSIONAL INDEPENDENCE
1.1    Professional independence is a concept fundamental to a member in public practice.  It is essentially an attitude of mind characterized by integrity and an objective approach to professional work.

1.2    A member in public practice shall be and be seen to be, free in each professional assignment he or she undertakes of any interest which might detract from objectivity.

1.3    It is the duty of a practitioner to present or report on information objectively.  That duty is the essence of professionalism and is appropriate to all members in public practice.

1.4    Personal relationships can affect objectivity.  There is a particular need to ensure that an objective approach to any assignment is not endangered as a consequence of any personal relationship.

1.5    Where financial involvement with a client may affect objectivity the member shall seriously consider his or her position.

1.6    Where advice given to a client is such that, if acted upon, it will result in commission being earned by the practice or anyone in it, special care shall be taken that the advice is in fact in the best interests of the client.

2.    CONFIDENTIALITY
2.1    Information acquired in the course of professional work shall not be disclosed except where consent has been obtained from the client or where there is a public duty or there is a legal or professional right or duty to disclose.

2.2    A member acquiring information in the course of professional work shall neither use nor appear to use that information for his or her personal advantage or for the advantage of a third party.

3.    OBTAINING PROFESSIONAL WORK
3.1    A member shall not obtain or seek work for his or her, or another member’s practice in an unprofessional manner.

3.2    A member may seek publicity for his or her services and achievements and may advertise his or her services, but in so doing shall have regard to the standards set by the Institute.

3.3    In addition to meeting the requirements of the standards, a member shall ensure that his or her promotional material is in good taste both as to content and presentation, and that it does not belittle the services offered by others, whether members or not either by claiming superiority for the services of a particular member or otherwise.

4.    PRACTICE NAMES AND DESCRIPTIONS
4.1    It is recommended that practitioners shall use their designatory letters at all times and they may describe themselves personally as Chartered Secretaries.

4.2    A practising firm’s name should be consistent with the dignity of the profession.

4.3    A practising firm’s name should not be misleading as, for example, by leading to confusion with that of another firm.  It is the custom of the profession for members of a firm to practise under a firm’s name based upon the names of past or present partners in the firm itself or in a firm with which it has merged or amalgamated, but it is not obligatory.                   

4.4    At least one person named on the letterhead of a firm must be a member of the Institute otherwise the firm may not describe itself on its letterhead or elsewhere as “Chartered Secretaries”.

5.    FEES
5.1    A practitioner is entitled to charge for his or her services such fees as he or she may consider appropriate in connection with the work that he or she undertakes.

5.2    The fact that one practitioner may charge a lower fee than another for undertaking the same or similar work is not improper provided care is taken to ensure that the client is not misled:

5.2.1    as to the precise range of services that a quoted fee is intended to cover (in which connection the practitioner should provide the client with an engagement letter)

5.2.2    as to the likely level of future fees for any work undertaken for the client.

5.3    Fees should not be charged on a percentage or similar basis, save where that course is authorized by statute or is generally accepted practice for certain specialist work; nor shall instructions be accepted on a contingency fee basis save  in the circumstances set out in sub-clause 5.4 below.

5.4    In certain limited circumstances fees cannot realistically be charged save on a contingency fee basis; to require otherwise would be to deprive potential clients of professional assistance, the capacity of the clients to pay being dependent upon the success or failure of the venture.

6.    CLIENTS’ MONEY

A practitioner is strictly accountable for all clients’ monies received by him or her and these shall be deposited without delay into a separate bank account.  Such monies shall be kept from all other monies and be applied only for the purposes of the client.


CODE OF PRACTICE ON ADVERTISING

1.    The Institute as a matter of policy will not normally require its Disciplinary Committee to consider investigation into and possible application of sanctions against a member in respect of advertisements for business of a nature ordinarily undertaken by a Chartered Secretary in public practice, whether the advertisement is published by:-

1.1    a member on his or her own account;

1.2    a firm of which a member is a partner;

1.3    a company or private business corporation in which a member has a controlling interest:

Provided that:

1.3.1    No advertisement, circular or other form of publicity used may claim for the individual, or his or her firm or his or her company, superiority in any respect over any or all other persons either as individuals or practices.

1.3.2    Such publicity must be factual and may not contain any inaccuracies.

1.3.3    While advertisements, circulars and other publicity may make clear the intention of the member of his or her firm to seek custom, they should not be of a character that could reasonably be regarded in the opinion of Council as likely to bring the profession of the Institute into disrepute.

1.3.4    Such advertisements may not only draw attention to the existence of the practice but may describe the nature of the practice with allusions to particular classes of clients to whom services are offered, or of particular kinds of service to be offered, provided that

1.3.5     services in a specific professional capacity may only be advertised by the member who has had at least five years’ relevant experience in the specific professional discipline.

1.3.6    In order to prevent the escalation of competitive advertising any advertisement placed in directories or national or local press shall be in the typeface or format which is most commonly found in the publication concerned.

2.    Articles, letters or other contributions to journals or newspapers may contain the writer’s name, and designatory letters should especially be used if the subject matter is reputable and relevant to profession of the Chartered Secretary.

3.    Similarly a member appearing on a radio or television programme or speaking at a course or conference should encourage his professional designation to be used especially if the subject is relevant to the profession of the Chartered Secretary.

4.    It is expected that members will exercise discretion and good taste in the preparation and use of all publicity material.

5.    No member may in any contribution to journals, newspapers or in any appearance or interview on radio or television claim to speak on behalf of the Institute unless prior and specific authority has been given on each occasion.  Provided that this should not apply to the President or Chief Executive of the Institute or their authorized representative.

6.    Council reserves the right at its discretion to take appropriate steps, including the termination of membership, against any member contravening the code of practice.

REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT

In addition to the Institute code set out above it is proposed that professional conduct By-laws will be
made in terms of the Public Accountants and Auditors Act.  All Registered Public Accountants will be
bound by these By-laws when they become law.