Council of International Investigators - Code Of Ethics
Members of the Council of International Investigators are committed to conducting their
professional activities to the highest ethical standard. This Code sets out the principles that
govern the professional conduct of every member. Compliance with this Code is a condition of
membership. The Ethics and Legislative Committee may issue interpretive guidance from time
to time to assist members in applying these principles.
Principles
- Integrity and Honesty. A member shall conduct all professional activities with integrity,
honesty, and good faith. A member shall be truthful in communications, findings, and
professional dealings, and shall not knowingly mislead a client, a court, or any other party. - Lawfulness. A member shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations in every
jurisdiction in which they operate. Where a member operates across borders, the member
shall take reasonable steps to understand the legal and regulatory requirements of each
jurisdiction and shall not rely on ignorance of local law as a defence. A member shall comply
with lawful requests, orders, warrants, and legal processes issued by competent authorities
acting within their lawful jurisdiction, and shall counsel clients against any course of action
that would involve illegality. - Confidentiality. A member shall protect client confidences and shall not disclose information
obtained in the course of a professional engagement except where disclosure is required
by law, ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction, or necessary to prevent a serious and
imminent threat to life or safety. The duty of confidentiality survives the conclusion of the
engagement. - Competence. A member shall maintain the professional knowledge, skills, and judgement
necessary to deliver a competent service, and shall not accept an engagement for which
the member lacks the competence to perform, or the means to acquire it. A member shall
pursue continuing professional development appropriate to the nature and scope of their
practice. - Proportionality. A member shall ensure that investigative methods and techniques employed
are proportionate to the matter under inquiry and to the circumstances of the case. A
member shall not employ methods that are excessive, unnecessarily intrusive, or
disproportionate to the legitimate objective of the investigation. - Conflicts of Interest. A member shall identify, declare, and manage any personal,
commercial, or financial interest that conflicts, or could reasonably be perceived to conflict,
with the interests of a client or with the member’s professional objectivity. Where a material conflict exists and cannot be managed, the member shall decline or withdraw from the
engagement. - Technology and Digital Ethics. A member shall use technology, including surveillance
systems, digital forensic tools, social media, open-source intelligence techniques, and
artificial intelligence, lawfully and proportionately. A member shall not misrepresent their
identity or credentials in digital environments except where lawful covert techniques are
employed in accordance with applicable law and Principle 5. A member shall remain
informed about the ethical and legal implications of emerging technologies relevant to their
practice. A member remains responsible for the accuracy, legality, and ethical propriety of
any work product generated or assisted by artificial intelligence or automated systems. - Data Protection and Privacy. A member shall collect, use, store, and dispose of personal
information lawfully, proportionately, and securely, in accordance with the data protection
and privacy laws applicable in each jurisdiction in which the member operates. Personal
information shall be retained only for as long as is necessary for the purpose for which it
was collected, or as required by law. - Record-keeping and Evidence. A member shall maintain contemporaneous, accurate, and
complete records of investigative activities, findings, and the basis for conclusions reached.
Evidence and exhibits shall be handled in a manner that preserves their integrity and chain
of custody. A member shall render factual, objective, and unbiased reports, and shall not
knowingly omit, suppress, alter, or misrepresent material facts. - Client Transparency. A member shall agree the scope, basis of fees, and terms of
engagement with the client before commencing work, and shall keep the client reasonably
informed of material developments. A member shall explain all fees and charges to the
client’s satisfaction and shall not charge for services not rendered. - Responsibility for Others. A member shall take reasonable steps to ensure that employees,
subcontractors, agents, and international correspondents engaged to carry out work on the
member’s behalf conduct that work in accordance with this Code. Delegation does not
relieve the member of responsibility for the ethical conduct of the engagement. - Duty to the Profession. A member shall conduct themselves in a manner that upholds the
reputation and standing of the investigation profession and of the Council. A member shall
not discriminate unlawfully in the provision of professional services or in employment.
Where, in the reasonable opinion of a member, another member has committed a serious
breach of this Code, the member is encouraged to report the matter to the Ethics and
Legislative Committee. Nothing in this principle creates an obligation on a member to report
conduct where doing so would expose the member to legal liability in their own jurisdiction.