Professional Ethics in Economic Development (Ethics)

Ethical Leadership, Professional Integrity, and Public Trust

Economic development professionals operate in environments where decisions influence businesses, investors, governments, communities, and public resources. As a result, ethical conduct is not simply a professional expectation; it is fundamental to maintaining credibility, building trust, and protecting the reputation of both the practitioner and the profession.

Professional Ethics in Economic Development (Ethics) is a core course that provides practitioners, volunteers, and elected officials with a practical framework for ethical decision-making in economic development. Rather than focusing on theory alone, the course explores real-world ethical challenges and provides tools to help participants navigate situations involving confidentiality, conflicts of interest, transparency, accountability, professional conduct, public communications, and emerging technologies.

Participants will examine the six core ethical values that underpin professional practice, explore EDA's Code of Ethics and enforcement processes, understand the distinction between personal and professional ethics, and learn how to apply EDA's Ethical Decision-Making Checklist when faced with difficult situations. The course also addresses contemporary issues such as artificial intelligence, social media, public trust, whistleblowing, reconciliation, and maintaining ethical standards under pressure.

Whether working in municipal government, regional organizations, Indigenous communities, non-profits, economic development agencies, or private consulting, participants will gain practical tools to strengthen ethical judgment, uphold professional standards, and reinforce public confidence in economic development practice.

This is a core course within the Community Economic Development Certificate Program.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES