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Code of Conduct

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THE FINANCIAL ADVICE CODE OF CONDUCT

Updated 29 March 2020

In the new financial advice regime, all regulated financial advice must comply with the financial advice Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct comes into force in early 2021.

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The Code of Conduct | The Code Working Group | Next Steps

The Code of Conduct

The final Code of Professional Conduct for Financial Advice Services was released on 7 May 2019. It is available here. The Code of Conduct comes into force in early 2021. A person who is a financial adviser registered on the FSPR at that date has a two-year safe harbour to meet competence requirements, until early 2023.

The Code contains high level principles, not detailed rules.
Each standard contains commentary to explain it, and there are a few examples.
The education standard is one of:
a level 5 certificate in financial services with the financial advice strand, or
existing AFA status, or
demonstrable competence in these qualification outcomes in some other way.
The standard regulated financial advice must meet is “a prudent person engaged in the profession of giving financial advice”.

The code standards are in two parts:

PART 1: ETHICAL BEHAVIOUR, CONDUCT, AND CLIENT CARE
1. Treat clients fairly
2. Act with integrity
3. Give financial advice that is suitable
4. Ensure that the client understands the financial advice
5. Protect client information

PART 2: COMPETENCE, KNOWLEDGE, AND SKILL
6. Have general competence, knowledge, and skill
7. Have particular competence, knowledge, and skill for designing an investment plan
8. Have particular competence, knowledge, and skill for product advice
9. Keep competence, knowledge, and skill up-to-date

The Code Working Group submitted their final draft of the Code of Conduct to the Minister of Commerce on 6 March 2019. The Code of Professional Conduct for Financial Advice Services has been approved by the Minister and was released on 7th May 2019.

The Code Working Group

The Code Working Group is appointed by the Minister of Commerce to write and periodically review the financial advice Code of Conduct. Once the Financial Services Legislation Amendment Bill becomes law, the Code Working Group will become the Code Committee.

The Code of Conduct must contain standards of: