Professional Ethics: Some Whys and Therefores

This chapter explores the realm of professional ethics. It begins by asking about the usefulness of professional ethics. It then turns to consider some of the ethical theories that undergird professional ethics: utilitarianism, deontology and justice ethics, virtue ethics, and the ethics of care. The discussion examines three different stages in the development of a professional code of ethics. Given the role of the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) as “leading the profession through research” the discussion focuses on AHRD and the AHRD Standards on Ethics and Integrity. The chapter concludes with some suggestions for future development and research.