GLOBAL SOCIAL WORK STATEMENT OF ETHICAL PRINCIPLESInformation Type: Policy
Topic: Human Rights, IFSW, Social Work, Ethics
July 2, 2018
Global Social Work Statement of Ethical Principles:
This Statement of Ethical Principles (hereafter referred to as the Statement) serves as anoverarching framework for social workers to work towards the highest possible standardsof professional integrity.
Implicit in our acceptance of this Statement as social work practitioners, educators,students, and researchers is our commitment to uphold the core values and principles ofthe social work profession as set out in this Statement.
An array of values and ethical principles inform us as social workers; this reality wasrecognized in 2014 by the International Federation of Social Workers and The
International Association of Schools of Social Work in the global definition of social work,
which is layered and encourages regional and national amplifications.
All IFSW policies including the definition of social work stem from these ethicalprinciples.
Social work is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that facilitates socialchange and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people.
Principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect fordiversities are central to social work. Underpinned by theories of social work, socialsciences, humanities and indigenous knowledge, social work engages people andstructures to address life challenges and enhance wellbeing.
http://ifsw.org/get-involved/global-definition-of-social-work/
Principles:
Recognition of the Inherent Dignity of Humanity
Social workers recognize and respect the inherent dignity and worth of all human beings
in attitude, word, and deed. We respect all persons, but we challenge beliefs and actions ofthose persons who devalue or stigmatize themselves or other persons.
Promoting Human Rights
Social workers embrace and promote the fundamental and inalienable rights of all humanbeings. Social work is based on respect for the inherent worth, dignity of all people and theindividual and social /civil rights that follow from this. Social workers often work withpeople to find an appropriate balance between competing human rights.
Promoting Social JusticeSocial workers have a responsibility to engage people in achieving social justice, inrelation to society generally, and in relation to the people with whom they work. Thismeans:
3.1 Challenging Discrimination and Institutional Oppression
Social workers promote social justice in relation to society generally and to the people withwhom they work.
Social workers challenge discrimination, which includes but is not limited to age, capacity,
civil status, class, culture, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, language, nationality (or lackthereof), opinions, other physical characteristics, physical or mental abilities, politicalbeliefs, poverty, race, relationship status, religion, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomicstatus, spiritual beliefs, or family structure.
3.2 Respect for Diversity
Social workers work toward strengthening inclusive communities that respect the ethnic
and cultural diversity of societies, taking account of individual, family, group, andcommunity differences.
3.3 Access to Equitable Resources
Social workers advocate and work toward access and the equitable distribution ofresources and wealth.
3.4 Challenging Unjust Policies and Practices

Social workers work to bring to the attention of their employers, policymakers, politicians,
and the public situations in which policies and resources are inadequate or in which
policies and practices are oppressive, unfair, or harmful. In doing so, social workers mustnot be penalized.
Social workers must be aware of situations that might threaten their own safety andsecurity, and they must make judicious choices in such circumstances. Social workers are
not compelled to act when it would put themselves at risk.
3.5 Building Solidarity
Social workers actively work in communities and with their colleagues, within and outsideof the profession, to build networks of solidarity to work toward transformational changeand inclusive and responsible societies.
Promoting the Right to Self-Determination
Social workers respect and promote people’s rights to make their own choices anddecisions, provided this does not threaten the rights and legitimate interests of others.
Promoting the Right to Participation
Social workers work toward building the self-esteem and capabilities of people, promoting
their full involvement and participation in all aspects of decisions and actions that affecttheir lives.
Respect for Confidentiality and Privacy
6.1 Social workers respect and work in accordance with people’s rights to confidentiality
and privacy unless there is risk of harm to the self or to others or other statutory
restrictions.
6.2 Social workers inform the people with whom they engage about such limits toconfidentiality and privacy.
Treating People as Whole Persons
Social workers recognize the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions ofpeople’s lives and understand and treat all people as whole persons. Such recognition isused to formulate holistic assessments and interventions with the full participation ofpeople, organizations, and communities with whom social workers engage.
Ethical Use of Technology and Social Media
8.1 The ethical principles in this Statement apply to all contexts of social work practice,education, and research, whether it involves direct face-to-face contact or through use ofdigital technology and social media.
8.2 Social workers must recognize that the use of digital technology and social media may
pose threats to the practice of many ethical standards including but not limited to privacy
and confidentiality, conflicts of interest, competence, and documentation and must obtainthe necessary knowledge and skills to guard against unethical practice when usingtechnology.
Professional Integrity
9.1 It is the responsibility of national associations and organizations to develop andregularly update their own codes of ethics or ethical guidelines, to be consistent with thisStatement, considering local situations. It is also the responsibility of nationalorganizations to inform social workers and schools of social work about this Statement ofEthical Principles and their own ethical guidelines. Social workers should act inaccordance with the current ethical code or guidelines in their country.
9.2 Social workers must hold the required qualifications and develop and maintain therequired skills and competencies to do their job.
9.3 Social workers support peace and nonviolence. Social workers may work alongside
military personnel for humanitarian purposes and work toward peacebuilding andreconstruction. Social workers operating within a military or peacekeeping context must
always support the dignity and agency of people as their primary focus. Social workers
must not allow their knowledge and skills to be used for inhumane purposes, such as
torture, military surveillance, terrorism, or conversion therapy, and they should not use
weapons in their professional or personal capacities against people.
9.4 Social workers must act with integrity. This includes not abusing their positions ofpower and relationships of trust with people that they engage with; they recognize theboundaries between personal and professional life and do not abuse their positions forpersonal material benefit or gain.
9.5 Social workers recognize that the giving and receiving of small gifts is a part of thesocial work and cultural experience in some cultures and countries. In such situations,this should be referenced in the country’s code of ethics.
9.6 Social workers have a duty to take the necessary steps to care for themselvesprofessionally and personally in the workplace, in their private lives and in society.
9.7 Social workers acknowledge that they are accountable for their actions to the people
they work with; their colleagues; their employers; their professional associations; and local,national, and international laws and conventions and that these accountabilities may
conflict, which must be negotiated to minimize harm to all persons. Decisions should
always be informed by empirical evidence; practice wisdom; and ethical, legal, andcultural considerations. Social workers must be prepared to be transparent about thereasons for their decisions.
9.8 Social workers and their employing bodies work to create conditions in their workplaceenvironments and in their countries, where the principles of this Statement and those of
their own national codes are discussed, evaluated, and upheld. Social workers and theiremploying bodies foster and engage in debate to facilitate ethically informed decisions.
Spanish translation – Traducción Español
Classic Chinese Translation 全球社會工作倫理原則聲明 (繁體字譯本)
The Global Statement of Ethical Principles was approved at the General Meetings of theInternational Federation of Social Workers and the General Assembly of the International
Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) in Dublin, Ireland, in July 2018. IASSW
additionallyendorsed

alongerversion:Global-Social-Work-Statement-of-Ethical-Principles-IASSW-27-April-2018-1
National Code of Ethics
National Codes of Ethics of Social Work adopted by IFSW Member organisations. The
Codes of Ethics are in the national languages of the different countries. More national
codes of ethics will soon be added to the ones below:

Australia
Canada | Guidelines for ethical practiceDenmark
Finland (Englis)
Finland (Finish)
FranceGermany
IrelandIsraelItaly
Japan
Luxembourg
NorwayPuerto Rico English | Spanish
Portugal
RussiaSingapore
South Korea English | Korean
Spain
Sweden English | Swedish
Switzerland German | French | ItalianTurkey English | Turkish
USA
United Kingdom
Keywords: Statement of Ethical Principles
Region: Global
Language: English
Commission: Ethical Standards
Primary Sidebar
KEY DOCUMENTS
Global Definition of Social Work
Global Social Work Statement of Ethical Principles
The Role of Social Work in Social Protection SystemsFooter