There’s been a bit of an ongoing question in my project management class this semester: who will be going on to get their PMP certification?

The PMP – or Project Management Professional – certification is one of many offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI), a professional advisory group for project managers worldwide. Like many professional associations, the PMI sets the guidelines for what project managers are expected to know and how they are expected to behave. When you apply for any certification issued by the PMI, you’re required to agree to their Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, whether you’re a PMI member or not.

The full Code, while a bit lengthy, is worth a read. It’s organized into the four core values of the PMI: Responsibility, Respect, Fairness, and Honesty. Each section defines exactly what those words mean in a project management setting and codifies specific mandatory and aspirational standards. 

Project management topics aside, these guidelines can also be interpreted as best practices for team leadership. For example, under “Respect”, you’ll not only find mandatory standard 3.3.4, “We respect the property rights of others”, you’ll also find aspirational standard 3.2.3, “We approach directly those persons with whom we have a conflict or disagreement.”

When we consider pursuing a professional certification, it’s important to remember that at the same time we’re getting that extra credential to add to our resumes, we’re also agreeing to uphold the values of the issuing organization. In the case of the PMI, they take their professional code seriously – and are willing to call out members who violate it.