Investment Industry Standards

An integral part of the CFA Institute mission is to develop and administer codes, best practice guidelines, and standards that guide the investment industry and help ensure all investment professionals place client interests first.

The GIPS^® standards are a set of industry-wide principles that guide investment firms on how to calculate and report their investment results to prospective clients. We encourage firms to voluntarily adopt these standards.

CFA Institute is developing a voluntary, global industry standard that will establish disclosure requirements for investment products with ESG-related features. The purpose of the CFA Institute ESG Disclosure Standards for Investment Products is to provide greater product transparency and comparability to investors by enabling asset managers to clearly communicate the ESG-related features of their products.

We offer the voluntary CFA Institute Asset Manager Code to help asset managers practice ethical principles that put client interests first. By helping investors identify asset managers who have committed to high standards of professional conduct, we are building the integrity of the investment industry.

We recognize a diversity of perspectives will lead to better investor outcomes; an inclusive investment industry will better serve our diverse society. CFA Institute is developing a voluntary code to guide DEI, beginning in the United States and Canada and developing regionally differentiated, global coverage over time.                                                                                                                                     

The CFA Institute Pension Trustee Code of Conduct sets the standard for ethical behavior for a pension plan’s governing body. Adoption of the Code is voluntary and promotes professional excellence among a pension plan’s trustees and trust among the plan’s stakeholders.

The CFA Institute Investment Management Code of Conduct for Endowments, Foundations, and Charitable Organizations outlines ethical responsibilities for the sound management of longer-term financial assets.