Ethics Challenge
The Ethics Challenge is held at locations around the world to instill strong ethics in the next generation of investment professionals to help them prepare for a successful career.
Overview
The CFA Societies Canada Ethics Challenge embodies the mission of CFA Institute by promoting “the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence.” It fulfills this mission by promoting best practices in the investment profession and preparing students for the ethical dilemmas they may face in their careers.
The first Ethics Challenge was started by a CFA Society Toronto volunteer in 2014 where three teams, each from a CFA Institute University Affiliation Program university in Toronto participated. In 2017, the 12 member Societies hosted the first CFA Societies Canada Ethics Challenge.
The CFA Societies Canada Ethics Challenge is designed to increase students’ awareness of the ethical dilemmas and issues they may face as investment management professionals. Teams consisting of students from finance or business programs (usually from CFA Institute’s University Affiliation Program) are given an ethics case to analyze and evaluate. Each team then presents its analysis and recommendations, to a panel of judges, selected by the host CFA Society. Following a question-and-answer period after each team’s presentation, the judges then select a winner. To determine the winning team, the judges use a grading rubric that is based on the quality of the team’s understanding of the ethical issues involved, their recommendations, and the quality of their analysis, presentation, and responses to the judges’ questions.
The CFA Societies Canada Ethics Challenge can help participants to:
- Take the first step in the path towards becoming a CFA charterholder
- Gain practical training on real-world ethical dilemmas and how to handle them
- Augment classroom learning by combining theory and practice
- Improve your professional presentation and teamwork skills
- Develop their resume/CV
- Showcase their university on a local and national scale
- Receive hands-on mentoring
- Network with professionals and peers to make inroads within the industry
How It Works
Local Competitions will be hosted by a local CFA Society [held in British Columbia, Alberta, Prairies (Saskatchewan and Manitoba), Ontario, Québec and Atlantic Canada].
A faculty advisor acts as the link between the local host Society and the student team. The faculty advisor assembles the team and guides them throughout the process.
Students will have approximately three weeks to work on the case study provided by the host Society. Teams then present their analysis and recommendations to a panel of judges. The competition is 100% presentation based; which includes: a 10-minute presentation and then 10 additional minutes to respond to questions from the judges.
One winning team from each Local Competition will advance to the CFA Societies Canada Ethics Challenge – National Round held virtually in early May.
In the national round, students will have 23 hours to work on a new ethics case and will then submit a video recording of their presentation. Following the judges’ review of each recorded presentation, Q&A will be conducted with each team live in front of the panel of judges. Following the presentations and judges deliberation, one team is designated the ultimate CFA Societies Canada Ethics Challenge winner!
Teams are judged based on their recommended course of action and their ability to identify the violations to the CFA Institute Code of Ethics & Standards of Professional Conduct.
See highlights from the 2019 CFA Societies Canada Ethics Challenge.
2024-2025 Timeline
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| October 31, 2024 | Competing universities must confirm participation in the CFA Societies Canada Ethics Challenge with the local host (local CFA Society). |
| November 30, 2024 | Registration deadline for students and faculty advisors. |
| Mid-December to Mid-January, 2025 | Competition kick-off with an interactive ethical decision making online program from CFA Institute. |
| January, 2025 | The host Society will distribute an identical ethics case study to all registered competing universities (three weeks prior to Local Competition) |
| January – February 2025 | Local Competitions are held throughout the country |
| May 2, 2025 | 2025 CFA Societies Canada Ethics Challenge – National Round held virtually where finalists from across Canada compete for the national title. The National Round will also include a student event which is open to both competing and all other interested students. |
The CFA Societies Canada Ethics Challenge offers many benefits to the university and your students, including:
• Increases awareness of real-world ethical dilemmas and prepares students for how to handle them.
• Augments classroom learning by combining theory and practice.
• Improves student presentation and teamwork skills.
• Positive public relations and brand exposure for your school.
• Demonstrates the importance of strong ethics to tomorrow’s professionals.
• Provides professional networking opportunities for students and faculty.