CFA UK is committed to promoting the highest standards of ethical practice within its membership and the wider industry.

Following the successful 2017 Ethics case study competition, we are proud to announce the launch of the 2018/19 competition to all CFA UK members. The case studies developed during the competition help CFA UK ensure that the material developed to support ethical practice remains relevant to the membership and to help promote discussion and consideration of ethical issues through our work.

Why enter?

We would encourage all members with an interest in ethical issues with the investment profession to consider entering the case study competition. 

• Raise your profile – The winning entrant will be recognised at the 2019 Annual Chairman's Dinner and all entrants of appropriate quality will be included in an honourable mentions list.
• Support the work of CFA UK – Previous case studies are being used to support training material and develop resources to encourage ethical behaviour in the investment industry.
• Engage with ethical issues – Preparation of the case study can help to improve and articulate your understanding of ethical issues.  

Who can enter?

The competition is open to all members of CFA Society UK.

The Brief

• Entries can be hypothetical or factual, or a combination of both. We suspect that the best entries will involve elements of real-life experience (just as the best writers tend to draw on their own experience). In no cases should the original names of any persons or firms be used in your case study. [If you draw from publicly available material – e.g. a regulatory notice such as an FCA Final Notice – this should be mentioned in a brief acknowledgment at the top of your Case Study.]
• Case studies should have two parts: Scenario & Discussion. The Scenario should set out the pertinent facts of the case. The Discussion should highlight the key ethical concerns raised. Both section may draw reference to:
  o the behaviour of the actors;
  o the motivations of the individuals involved;
  o the role of the firm and colleagues; and
  o the consequences of the action taken.
• There is no minimum or maximum length for case studies, but entrants should aim for a clear and concise narrative (raising thought-provoking ethical problems). There will be two prizes awarded - one for entries which contain up to 500 words, and a second for entries over 500 words.

Guidance for Entrants

CFA UK Ethics Committee have prepared concise, non-proscriptive guidance that can be used by entrants to support their submissions.
We would also recommend that entrants review the winning case study from the 2017 competition.

How to Enter

• The competition is open on an ongoing basis (final closing date 31 August 2019).
• Please email your entries via our entry form 
• Entries should be emailed to ethics@cfauk.org

Judging and Prize-Giving

• Entries will be blind-judged (names removed) by the CFA UK Ethics Committee
• Submissions will be judged on a regular basis throughout the year
• Up to two outstanding entries per year may be selected to receive a £500 prize (which we can donate to charity if the winner prefers).  Any winners will also be invited to an event to recognise their achievement
• In addition to the winners, a list of any “honourable mentions” will be compiled.

Case Study Anonymity

Wherever possible we will try to publish, or otherwise employ in our educational efforts, strong entries from the competition. Competitors will be able to elect to either have, or not to have, their names associated with a case study made publicly available or otherwise employed in our efforts.