2020 Ethics Challenge

2020 Ethics Challenge hosted by the CFA® Societies of Florida

Introducing the challenge…

Event Overview

Ethics Challenge hosted by the CFA® Societies of Florida embodies the mission of CFA Institute by promoting "the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence." The competition is designed to increase students' awareness of the ethical dilemmas they may face as investment management professionals and to better prepare them for the workforce.

The Ethics Challenge touches on many of CFA Institute Future of Finance six areas of focus including: Transparency and Fairness, Regulation and Enforcement, and Safeguarding the System. It also promotes ethical awareness and fosters a healthy financial environment.

The Ethics Challenge summons students to analyze a situation with a "grey" area where right or wrong may not be apparent. Student teams are given a case study with an ethical dilemma and present their recommendations to a panel of senior charterholders. A question and answer period follows and a champion is later announced during a reception.

Components of the Competition:

Analysis / Research of Ethics Case

Each team is given an identical case which focuses on an ethical dilemma such as front running, insider trading, a conflict of interest etc. With their professor's guidance, the students dissect the case study and provide recommendations.

Each teams of 3-5 students is given an identical real-world case to analyze containing a variety of ethical dilemmas. Students learn about and apply the principles of the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct. Teams formulate solutions and present results to a panel of judges who score each presentation and award one winner.

Students will be provided with CFA Institute readings regarding:

CFA Institute Standards of Practice Handbook

Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct 2 Page Summary

The CFA Institute Ethical Decision-Making Framework

Presentation to Panel of Industry Experts and Leaders

Each team presents their analysis and recommendations to a panel of experts from top financial institutions. The team with the highest presentation score is the winner.

Additional Student Resources

Ethics Learning Lab

Subscribers to the Ethics Learning Lab benefit from a collaborative partnership with CFA Institute that results in a learning experience that balances flexibility and accountability. We enlist the investment industry’s brightest minds to continually connect you with new, relevant content covering topics applicable across the globe. An Ethics Learning Lab subscription keeps you on the leading edge of the complex investment industry by granting you access to an exclusive collection of resources thoughtfully curated by leading practitioners from around the globe. View plans and pricing.

Get Involved

We rely on our CFA charterholders and other financial professionals to serve as faculty advisers, and judges at the competition.

Volunteer opportunities include:

Advising a university team: Faculty advisers provide a link between the local challenge hosts and their university; they assemble the team for their university and guide students through the competition.
Judging student presentations: Judges listen to, critique, and score the student teams' presentations. Each presentation is 10 minutes in length followed by 10 minutes of questions and answers.
Time keeper and master of ceremonies roles at the competition.

If you would like to learn more about available volunteer opportunities with the next Ethics Challenge, please contact us.

2020 Participating Universities

Bethune Cookman University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Florida A & M University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Memorial University
Florida State University
Rollins College
Stetson University
Southeastern University
University of Central Florida
University of Florida
University of North Florida

The CFA Institute awarded Chris Cannon, CFA, CFA Society Orlando Board Member, the 2020 Americas Volunteer of the Year Award for his work on the Florida Ethics Challenge.

Governor Recognition

Although Ron DeSantis, Florida Governor, was unable to attend the 2020 Ethics Challenge in-person, he did issue an official letter thanking everyone participation and for their “efforts to create a stronger, more ethical financial industry.”

Read the official letter here.