Evaluation Tool

Professional Reliance Tool for ABCFP Members

Approved by Resolution of the ABCFP Council November 21, 2013

ABCFP Professional Reliance Tool for ABCFP Members 2

Contents

Preamble 3

Instructions 3

Professional Reliance Tool 5

Definitions 11

Appendix 13

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PreambleThis evaluation tool is developed to assist ABCFP practising members achieve a consistent application of professional reliance. Once the member is familiar with the content and the steps, the evaluation should take only a few minutes to complete. The evaluation tool is intended for ABCFP members to evaluate their own practices and is not intended to be used for judging the practice of other professionals. It may also be used as a reference during your routine decisions or tasks, or as a periodic assessment of your professional work. After finishing each section, the member would have considered many of the components of professional reliance. Also, the definitions section explains the meaning of some terms and the appendix provides references for this tool.

InstructionsThis tool is divided into four main sections which are derived from the definition of professional reliance. Within each of these four sections, numbered categories are listed – each category identifies one or more associated qualities of professional reliance. For example, in Section A (Accepting and Relying) Category 1 is Deference.

For each of the 20 categories, rate how consistently you apply (or applied) the listed qualities of professional reliance in your professional work (think of specific examples). If you use a scale of one to five for each category: one being ‘rarely’ and five being ‘always’ then your overall total rating will be between 20 (not very consistent) and 100 (very consistent).

You can begin by completing the evaluation for all your work in order to establish a baseline for future comparison. Then you can periodically evaluate your daily or individual project work and compare it to your baseline. This tool should enable you to evaluate for yourself: 1) how consistently you apply professional reliance, and 2) in which categories you have opportunity to improve your application of professional reliance (and where you are already applying professional reliance consistently).

ABCFPDefinitionofProfessionalReliance[Professional reliance is] “the practice of accepting and relying upon the decisions and advice of professionals who accept responsibility and can be held accountable for the decisions they make and the advice they give”1.

1 Professional Reliance in Forest and Range Management in BC: From Concept to Practice – July 2006 – ABCFP Guideline

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Notation: Professional reliance in the forest sector is a partnership between the professional, the government and the employer. This evaluation tool assists ABCFP professional members achieve a consistency in the application of professional reliance. However, if the government or the employer do not seek out, ask, or rely on the decisions and advice of professionals then professional reliance will not work in that relationship.

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Professional Reliance Tool

Section A - Accepting and RelyingCATEGORY RATING1.Deference:

a) I give weight and credibility (respectful regard) to the opinion or works of other professionals; and

b) I objectively assess the reasonableness of other professional work (professional actions, judgment, advice) considering risks, implications, knowledge and expertise.

2.Communications:a) I respectfully seek clarification or rationale; and

b) I respectfully provide clarification or rationale.

3.Authority:a) I understand my own authority for professional practice; and

b) I understand the authority of other professionals.

4.Advocacy/Education:a) I help others to accept and rely on my work and the work of other professionals, including:

i) the public;

ii) clients/employers;

iii) other professionals; and

b) I seek and take opportunity to assist new members such as mentoring or sponsoring them.

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SectionB-DecisionsandAdvice(Judgment)CATEGORY RATING5.Competency:

a) I assess the adequacy of my own qualifications - education, knowledge, expertise, experience; and

b) I consider my personal understanding of:

i) Current science, research, theory;

ii) Best practices;

iii) Historic precedents.

6.ProfessionalRequirements:a) I am familiar with requirements and expectations for forest professionals as described in the Foresters Act, Bylaws and guidance documents; and

b) I know, and work to achieve, all ABCFP Code of Ethics (Bylaw 11) and Standards of Professional Practice (Bylaw 12) requirements.

7.EmployerRequirements:a) I understand the differences between various employment roles – employer/manager/supervisor; forest professional; decision maker; and

b) I know and consider my employer/client goals, objectives, plans, policies, and procedures.

8.PublicExpectations:a) I know, and take effort to comply with, all relevant legislative requirements; and

b) I make reasonable effort to identify non-statutory expectations – consider and address them (Examples: user groups, First Nations, certification requirements, resource management plans, public input, best practices, scientific recommendations); and

c) I take into account a wide range of circumstances and interests, and balance them within the legal requirements.

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9.ContinuingCompetency:a) I seek and complete relevant professional development opportunities; and

b) I routinely review the ABCFP website for new or relevant guidelines, reports, papers, and practice review summaries; and

c) I routinely review other pertinent sites for new and relevant information, such as FPB, FREP etc.

10.Innovation:a) I am aware of and adapt to changing circumstances and conditions; and

b) I am committed to applying the Principles of Forest Stewardship.

11.ProfessionalAdvice:I routinely seek professional advice through:

a) Other professionals (both within and outside of the ABCFP);

b) ABCFP Practice Advisory Service;

c) peer reviews.

12.PracticesModification:a) I participate in voluntary peer reviews; and

b) I participate in quality assurance and continuous improvement processes; and

c) I regularly review ABCFP Discipline Case Digests.

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13.Practices:a) I seek adequate resources to complete work to required standards; and

b) I engage in respectful dialogue to build trust and understanding; and

c) I work to balance conflicting interests when developing my opinions and decisions – I have rationales to support my judgment and opinion; and

d) I support all my professional judgment, opinion, decision and action with professional quality rationales; and

e) I design monitoring plans and checklists for completion of tasks that are planned in my professional documents; and

f) I identify to my client/employer the potential consequences if my, or other, professional advice is disregarded or overruled; and

g) I develop practices and procedures for myself and others; and

h) I understand and follow processes for dealing with professional conflict (of opinion) – communication and transparency are key; and

i) I take action to influence outcomes and advocate for change, and to highlight successes; and

j) I understand when to seek expert advice, when to decline an assignment.

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Section C - Accept ResponsibilityCATEGORY RATING14.UnderstandProfessionalRelianceResponsibilities:

a) I am familiar with, and refer to, ABCFP documents and workshops on professional reliance; and

b) I understand ’reasonableness‘ as it applies to my professional work, or that of other professionals; and

c) I am familiar with, refer to, and use ABCFP processes for accountability – both disciplinary and non-disciplinary.

15.Client/EmployerRelationship:a) I explain to my client/employer the four basic duties of a forest professional; and

b) I demonstrate to my client/employer how the four basic duties relate to employment and how forest professionals provide benefit2 – including the potential for a due diligence defense under FRPA; and

c) I accept that my client/employer has discretion to choose whether or not to follow my professional advice or opinion; and

d) I am prepared to decline an assignment if it requires illegal or unethical actions, or creates a conflict of interest; and

e) I place professional duties above self-interest or personal gain; and

f) I understand potential liabilities for myself and for my employer/client – legislative; civil; and professional.

16.TakeAction:a) I work to rectify hazardous, illegal or unethical professional decisions by other professionals, or any practice that is detrimental to good stewardship of forest land; and

b) If necessary, and in accordance with the Code of Ethics, I bring such situations (in ‘a’ above) to the attention of the ABCFP; and

c) I do, or will, make a formal complaint to the ABCFP, start a civil suit, or advise government Compliance and Enforcement, when appropriate to do so.

2 Applying Professional Reliance Under FRPA – April 2008 – ABCFP Guideline

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Section D - Are AccountableCATEGORY RATING17.General:

a) I endeavour to resolve disputes or disagreements directly with other resource professionals, clients/employers or the public; and

b) I use direct, informed, respectful communication; and

c) I seek independent third-party advice.

18.TotheABCFP:a) I cooperate with ABCFP investigators, the registrar, and others who are tasked to enforce the Foresters Act and ABCFP Bylaws3.

19.ToOtherProfessionals:a) I cooperate with other forest professionals who are proceeding through the non-disciplinary accountability process4.

20.Iacceptprofessionalaccountabilitybyrespondingtorequestsregardingmypracticesuchas5:

a) Informal questions

b) Verbal Request for Explanation

c) Written Request for Explanation

d) Independent Opinion

e) Peer Review

f) Arbiter

g) ABCFP Complaint Process

h) Court Process

3 Complaints Resolution Flow Chart – ABCFP website

4 Professional Accountability Processes – ABCFP Guidance July 2011 – ABCFP website

5 Role of the ABCFP in Professional Reliance – Victoria Workshop Dec. 2010 – M. Larock Power Point Presentation

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DefinitionsABCFP Practice Advisory Service – a confidential service for members to ask experienced professionals questions about professional practice, conduct or ethics (http://www.abcfp.ca/practice_development/networking_advice/advisory_service.asp).

Accountability/Professional Accountability – an acknowledgement and assumption of obligations under professional legislation and accompanying bylaws, including the potential for investigations and discipline to be imposed by the profession. (Applying Professional Reliance Under FRPA Report Developed by the Profession al Reliance Working Group, April 2008; http://www.abcfp.ca/publications_forms/publications/documents/report_PR_Workgroup.pdf).

Code of Ethics – a set of defined principles and rules of conduct that govern a group or organization. ABCFP Bylaw 11. (http://www.abcfp.ca/regulating_the_profession/bylaws/code_of_ethics.asp).

Deference – giving weight and credibility, or ’respectful regard’ to the opinion or work products of a professional (Professional Reliance in Forest & Range Management in British Columbia. From Concept to Practice. Professional Reliance Task Force 1. Committee Report, Final Version Released July 2006; http://www.abcfp.ca/publications_forms/publications/documents/Professional_Reliance_Forest_Range_Management.pdf).

Due Diligence – taking (and documenting) all the necessary steps to ensure that the desired outcome is achieved or that the chances of a negative consequence or outcome are minimized. As such, it is a necessary component of all aspects of practice and professional life (Standards of Professional Practice: Guidelines for Interpretation, January 4, 2002; http://www.abcfp.ca/regulating_the_profession/documents/guideline-practice-standards.pdf).

FPB – The Forest Practices Board

FREP – Forest and Range Evaluation Program which is aimed at assessing “the effectiveness of forest and range legislation in achieving stewardship objectives;” determining “whether forest and range practices are achieving government’s objectives, with a focus on biological function and social values (visual quality and cultural heritage);” identifying “forest and range resource value status and trends,” and identifying “opportunities for continued improvement of British Columbia’s forest and range practices, policies and legislation.” (http://www.abcfp.ca/practice_development/continuing_professional_development.asp).

FRPA – The Forest and Range Practices Act

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Government – regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over development on provincial, Crown or private land. Such authorities include federal, First Nations, provincial and local governments.

Non-Statutory Expectations – an expectation, condition or circumstance held by others that a forest professional can achieve an outcome when no legislation or authority exists for the professional to ensure the outcome (Guidance for Managing Non-Statutory Expectations in Forest Practices, April 2009; http://abcfp.ca/regulating_the_profession/documents/Non-Stat_Expectations.pdf).

Professional/ABCFP Professional Member – a registered member in good standing with the ABCFP; a Registered Professional Forester; a Registered Forest Technologist; or a holder of a special or associate member class.

Rationale – a description of the underlying foundation for an action taken or decision made. It is an explanation of the controlling principles in the circumstance, the intellectual or sensible path chosen and the logic toward the expected outcome, opinion, or practice. Depending on the situation, decision or action, the rationale is often written, provides supporting documentation, identifies the accountability linkages, and reveals the diligence or zeal with which the professional undertook the work (Guidance for Professional Quality Rationales and Commitments, September 2008).

Standards of Professional Practice – deal with professional practice expectations related to competence, independence, integrity, due diligence and stewardship. ABCFP Bylaw 12. The standards augment the Foresters Act and the Code of Ethics in further defining the conduct and practice expected of forest professionals. An interpretive guide accompanies the Standards of Professional Practice to assist members in its implementation (http://www.abcfp.ca/regulating_the_profession/documents/guideline-practice-standards.pdf).

Voluntary Peer Review – an element of the continuing competency program, main objective of which is to elevate a member’s level of practice through the mentorship and confidential advice offered by a trusted colleague (http://www.abcfp.ca/practice_development/continuing_competency/peer_review.asp).

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Appendix

ABCFP GuidelinesProfessional Reliance Implementation Guidelines – March 2000 http://www.abcfp.ca/regulating_the_profession/documents/guideline-professional-reliance.pdf

Definition of Professional Reliance – September 2004 http://www.abcfp.ca/regulating_the_profession/documents/guideline-definition-reliance.pdf

Professional Reliance in Forest and Range Management in BC: From Concept to Practice – July 2006 http://www.abcfp.ca/publications_forms/publications/documents/Professional_Reliance_Forest_Range_Management.pdf

Professional Reliance Principles for FRPA Operational Plans and Declarations – February 2007 http://www.abcfp.ca/regulating_the_profession/documents/guideline_FRPA_Op_Plans_2007.pdf

Applying Professional Reliance under FRPA – April 2008 http://www.abcfp.ca/publications_forms/publications/documents/report_PR_Workgroup.pdf

Professional Accountability Processes – July 2011 http://www.abcfp.ca/practice_development/continuing_competency/Documents/Non-Discipline_Acc_Process.pdf

ABCFP Discussion DocumentsAssessing Professional Reliance in the Forest Sector: Improving Professional Reliance – January 2010 http://www.abcfp.ca/publications_forms/publications/documents/Improving_Pro_Reliance.pdf

A Framework for Professional Reliance – December 2012 http://www.abcfp.ca/publications_forms/publications/documents/Professional_Reliance_Framework_21030114.pdf

Describing Professional Trust and Respectful Regard – May 2013 http://www.abcfp.ca/publications_forms/publications/documents/Professional_Trust_Respectful_Regard.pdf

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OtherABCFPDocumentsComplaint Process Bulletin – Oct 2009 http://www.abcfp.ca/regulating_the_profession/complaints/documents/complaint_process_bulletin.pdf

Complaints Interactive Flowchart http://www.abcfp.ca/regulating_the_profession/complaints/complaints_flowchart.asp

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