Which of the following is a core ethical framework expected of all staff in SRA-regulated firms?

• A. The 7 Principles
• B. The Code of Conduct
• C. The Accounts Rules
• D. Regulatory/Discriminatory Rules

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that there is a universal ethical baseline that applies to every member of a firm regulated by the SRA. This baseline is the seven principles, which provide a broad, overarching guide for how to behave in all professional situations. The seven principles cover essential qualities like integrity, honesty, accountability, and leadership, plus objectivity, openness, and selflessness. They shape daily decisions, interactions with clients, colleagues, and the wider public, and they underpin trust in the profession.

While the Code of Conduct, the Accounts Rules, and Regulatory/Discriminatory Rules are important and necessary in practice, they are more specific rules or areas of compliance that operate within that broad ethical framework. The seven principles sit at the top as the core ethical mindset that informs how those detailed rules should be applied.

So, the best answer identifies the seven principles as the foundational ethical framework expected of all staff in SRA-regulated firms.