CGP family and estate genealogists are bound by strict professional secrecy.
They may not divulge any element of the investigations for which they are responsible without the prior written consent of the person concerned, if alive, and/or his or her principal.
They must represent the profession positively and behave professionally and responsibly.
They shall refrain from undertaking searches that are not in the interest of the persons sought.
They must not engage in any misleading advertising (diplomas, titles, etc.).
Genealogists are subject to an obligation of means, not of results.
They must use all the means and knowledge at their disposal to carry out the work required of them.
They refrain from making genealogies of convenience.
As far as possible, they should provide proof of their claims. If they are unsuccessful, they must provide a report setting out all the work carried out.
They must pass on any document that an heir or customer is entitled to obtain, on simple request, and keep them informed as best they can of the progress of searches carried out or settlement operations, for those who request it.
They are committed to constantly improving their knowledge in order to provide the best possible service.
They agree to give priority to a CGP colleague in the event of a referral or for help with their research.
They undertake to respect and preserve the archive tools used in their work, and in particular to comply with law N°2008-696 of July 15, 2008.
Professional secrecy (definition)
CGP members are bound by professional secrecy, i.e. the obligation not to divulge any confidential information gathered in the course of their professional activities or about their customers. Professional secrecy is governed by criminal law.
Confidentiality (definition)
CGP members must respect confidentiality, defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) as “ensuring that information is only accessible to those to whom access is authorized”.
Confidentiality is also an ethical principle associated with a number of professions, including medicine, law, sales, IT, religion, journalism and so on. In ethics and law, certain types of communication between a person and one of these professionals are said to be “privileged”, and cannot be discussed with, or disclosed to, third parties. In some jurisdictions where the law ensures such confidentiality, penalties are usually imposed for breaches.