Course Overview

Ethics in Economic Development focuses on the professional responsibilities and judgment required to navigate complex decisions in economic development practice. Participants examine ethical issues involving public trust, confidential information, competing interests, organizational priorities, community impact, and relationships with businesses, elected officials, partners, and the public.

Course Focus and Learning Outcomes

Participants will examine how to:

• Identify common ethical risks and dilemmas in economic development practice
• Apply ethical principles to complex professional situations
• Recognize and appropriately manage actual, potential, and perceived conflicts of interest
• Navigate confidentiality, transparency, stakeholder expectations, and professional boundaries
• Strengthen professional judgment, ethical decision-making, and organizational credibility
• Understand the role of ethics in maintaining public trust and the integrity of the profession

Who May Benefit Most

This course is open to all participants and may be especially useful for professionals who manage stakeholder relationships, work with confidential or sensitive information, support public decision-making, engage with elected officials or business leaders, or want to strengthen ethical decision-making in economic development practice.

Registration (Opens December 2026)

Professional Development Credits

Attendance and participation during all sessions of the training course is required by a registrant to obtain the following credits. 

• Certified Economic Developer (CEcD)
  • Exam = Core Requirement
  • Recertification = (3) Level-1 Points
    
    
• Entrepreneurship Development Professional (EDP)
  • Exam = Elective Requirement
  • Recertification = (3) Level-1 Points

Note: IEDC will send a registrant an electronic certificate of completion after the course for their records.

Questions

If you have any questions, please email [email protected] or call (202) 223-7800.

Policies

Please read the following policies carefully prior to registering for the training course.

Materials

The materials provided by IEDC are intended for use only by the registrant of the training course. A registrant should not share the training course materials with anyone else.

A registrant found in violation of this policy will be removed from the training course immediately and will not receive a refund for it.

Payment

A registrant will not receive the materials for the training course until IEDC receives the full amount owed for their registration.

Substitution

A registrant is not allowed to substitute a colleague in their place for any IEDC training course.

Cancellation

Please review our cancellation policy here.

No Show

A registrant is considered a “No Show” if they fail to send a cancellation email and/or do not attend the training course. A “No Show” registrant will forfeit any monies paid to IEDC for the training course.