Ethical Procurement and Supply eLearning & Test
Updated for 2025, our Ethics eLearning and Test is designed for procurement and supply professionals of all levels.
On completion you will:
- Fine-tune your skills and understanding of ethical procurement and supply chains
- Demonstrate your commitment to addressing key issues such as sustainability, human rights, fraud, bribery and corruption
Improvements ready for 2025
- Closer alignment to CIPS ESG/Sustainability model
- Improved accessibility on mobile devices
Overview
Free for CIPS Members: You'll learn how to tackle key issues to live up to your Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) responsibilities, human rights, and corruption.
Successful completion of the assessments enables you to demonstrate your absolute commitment to, and understanding of, acting ethically on behalf of your organisation.
Why do it?
Understanding
Increase your ability to recognise situations where you need to consider ethics and social responsibility, to act with integrity and to determine how best to respond.
Recognition
Reinforce your ongoing commitment to ethical procurement and supply by gaining public recognition for your specific, focused training in this area.
Commitment
Demonstrate to your peers, suppliers, customers, employer and prospective employers your intent to behave ethically and with integrity.
Protection
Help safeguard yourself and your organisation against the risks of unethical behaviour in your supply chain.
How to access the ethics test
Members – Login to your MyCIPS account, find the ethics test in your MyCIPS Dashboard under MyLearning. If you’re a new member, please allow up to 48 hours for this to appear in My Learning.
If you’re not a current CIPS member, you’ll still be able to access the Ethical Procurement and Supply eLearning and Test and receive a certificate of achievement.
How to access the Ethics Test
As a non-member, you’ll need to purchase the Ethics Test and sign up for a CIPS account. Once you have completed the checkout process, the Ethics Test will then be found in your MyCIPS dashboard under My Learning. Please allow up to 48 hours for this to appear in My Learning.
If you’re a fully qualified MCIPS/FCIPS member, having an up-to-date Ethics Test certificate is a key part of upgrading to Chartered Status. You’ll evidence your commitment to ethical procurement and supply and lifelong learning by holding Chartered Status and it will give you professional confidence throughout your career.
You will learn
- The course consists of four pieces of eLearning – an introduction video and piece of eLearning for each of the three course topics – followed by three assessments.
- We recommend that you start with the eLearning. This consists of short videos, interactive learning materials and some case studies. There are questions throughout so that you can check your understanding as you progress.
- You can then take the three assessments which each require a pass mark of 70%.
Passing the test results in a certificate of achievement, digital badge and listing on the professional register, all valid for one year.
Are you an organisation wanting to strengthen your reputation? Achieving the Corporate Ethics Mark will demonstrate your commitment to ethical procurement and supply practices and you’ll be listed on our Corporate Ethics Register.
Our searchable Professional Register enables users to verify an individual’s membership status and CIPS Ethical Procurement and Supply training in the last 12 months. You’ll be recognised on our Professional Register for one year, proving your commitment.
It’s not just about achieving the Ethics Test certificate. You’ll be able to record CPD hours for eLearning too. By committing to regular CPD, it will help ensure you have the knowledge and skills to succeed in a competitive employment market.
Frequently asked questions
It is an online multiple-choice assessment supported by several pieces of interactive eLearning. Successful completion of the three short assessments enables you to demonstrate your absolute commitment to, and understanding of, acting ethically on behalf of your organisation.
For CIPS Members the Ethics eLearning and Test is automatically available in your MyCIPS dashboard under 'My Learning.' If you’re not a member, once you’ve purchased the Ethics eLearning and Test you’ll find it in your MyCIPS dashboard under 'My Learning.' Please allow up to 30 minutes for it to appear.
You will need a computer tablet or mobile with access to the internet. The course contains audio so headphones/speakers are recommended although closed captions and transcripts are available. Most modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Edge) are supported but you should ensure that you have enabled JavaScript in your browser settings before launching the course.
No, your certificate is awarded when you have passed all three assessments with a score of at least 70%. However, we strongly recommend that you use the eLearning resources before attempting the assessments.
The assessment comprises three separate sections which each carry a pass mark of 70%. In order to get your certificate you must pass all three sections.
Don’t worry, you can have up to five attempts. You can revisit the relevant eLearning for any sections of the assessment that you did not pass.
If you have taken sufficient time to complete the relevant eLearning, this is unlikely. However, in the event that you do not pass after five attempts, please get in touch with us. If you have used up your five attempts but not completed the eLearning for that topic, we will ask you to finish the eLearning before we provide extra attempts for an assessment.
You can leave the eLearning at any time and resume from where you left off by selecting yes when you see the dialog box “Would you like to resume where you left off?”
There is no time limit set on the assessments. We advise that each assessment will typically take around 20 minutes to complete.
When you pass an assessment you'll be awarded a digital badge. And when you have passed all three assessments you will be awarded a certificate of completion. You’ll find your certificate and badges in CIPS My Learning under the Awards tab. You can download a copy of your certificate from there.
It can take up to one hour from completing the test for the certificate to be ready for download.
Your certificate is valid for 12 months from the date of completion.
When your certificate is due for a renewal, we will send you an email reminder.
It continues to be free for CIPS members and £50 +VAT for non-members.