HSBC chairman Flint backs new Hippocratic oath for bankers
DOUGLAS Flint is pushing for bankers to swear an equivalent to the medical profession’s traditional Hippocratic oath, as part of plans to improve standards in the industry.
The HSBC boss is already on board with Barclays’ proposals for a new professional body to oversee qualifications in the sector, track misdemeanours as bankers change jobs, and even strike off those who behave too badly.
The suggested Chartered Institute of Bankers could also take, manage and monitor complaints from consumers, who would also be able to check up on the bankers they come into contact with.
Flint is part of the British Bankers’ Association’s (BBA) taskforce into behaviour, which is considering how to set up a new body to establish and maintain strong ethical standards in the industry.
And the Sunday Telegraph yesterday reported that Flint believes making bankers swear an oath would support the goal of improving behaviour in the industry.