Professional planning practitioners generally fall into four categories as follows: those employed by public agencies such as cities, towns, regions, and the Commonwealth; those whose principal activity is the teaching of planning at the graduate or undergraduate level; those employed by private organizations in a professional planning role; and those employed by, or engaged as, private planning consultants.

The Consulting Planners of Massachusetts is composed of individuals and firms whose staff are engaged in private professional planning consulting. By joining the Association, members subscribe to both a Code of Professional Objectives and a Code of Professional Conduct.

Code of Professional Objectives

• To provide competent and objective professional guidance to public and private clients in furthering the improvement and/or protection of the human and natural environment.
  
• To improve the quality of private professional planning services generally available to public or private clients.
  
• To encourage an open and structured procedure in the selection of private planning consultants.
  
• To carry out a program of public education which clarifies the role of the private planning consultant.
  
• To respond to legislative or other public issues potentially affecting the practice of planning.
  

Code of Professional Conduct

General

• Members will encourage the exchange of professional information with other planners, professionals, officials, students, and interested citizens, and insure proper credit for planning work by others.
  
• Members will not offer compensation or reward in any form for recommendation or securing of employment.
  
• Members will solicit commissions according to high professional standards.
  

Relationship to Clients

• Members will not accept an assignment where the existence of, or even the appearance of, a conflict of interest would impair the objective and unprejudiced discharge or professional responsibility.
  
• Except as required by law, members will not divulge information developed for a client without that client’s consent.
  

Relationship to Other Planners

• Members will not undertake the review of the work of another planner consulting for that same client without that other planner having been notified.
  
• Members will not attempt to supplant another planner after definite steps have been taken by a client towards the latter’s retention, nor will a member undertake a commission for which another planner has been previously employed without determining that the original employment has been definitely terminated
• The Massachusetts Association of Consulting Planners was established to advance the public welfare through the recognition and encouragement of the private practice of planning.