It is important to appreciate that the preceding text is only an introduction to the overarching title of the text and that it hopefully acts as a reasonable jumping off point to enable the reader to more deeply and successfully explore the topic as a whole. The idea here is merely to introduce the reader to the issues and help them break through the initial burden of understanding the ideas of the organisations presented here, terms, and concepts that can often seem impenetrable. In any assessments that the reader might undertake it should be recognised, again, that the text here is only a starting point and that they will likely have to undertake otherwise separate research to successfully complete any assessments.
Overall though, we have looked at professional bodies and accordingly we should better understand just what their function is. We have learned that professional bodies can be used to endorse our skills and knowledge and that membership to them infers upon us responsibilities in the shape of defined ethics and codes of conduct. We have discovered the relevance and the value of integrity and how this is something that the professional brings to their day to day, and even minute by minute, work in order to resolve and progress through the challenges that they can be presented with. We have learned that professionals and organisations have a duty to society as a whole, and that that duty extends to consideration of the actions within the workplace, environmental, political and legislative factors that we as individuals and as individuals within society operate within.
In short, the reader should now be better placed to understand: what professional bodies are and the role they serve to professionals and society; professionalism and the relevance of ethics and integrity to professionals, society and other stakeholders; and legislation and how it serves to influence and protect the rights of the individual, society and the environment.