The six core values of the NASW Code of Ethics are service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence. These values form the foundation of the social work profession and guide every ethical standard in the code published by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). Whether you’re a social work student, a practicing professional, or someone exploring the field, understanding these six values is essential because they shape how social workers are expected to interact with clients, colleagues, and communities.
Service
Service is the primary value of the social work profession. Social workers are expected to use their skills and knowledge to help people in need and to address social problems. This goes beyond paid client work. The value of service calls on social workers to volunteer some of their professional expertise without expectation of financial return. In practice, this means the profession treats helping others as a higher priority than personal gain, and social workers are expected to put the needs of the people they serve at the center of their professional decisions.
Social Justice
Social workers are called to challenge social injustice, particularly on behalf of people who are vulnerable or oppressed. This value translates into active efforts to end discrimination, poverty, and other forms of inequality. It also means promoting access to information, services, and resources so that everyone has an equal opportunity to participate in society. For social workers, pursuing social justice isn’t an abstract ideal. It shows up in everyday work: advocating for a client’s access to housing, pushing for policy changes at an organizational level, or working to dismantle systemic barriers in education, healthcare, or the legal system.
Dignity and Worth of the Person
Every person deserves to be treated with respect, regardless of their background or circumstances. This value requires social workers to be mindful of individual differences and cultural diversity while also promoting clients’ right to self-determination, which means supporting clients in identifying and pursuing their own goals rather than imposing the social worker’s preferences.
There is one important limit on self-determination. Social workers may restrict a client’s choices when, in their professional judgment, a client’s actions pose a serious, foreseeable, and imminent risk to themselves or others. Outside of that narrow exception, the code is clear: clients direct their own lives.
Importance of Human Relationships
Social work treats relationships between people as a powerful vehicle for change. This value recognizes that meaningful connections, whether between a social worker and a client, between family members, or within a community, are central to restoring and maintaining well-being. Social workers are expected to strengthen these relationships, engage people as partners in the helping process, and seek to build collaboration rather than dependency. The code positions the therapeutic relationship itself as a tool, not just a setting where other tools get used.
Integrity
Social workers are expected to behave in a trustworthy manner and act consistently with the profession’s values and standards. Integrity covers honesty, responsible practice, and ethical decision-making. It also means social workers should be aware of how their own personal values, cultural beliefs, and biases influence their professional judgment.
In a 2021 revision to the code, the NASW added explicit language linking integrity to self-care. The updated code now states that social workers should “take measures to care for themselves professionally and personally.” This addition acknowledged that professional demands, difficult workplace environments, and exposure to trauma can compromise a social worker’s ability to practice ethically if they don’t maintain their own well-being.
Competence
Social workers are expected to practice only within their areas of knowledge and skill, and to continually develop their professional expertise. Competence isn’t a one-time achievement. The code calls for ongoing education and a commitment to staying current with emerging practices, research, and tools relevant to the profession.
Technology is one area where competence standards have expanded significantly. A 2017 revision to the code addressed how social workers use computers, telephones, video platforms, social media, and other digital tools in their practice. Social workers who provide technology-assisted services must have the knowledge and skills to do so competently, including understanding the communication challenges that come with working through a screen instead of face-to-face. They are also required to discuss their technology policies with clients and obtain informed consent before providing services through digital platforms.
How the Values Shape Ethical Standards
The six values aren’t just philosophical statements. They anchor detailed ethical standards organized into six categories of professional responsibility: responsibilities to clients, to colleagues, in practice settings, as professionals, to the profession itself, and to broader society. Each standard traces back to one or more of the core values.
Client-focused standards are especially detailed. Social workers must obtain valid informed consent before providing services, using clear and understandable language to explain the purpose of services, associated risks, costs, alternatives, and the client’s right to refuse or withdraw. When a client lacks the capacity to give informed consent (because of age, cognitive impairment, or other factors), social workers must seek permission from an appropriate third party while still keeping the client informed at a level they can understand. Social workers must also remain alert to conflicts of interest that could compromise their professional judgment.
Cultural competence received a significant update in 2021. The revised code introduced the concept of cultural humility, asking social workers to engage in critical self-reflection about their own biases, to recognize clients as experts on their own culture, and to commit to lifelong learning on cultural issues. This went beyond the earlier standard of cultural sensitivity by emphasizing accountability and self-correction as ongoing practices rather than a box to check during training.
What Happens When the Code Is Violated
The NASW enforces its code through a formal complaint process. Anyone can file a complaint against an NASW member by contacting the Office of Ethics and Professional Review. The alleged violation must have occurred within the past two years, and complaints about incidents older than that are not accepted for review.
Once a complaint is filed, the Intake Subcommittee of the National Ethics Committee reviews it to determine whether it meets the criteria for a formal review. If accepted, the matter is referred to one of two tracks: mediation or adjudication. Mediation is a collaborative process where a neutral third party helps both sides discuss the issue and reach a resolution. Importantly, mediation does not result in a finding of whether the code was actually violated. Adjudication is the more formal path, involving a hearing to determine whether the social worker’s actions constituted a violation. If a violation is found, the hearing panel issues conclusions and any appropriate recommendations for consequences.
It’s worth noting that the NASW complaint process applies only to NASW members. State licensing boards have their own separate disciplinary processes that can affect any licensed social worker, member or not, and those processes can result in license suspension or revocation.