Cognizant Professional Standards and Ethics 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A Cognizant consultant discovers that a client's system contains a critical security vulnerability that was not part of the original project scope. What is the most ethical course of action?
- Ignore it since it is outside the project scope
- Immediately report it to the client stakeholders and document it in writing (Correct answer)
- Fix it quietly without informing anyone to avoid scope conflict
- Exploit the vulnerability to demonstrate its severity to the client
Correct answer: Immediately report it to the client stakeholders and document it in writing
Ethical professionals must report security vulnerabilities to protect client interests, even when outside the original scope.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes 'conflict of interest' in a professional setting?
- Disagreeing with a manager's decision on a project
- A situation where personal interests could improperly influence professional judgment (Correct answer)
- Having two competing clients in the same industry
- Disliking a colleague's working style
Correct answer: A situation where personal interests could improperly influence professional judgment
A conflict of interest occurs when personal gain or relationships could compromise objective professional judgment.
Question 3: Cognizant's Code of Ethics requires employees to act with integrity. Which scenario best exemplifies integrity in the workplace?
- Completing tasks quickly by cutting corners when no one is watching
- Admitting a mistake in a deliverable to the client immediately after discovering it (Correct answer)
- Avoiding difficult conversations with clients to maintain a positive relationship
- Reporting only positive project updates to management to avoid criticism
Correct answer: Admitting a mistake in a deliverable to the client immediately after discovering it
Integrity means being honest and transparent, including promptly admitting errors rather than concealing them.
Question 4: An employee at Cognizant is offered a gift worth $300 from a vendor during a contract negotiation. According to standard corporate ethics policies, what should the employee do?
- Accept it graciously to maintain the vendor relationship
- Accept it and report it to HR after the negotiation is complete
- Decline the gift and report the offer to compliance (Correct answer)
- Accept it only if it does not influence the final decision
Correct answer: Decline the gift and report the offer to compliance
Most corporate ethics policies prohibit accepting gifts above a nominal threshold during negotiations to prevent undue influence.
Question 5: What does the principle of 'due diligence' mean in a professional ethics context?
- Completing work ahead of schedule
- Performing reasonable investigation and care before making decisions or recommendations (Correct answer)
- Following every instruction from a supervisor without question
- Delegating tasks to the most junior team member available
Correct answer: Performing reasonable investigation and care before making decisions or recommendations
Due diligence requires professionals to thoroughly investigate and verify information before acting or advising.
Question 6: A team member tells you they have been falsifying their time-sheet entries. What is the most appropriate ethical response?
- Ignore it because it does not affect your own work
- Advise the colleague to stop and report the issue through proper channels if they refuse (Correct answer)
- Agree to keep it secret to protect team morale
- Start falsifying your own time-sheet to be consistent with the team
Correct answer: Advise the colleague to stop and report the issue through proper channels if they refuse
Employees have an ethical obligation to address misconduct, either by counseling the colleague or escalating through proper channels.
Question 7: Which behavior best reflects Cognizant's commitment to a culture of respect and inclusion?
- Treating colleagues differently based on their nationality or background
- Actively listening to diverse viewpoints and valuing contributions from all team members (Correct answer)
- Only collaborating with colleagues who share similar cultural backgrounds
- Avoiding feedback to colleagues from minority groups to prevent discomfort
Correct answer: Actively listening to diverse viewpoints and valuing contributions from all team members
An inclusive culture requires actively valuing and engaging with diverse perspectives across all team interactions.
Cognizant Professional Standards and Ethics 2
A Cognizant consultant discovers that a client's system contains a critical security vulnerability that was not part of the original project scope.
What is the most ethical course of action?