Oaths, a historically important feature of professional practice in medicine and law, have become an increasingly popular tool for promoting ethical practice and building societal trust in a range of occupations. The function and effectiveness of this tool in promoting ethical practice in the financial advice context is the focus of this review.

In recent decades, and especially since the Global Financial Crisis, initiatives adopting the language and structure of oaths have emerged from various corners of the business world, including the MBA oath (initiated at Ha...