Final answer:
It is true that counselors must address potential ethical breaches among their peers informally before seeking formal resolution. This practice aligns with the ethical codes set by professional organizations and underlines the importance of integrity in professional conduct.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement is true: counselors must confront other counselors who they believe are violating, or may be violating, the ethical code, and attempt to resolve the issue informally. This is in accordance with best practices in various professional organizations, which provide guidelines and codes of ethics that their members are expected to follow. For instance, in fields such as software engineering, organizations like IEEE-CS have clear ethical obligations for their members. Similarly, in the realm of research, ethical issues must be accounted for when involving human subjects, which includes obtaining participants' written permission. When unethical behavior occurs, it can compromise the integrity of the data collected and affect the outcome of the study or professional practice. Therefore, it is essential for counselors to address potential ethical breaches and strive to resolve them, ideally through informal resolutions before escalating to formal proceedings.