Code of ethics program

All employees and clients get their cues from the highly-visible executives and owners, and if they are seen to push the limits of ethical behavior, they will as well. A corporate ethics policy is a cornerstone to providing employees and clients with concrete guidelines about what is and is not accepted in the workplace without the need for constant oversight from management.

It can also provide transparency in action and goodwill with customers who strive to find companies that they can trust. A good policy does more than just outline concepts of good behavior, it also communicates expectations and requirements, has buy-in from all levels of business from the board of directors down , and develops measurements to determine if ethics are being maintained and yielding the desired results.

Creating an ethics policy can be daunting, as evidenced by how popular the Ethics topic is on KnowledgeLeader. Companies without a clear set of values may find themselves at a disadvantage when developing ethics programs.

Many companies conduct regular companywide initiatives that involve employees at all levels of responsibility when renewing company values and updating them when appropriate.

Most ethics professionals agree that it is crucial to enlist senior management support for an ethics program to be successful. Senior managers should participate in training sessions, make ethics a regular element in speeches and presentations, and align their own behavior with company standards.

If employees view an ethics program as merely an effort to protect the reputation of top management, the program may prove more harmful than no program at all.

Engage directors in the ethics process by instituting a board ethics committee or by placing ethics on the board agenda as a regular item for discussion. Consider special training to enable directors to carry out their ethical responsibilities confidently.

Many U. The vision gives employees and managers a first screening test for decisions. But this alone is an insufficient test of the appropriateness of a set of goals. A better measurement of the appropriateness of a goal would be: If meeting the goal will require unethical actions, the goal should be rejected.

Values statement. A values statement defines general principles of required behavior. Organizational code of ethics.

The code also defines the consequences for failure to meet the standard. Example: In detailing the values of honesty or integrity, the code of ethics would specify that reporting of sales and work times be accurate and truthful, and that failure to meet this standard can be cause for dismissal. Ethics officer. An ethics officer ensures that the ethics systems are in place and functioning.

The ethics officer usually oversees the ethics communication strategy and mechanisms for employees to obtain guidance and report suspected wrongdoing. Ethics committee. Early in the ethics initiative, it also may act as an ethics task force, creating the infrastructure it will eventually oversee. Example: The ethics committee receives information regarding any patterns or trends in employee comments about goal-setting, measurements and rewards, as well as instances of reported misconduct.

The committee also initiates steps to reverse the pressure to violate the code of ethics to meet artificially high performance standards. Ethics communication strategy. This strategy ensures that employees have the information they need in a timely and usable fashion and that the organization is encouraging employee communication regarding the values, standards and the conduct of the organization and its members.

Ethics training. Ethics training teaches employees what the organization requires, gives them the opportunity to practice applying the values to hypothetical situations and challenges, and prepares them to apply those same standards in the real world.

Example: Ethics training enables employees to recognize the ethical dilemma of unreasonable goals and ensures they know what resources are available for safely raising the issue. It also makes it evident to the managers setting those standards that doing so creates an unacceptable condition in the workplace. Ethics help line. Further, we will be compassionate to each other as well as to our clients. More precisely we will ensure and maintain responsiveness to the needs of others in the effort towards taking the required steps in helping where the need arises.

Under this consideration, harming other people should thus be minimized as much as possible so as to ensure consistency and coherence in carrying out the respective responsibilities for each individual. Based on the principle discussed we will express a high degree of social responsibility within the running of the company. Additionally, we will express fairness in all our dealings. This is to means that in the making of decisions and judgments we will follow the right processes and procedures that will yield an outcome worth a credit from any other reasonable source of information.

Under this consideration; we will practice justice in all judgments and dealings so as to acquire a good reputation within the company; which will help propel the company to greater heights of performance. Another guiding principle is that we will have respect for ourselves and others. This is to mean that we will honor and credit the abilities and contributions of others as well as those from our members.

Under this consideration, we will not withhold information amongst each other; towards ensuring that we maintain an open straight communication system within the company. Under this consideration, all parties will be entitled to freely express their ideas and the possible strategies that are helpful in developing the company across all dealings.

The other guideline is that we will ensure trustworthiness and the ability to keep our promises; under which we will strive to keep our commitments under all circumstances.

This is to means that we will avoid making promises that can not be kept or commitments for the company; unless we are compelled to do so by the authorities in charge. For all the employees to be able to comply with the above-stated code of ethics, a training program for employees is necessary. This training program will be helpful in that it will enhance a proper instilling of the values that the company has incorporated under the code of ethics.

These seminars will be conducted by the company managers and other top officials, who will in the process, teach all the employees about the code of ethics to be observed during the running of the company. Additionally, this practice will ensure that the employees are equipped with the tools that will govern them during the various activities within the company in enhancing a high degree of coherence and co-existence. Through practical scenarios, the employees should learn how to express professionalism through orienting the new employees, who should, in turn, be able to display proficient moves as well.

Further, from different split discussions, the employees should learn the various values of coexistence with others and be able to develop self-driven prospects in giving and taking orders in various ways. Posters and other publications displaying the code of ethics for the company should be placed at central places within the company premises. This will further help in clarifying any misunderstood concepts while the employees will be taught such ethics through seminars.

This means that the code of ethics should be written in a simple and clear language; so as to ensure that the different parties can follow through. The company has to develop a well-organized system to monitor, audit, and report any misconduct among the employees.