...The Importance of Ethics and A Code of Conduct In Today’s Business Environment By Joe Cooper – 09/05/2013 Ethical and moral standards are the foundation of any company, big or small. In an effort to move beyond mere legal compliance, many companies today develop and institute a foundation of integrity-based ethics. These foundational elements include laws and regulations as well as a core set of operating principles and values, which a company follows when conducting business with its customers, employees, shareholders and the community. This framework drives everything a company does, day-in-and-day-out. The code of ethics must not only be adopted and unconditionally supported by the leadership team, it is critical that it is supported and enforced at all levels of the company. Integrity based ethics must become the culture of a company not merely displayed on a website, poster or touted at an all-employee meeting. It is sad to say, but in the past decade, violating company ethics can be a daily occurrence. And it happens at all levels; from leadership down to the entry-level employee. Some of these violations are also violations of state and federal laws. We have seen a number of CEO’s and company leaders not only lose their jobs, but also are prosecuted and even sent to prison. The leadership team sets a company’s culture. I believe that a team is only as good as it’s coach. I feel that it is critical that a company’s leadership team not only talk the talk but...
Words: 1045 - Pages: 5
...A code of conduct policy is very important to any business. This helps to show the employees about the expectations of the company as well as the expected ethical behavior. The key idea in any business is to maintain the highest degree of ethical standards as well as maintain profitable. The revenue and collection cycle, acquisition and expenditure cycle and the production cycle also play important roles in a business when it comes to ethical standards. For management and other employees, a code of conduct describes behavior expectations in written form or another form of communication that may be informal. Ethical codes do not always prevent unethical behavior but they do provide the employees as well as management legal and ethical standards which will help to influence their commitment and job performance to the entity’s system of internal control. A code of conduct is intended to be a central guide and reference for users in support of day-to-day decision making. It is meant to clarify an organization's mission, values and principles, linking them with standards of professional conduct. As a reference, it can be used to locate relevant documents, services and other resources related to ethics within the organization. A code is also a tool to encourage discussions of ethics and to improve how employees/members deal with the ethical dilemmas, prejudices and gray areas that are encountered in everyday work. A code is meant to complement relevant standards, policies and rules...
Words: 1954 - Pages: 8
...Challenges in the Global Business Environment Code of Ethics Conduct Coca-Cola Company Richard Bonds Dr. J. A. Anderson, Sr. Date May, 31 2014 Abstract Coca-Cola Company or Coke s the largest distributor of soft drinks in the world. Businesses such as Coke and other corporations set a strict code of ethics laws to live by and operate upon. This paper will illustrate the code of ethics of Coke the industry leaders and two of its partners/competitors PepsiCo and Dr. Pepper/Snapple Co. and the similarities of their ethics code for operations as American multination companies. Coca-Cola Company or Coke is the largest distributor of soft drinks in the world. A successful businesses like Coke and other large corporations set a strict code of ethics laws to live by and operate upon. A brief look at the industries three largest leaders in the soft drink industry, with Coke being the front runner followed by the PepsiCo Groups and Dr. Pepper/Snapple Group all unique in their own way with a variety of products consumers have been using for nearly 100 years. All three companies born in the southern part of the United States has provided different brands names under different company logos worldwide. Coke has such names in the soft drink industry like Sprite, Minute Made, Fanta, Power Aide, an Simple Orange to name a few of the 3500 plus products they produce worldwide. The largest and closest competitor of Coke is a bit more diverse in the product...
Words: 3169 - Pages: 13
...It is quite important for any entity to adhere to the set code of conduct. This is usually the expected level of behavior of members of that particular institution as they go about their daily duties or studies. Certified management accountant body has a set code of conduct which the members are expected to abide to. Similarly, Navarro College has its own students’ code of conduct which the students are supposed to observe; failure to which the breach of the code of conduct may accrue severe punishment in accordance with the institutional policies. To begin with, certified accountant body emphasizes on integrity (IMA code of conduct). This means that the certified accountants are expected to be in their best behavior as far as organizational policies are concerned. Navarro College also expects the students to remain worthwhile students by complying with the dressing code for instance. A decent mode of dressing enhances the students’ integrity and virtues. Misconduct is punishable in both codes of conducts. Navarro College sanctions behaviors deemed as misconduct; in equal measure, one of the core provisions of the certified accountants’ body is competence; failure to live to these competence standards may fall under negligence which is punishable through disciplinary sanctions. Yet another accountants’ code of conduct pillar is credibility. The members should show respect and adhere to the professional credibility provisions; In Navarro College, students should remain committed...
Words: 564 - Pages: 3
...and Ethics Assessment 1 Term 2, 2014 Tara Dayon S0257204 The concept of corporate social responsibility has an increasing continuous widespread attention from business people, consumers and academics. It is because the organisation received benefits for being socially responsible which has cost companies to have increasing commitment to implicate ethical standards. (Patrick, E 2011) To integrate the concept of corporate social responsibility, organisation creates business ethics, which includes standards, and principle known as codes of conduct to assist the behavior of people working in the company in the world of business. The stakeholders usually determine whether a specific behavior is ethical or not. (Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell 2011). These codes of conducts have made a big difference in the business industry help improve overall organizational performance. Firstly, the codes of conduct along with education develop the worker’s job satisfaction and determination, aid the company’s recruiting efforts and help build strong relationships with business partners. Secondly, a lot of company leaders believe that “doing the right thing” is its own reward and has strong ethical cultural benefits. Finally in most organization, the effects of having an inspiring code has both helped workers’ towards the management approach and helps worker’s understand the values of the organisation. (The impact of codes of conduct on corporate...
Words: 1175 - Pages: 5
...Introduction Codes of ethics Code of ethics is widely accepted in an organization or company. Many business adopted code of ethics at this present days. So, its adaptors are steadily increasing over past two decade. The research of Mark John Somers characterized codes of ethics into several themes representing distinct lines of inquiry. One theme concern in promoting ethical behavior in organization and second one is prevalence; which mean which codes have been adopted in specific countries. (e.g white and Montgonery, 1980) or industries (e.g Berenbeim, 1992). And the last is emergent theme which concerns the influence of codes of ethics on employee in an organization. Codes of ethics define moral idea essence of an organization or company. A code need to be simple and easy to understand that unites employee regardless of their particular religious, sex, location, race and ethnicity. The tone of code is important. There are six moral values of codes of ethics review by corporate, global codes of ethics, Business ethics are as follows: * Trustworthiness * Responsibility * Respect * Caring * Fairness * Citizenship Codes of conduct A code of conduct expands on the principles embodied in code of ethics. Codes of conduct have to address all the legal expectation and ethical risks suit to organization or company or job title. Codes of conduct have to be revising when the issues arise in the organization. The NYSE address seven topics of codes they are...
Words: 1489 - Pages: 6
...Ethical Issues Ethics: The Hallmark of Leaders at All Levels Abstract The intent of the paper is educating people about the abuse of power. Why a code of conduct is necessary for a company to be successful. Examples of what can go wrong in certain situations when bad moral judgment is used for personal gain. How to correct violations with a new code of ethics and compliance officer to ensure these the code of ethics will be followed. 1. Table of Contents 1. Intro into a problem in the workplace page 4 2. A code of conduct page 5-6 3. Professional conduct page 7 4. Code of conduct in the workplace 5. Where to and how to implement the code of conduct page 7 6. The conclusion and solutions for unethical and moral character page 7 7. How the code of ethics you developed can be applied to deal with page 8 Your chosen ethical issue 8. How the character, values, and integrity of a leader can aid in Making your proposed code of ethics more than just another document that employees acknowledge when they are hired, but instead make it a valued part of their everyday work lives for your fictional business page 9 Ethical Issues Identify and clearly describe an ethical issue. The ethical issue I will discuss is bribery in the work place; an inspector took a bribe to allow a property owner to break city code while building a residential...
Words: 2020 - Pages: 9
...Codes of Conduct 1. Comparison of Codes of Conduct: SAICA, CLASA and SASOL |1.1 Purpose of the Codes: | |All three above-mentioned Codes do have a clear purpose. | |SAICA: |CLASA: |SASOL: | |Professional code of conduct for accountants |Professional code of conduct for “corporate |Organisational code of conduct to employees | |and auditors |lawyers” |of the organisation | |SAICA: This code deals with professional attitudes and behaviour. A profession is distinguished by the following characteristics i.e: | |Mastering a particular intellectual skill | |Acceptance of duties to the society as a whole as well as to client and employer | |An objective outlook | |Rendering personal services to a high standard of conduct and performance | | ...
Words: 1319 - Pages: 6
...ACS Code of Ethics Case Studies & Related Clauses to the Code of Conduct Australian Computer Society July 2012 Title ACS Code of Ethics Case Studies & Related Clauses to the Code of Conduct Authors Committee on Computer Ethics Mike Bowern Version History Date Document Version Revision History (reason for change) Author /Reviser July 2012 2.0 ACS Branding Sarah Li Approvals Date approved Version Approved By Date in force Date of Next Review To be confirmed 17 July 2012 2.0 Ruth Graham 17 July 2012 Custodian title & e-mail address: Responsible Business Group: Distribution: ruth.graham@acs.org.au Professional Standards, Learning & Development General (no restriction on distribution) Content Security: Unclassified Australian Computer Society | ACS Code of Ethics Case Studies & Related Clauses to the Code of Conduct | July 2012 Page 2 ACS CODE OF ETHICS CASE STUDIES & RELATED CLAUSES TO THE CODE OF CONDUCT This document provides a range of case studies with references to relevant clauses of the ACS Code of Ethics. These Codes consists of a series of clauses which gradually expand on aspects of ethical behaviour relevant to professional people in the ICT industry. Clause 2.0 describes the Code of Ethics, summarised as six values: The Primacy of the Public Interest; The Enhancement of the Quality of Life; Honesty; Competence; Professional Development; and Professionalism. Clauses 2.1 through to 2.7 cover the ACS Code...
Words: 13862 - Pages: 56
...Project Management Institute Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct CHAPTER 1. 1.1 VISION AND APPLICABILITY Vision and Purpose As practitioners of project management, we are committed to doing what is right and honorable. We set high standards for ourselves and we aspire to meet these standards in all aspects of our lives—at work, at home, and in service to our profession. This Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct describes the expectations that we have of ourselves and our fellow practitioners in the global project management community. It articulates the ideals to which we aspire as well as the behaviors that are mandatory in our professional and volunteer roles. The purpose of this Code is to instill confidence in the project management profession and to help an individual become a better practitioner. We do this by establishing a profession-wide understanding of appropriate behavior. We believe that the credibility and reputation of the project management profession is shaped by the collective conduct of individual practitioners. We believe that we can advance our profession, both individually and collectively, by embracing this Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. We also believe that this Code will assist us in making wise decisions, particularly when faced with difficult situations where we may be asked to compromise our integrity or our values. Our hope that this Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct will serve as a catalyst for others...
Words: 3490 - Pages: 14
...the employees of our company and ultimately our company itself follow our code of conduct. It has been discussed that “Key “ethics-related actions” (ERAs) observed in organizations with strong ethical cultures include (1) management communicating ethics as a priority, (2) management setting a good example of ethical conduct,(3) coworkers considering ethics when making decisions, and (4) coworkers talking about ethics in the work they do.”1 I truly believe this to be the case. The question is how do we go about this? Once a code of conduct has been determined and needs to be implemented I would follow the following set of strategies to make it permeate the company culture. “Dissemination, training, continuous employee engagement, effectiveness monitoring and feedback solicitation”1 are the tools or strategies that I recommend. Dissemination is simply making sure that all employees are exposed to the code of conduct. The ideal way to implement this is to have classes focused on the different employee groups to be able to train the code of conduct at an appropriate level for each group, answer questions and get a sign off that the employees were indeed trained in the code of conduct. During the dissemination phase I would also recommend using flyers, handouts, emails and other documents to distribute to employees as a written form of the code of conduct. This will place the idea of a code of conduct in every employee’s mind by simple exposure. Training as the next strategy...
Words: 2092 - Pages: 9
...Code of Ethics Analysis Paper PHL/323- Ethics in Management March 24, 2014 Code of Ethics Analysis Paper In today’s business environment, codes of ethics serve the purposes of guiding the everyday conduct of professionals, and all those (consultants, volunteers, and board members) who operate within a particular business or organization. The everyday conduct of professionals becomes important when servicing consumers, and is known to directly impact the community. Because codes of ethic govern ones conduct, it is imperative for business to consider the effectiveness of such codes that are outlines in their profession. The purpose of this analysis is to analyze the code of ethics established by the Arrow. In conducting such an analysis, I will first determine what is to be considered based on importance, and why such codes are important, and a justification will proceed. After providing a justification on the importance of such ethics, I will then attempt to analyze Arrow’s code of ethics, by considering how the code will be implemented, possible reactions from employees, and the effects the code will have on the organization as a whole. System of Inquiry After much deliberation, the following will include a system of inquiry that will be used to analyze the code of ethics established by the Arrow. Areas of inquiry will include: the organization definition of ethics, people issues, consumer confidence, corporate social responsibility, leadership responsibilities/activities...
Words: 2059 - Pages: 9
...At First we should know what is Code of Ethics: A code of ethics forms a part of formal statement showing the value of the organization on the ethical and social issues, than we describe 3 companies which we have chosen Code of Ethics Apple Starbucks Code ofEthics AtFirstweshouldknowwhatis Code ofEthics: A code of ethics forms a part of formal statement showing the value of the organization on the ethical and social issues,than we discribe 3 companies which we have chosen Starbucks conducts its business operations in a volatile and competitive business-environment. The organization is committed to its core values and principles in order to comply with the laws of ethical conduct (Kazmi, 2002). Starbucks Standards of Business Conduct present a brief outline of the ethical and legal standards followed by the organization on a regular basis.Starbucks regularly undertakes an investigation of various kinds of possible violation of its principles, standards, the Financial Code of Ethics and reports under the Procedures (Corporate Ethics and Accountability, 2008). This ensures that all the departments functioning under the organization are working in a proper manner and conducting business in a fair and transparent manner (Starbucks-Standards of Business Conduct, 2008). Code of Ethics Apple Apple is committed to the highest standards...
Words: 504 - Pages: 3
...Table of content 1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………….……...3 2. Organization and business environment overview………………………………….….3 3. Code of Ethics Beiersdorf AG…………………………………………………….………3 4. Code of Ethics Procter & Gamble...…………………………………………….………..5 5. Code of Ethics related business issues in comparison………………………………..7 6. Summary………………………………………………..…………………………………..8 1. Introduction This paper is presented as the option B term paper for the Business Ethics elective course within the MBA program. The goal is to give an overview and an analysis of the codified Codes of Ethics of two major companies within the business field of consumer goods. The respective companies will be the Beiersdorf AG as the requested German example and actor in this field and Procter & Gamble as the world leading competitor in this area of business. The term paper will be structured in the following way. First the aim is to give a brief overview about the companies in question and the area they are doing business in. In a second step the Codes of Ethics of both enterprises will be analyzed using the framework and criteria for an effective Code of ethics which were presented in class. Thirdly, the aim is to give a personal opinion on the presented facts and compare the companies in their approach. The paper is going to be concluded with the presentation on historical and current issues of ethical questions which are applicable for Beiersdorf and P&G. 2. Organization and business...
Words: 2878 - Pages: 12
...CODE OF ETHICS/PROFESSIONAL CODE OF CONDUCTS IN ICT INTRODUCTION In today’s model world, technology has become a backbone in each field. It has gained its impact in almost each and every area. With each passing day, new technology is immerged; hence a proper methodology for adopting these technologies should be there, hence there is need for ethics and code ofconduct. “The use of information technology in society is creating a rather unique set of ethical issues that requires the making of new moral choices on the part of society and has spawned special implications for its members.” Technology is neither the only nor necessarily the cause of these issues. These issues initially arise out of the Human Agency. Technology has the capability to augment mental and physical powers of human beings, and hence it stands as a role of co-conspirator. “The hire of power-enhancing capabilities makes technology an inducer of sorts, a necessary but not sufficient underpinning to many of the ethical issues we face today.” [3] WHAT ARE COMPUTER ETHICS AND CODE OF CONDUCT? Computer Ethics refers to the principles that are used for making model decision in regards to the computer technology and computer use. They are nonspecific and wide ranging [1]While Code of Conduct is a summary issued by the board of directors which highlights specific behaviours which are required or forbidden as a condition of on-going employment [2]. Both Ethics and Codes are similar in a way that they try to...
Words: 1856 - Pages: 8
