How Ethics Inform Codes of Conduct

Name: How Ethics Inform Codes of Conduct
Author: KnowledgeCity

Learn how values, ethics, and conduct relate to one another.

Preview the first lesson free — get full access to all 4 lessons.

Course: On-Demand

(upbeat music) Ethics codes exist to help employees carry out their duties and business dealings honestly, transparently, and responsibly. Ethical guidelines lay the foundation for a business's values and culture, and serve to safeguard both employees' reputations and that of their company. Many companies develop a physical handbook or digital document that outlines basic criteria for ethical employee behavior and how they are expected to approach challenges and difficult decisions. While some countries have laws that establish basic ethical standards within working environments, there is no international code of ethics. In the United States, for example, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was created and passed in response to several major instances of corporate fraud. Written to restore faith in public companies, the law mandated that all board members and organizational leaders of public companies would be required to have a code of ethics. Within each company, leadership is now responsible for developing and communicating these standards as means to ensure all internal and external stakeholders from employees to shareholders can be confident in its business practices. A clearly communicated code of ethics can make a company more attractive to stakeholders and reduce chances of scandal. Essentially, a code of ethics illustrates the values and culture of a business and the employees who work for it. Its purpose is not to list all possible ethical and unethical activities, but instead convey to employees the basic behavioral attributes and expectations of the business. For employees, there are many benefits to having a code of ethics. These include a general set of guidelines for employee conduct, a resource for examining unethical behavior, identification of best practices for company operations and compliance, an inspirational motivator to take appropriate action, and a talent recruitment and retention tool. Having a code of ethics can also encourage positive social change and help organizations contribute to making the world a better place. For many companies, the ethical aspects of conducting business are just as important as the financial ones.

Beginner Provider : KnowledgeCity 4 Lessons · 8m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Urdu, Chinese

Course Description

Companies that communicate a clear code of ethics and a detailed code of conduct have a good foundation for their operations. In these lessons, you will learn why values, ethics, and conduct are important, and how they relate to one another in the workplace.

A code of conduct is the means by which a company puts its ethics and values into action through its employees and stakeholders. It’s important to understand how all of these factors connect to create an effective code of conduct. By the end of this course, you will understand how your organization’s code of conduct reflects its particular values and influences employee behavior.

What You'll Learn

Examine the importance of company values for ethics and conduct
Articulate company values through a code of ethics
Put ethics into action through a code of conduct
Distinguish how values, ethics, and conduct relate to one another in the workplace
Explain how a code of conduct reflects an organization's values and influences employee behavior

Key Takeaways

Companies that communicate a clear code of ethics and a detailed code of conduct have a good foundation for their operations.
A code of conduct is the means by which a company puts its ethics and values into action through its employees and stakeholders.
Values, ethics, and conduct are connected, and understanding how they relate is important to creating an effective code of conduct.
An organization's code of conduct reflects its particular values and influences employee behavior.

Frequently Asked Questions

What will I learn in this course?

You will learn why values, ethics, and conduct are important and how they relate to one another in the workplace, how company values are articulated through a code of ethics, and how ethics are put into action through a code of conduct.

What topics does this course cover?

The course covers establishing business values through ethics, employee codes of conduct, and using ethics to construct a code of conduct, and includes a Test Your Knowledge lesson.

What is a code of conduct according to this course?

A code of conduct is the means by which a company puts its ethics and values into action through its employees and stakeholders.

What skills does this course help develop?

It supports skills in business ethics, ethical standards and conduct, accounting ethics, engineering ethics, ethical leadership, and organizational ethics.

What will I understand by the end of the course?

By the end of the course, you will understand how your organization's code of conduct reflects its particular values and influences employee behavior.

Professional Certifications and Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM®)

Professional Development Credits (PDCs): 0.25

Certification Program Categories:

Leadership & NavigationBusiness AcumenConsultationGlobal MindsetEthical PracticeRelationship ManagementAnalytical AptitudeCommunicationDiversity, Equity & Inclusion

KnowledgeCity is approved by SHRM as a Recertification General Provider to offer SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP professional development credits (PDCs). By taking the courses approved by SHRM, KnowledgeCity can award SHRM Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for HR knowledge and competency programs related to the SHRM Body of Applied Skills and Knowledge™ (the SHRM BASK™).