to the local food pantry to support the community, etc.
Regulatory ethics. These are designed to maintain certain standards of performance based on the industry.
One example is a commitment to maintaining data privacy at all times, as it pertains to customer records. This
element defines how employees are to handle sensitive data and what will happen if someone doesn’t follow
the rules.
Professional behaviors. One should never assume that just because someone puts on a business suit and
goes to work that he or she will behave professionally. Problems such as bullying, harassment, and abuse can
happen in the workplace. Establishing behavioral standards for professionalism should include what is
acceptable in the office, while traveling, during meetings, and after hours, when colleagues meet with clients
and one another.
A good code of conduct is a working document that can be updated and shared as needed. Many companies
include this document as part of their employee manual, while others use a secure intranet for displaying this
information. No matter where it is housed, employees need to be educated on the code of conduct and refer
to it often, starting on the first day on the job.
What to Do When Something Goes Wrong
It should be noted that along with a code of conduct, there needs to be a clear “whistleblower” policy in which
violators are identified and action is taken. This process should be handled with complete confidentiality and
sensitivity to the company and all parties involved. Retaliation should never be tolerated when it comes to
ethics violations. The company should have a step-by-step plan of action for dealing with ethics problems at all
levels, up to and including the executive leadership of the company. A third-party investigative firm can be
used to handle such matters to remove the burden and influence that internal resources may have.
3.2
Social Responsibility
Over the last few decades, there has been a movement throughout the global business community to improve
the world through smarter use of resources and giving back to communities. This movement is called
corporate social responsibility. The concept is catching on at companies that range in size from small startups
to large Fortune 500 corporations. In the following section, you will learn what social responsibility is and how
it is a win-win for businesses and consumers.
Chapter 3 Business Ethics and Social Responsibility
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