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Last eZine, we looked at the importance of
creating a code of ethics in the right way and the importance
to organisations of having a code. In this eZine, we look
more specifically at just what a code of ethics looks like and
re-visit the steps to put one in place.
Firstly, Longstaff (1994, pp. 241-242) makes a
clear distinction between codes of ethics and codes of
behaviour:
- A code of ethics expresses fundamental
principles that provide guidance in cases where no specific
rule is in place or where matters are genuinely unclear. A
well-drafted code of conduct will be consistent with the
primary code of ethics, however, it will provide more
specific guidance.
As an example, a code of ethics might include statements such
as (Longstaff 1994, p. 241):
- Our actions should be based on a
recognition of the essential dignity of each and every
person.
- We should have concern for the well-being
of the community and the environment.
- We should provide a challenging and safe
work-place in which people can flourish.
On the other hand, codes of conduct usually have discrete
headings and specific instructions (Longstaff 1994, p. 242):
Gifts & Benefits - Employees
must:
- not demand or accept any unauthorised
gifts, rewards or benefits because of the employee's
status.
- disclose to their manager any gift,
reward or benefit offered or suggested to them in
connection with their duties.
Conflicts of Interest - Employees
must:
- ensure that there is no actual or
apparent conflict conflict between their personal
interests and the performance of their duties.
- identify, and fully disclose in writing
to their manager, possible conflicts of personal or
financial interests.
Even the language used in the two types of code is different.
Codes of ethics are expressed in terms of "ought" or
"should", whereas codes of behaviour use
"must".
A properly drafted codes of ethics expresses the values and
principles the organisation wishes to "display to the
world" through the behaviour of its stakeholders. It is a
core statement of its identity. It provides general guidance in
cases where a code of conduct is silent, ambiguous or unclear.
As we saw eZine
#7 , a code of ethics is a more significant document than a
code of behaviour.
Below are the steps to put a code of ethics, as a
"living document", in place in your organisation:
-
Undertake a Values Audit
Use the AVI
to take an inventory of your organisation's values. A Group
AVI Report is produced from the AVI questionnaires completed
by a selected random sample of stakeholders. This report is
used to guide the answering of the questions: What do
people in your organisation...
-
think to be most its important values?
-
believe to be the ideal level of presence
of each of these values?
-
believe to be the actual level of presence
of each of these values?
This step identifies any "values
gap" that exists in your organisation. It also provides a
base-line against which progress, to close the gap, can me
measured.
-
Involve Everyone
Everyone, directly or indirectly, should be
involved in suggesting the means to close the gap. One way
your organisation can go about identifying strategies to close
the gap is to use a future
search conference. Involving people in this way helps
build the level of trust and loyalty necessary for any
cultural development or change that may be identified as
necessary. By choosing to encourage your people to participate
in defining your organisation's ethos it sends a message to
them that they are regarded as being more than a mere means
for securing your organisation's ends - they are co-creators
of the organisation.
-
Aim for a Short Development Cycle
All the good work of Steps 1 and 2 will be
wasted unless reports and follow-up action take place in a
timely manner. Such tardiness can lead to a serious erosion of
morale. People become cynical and easily develop the
perception that the entire exercise was nothing more than a
"gesture" by management. From a practical
point of view, the faster the turn-around, the greater the
likelihood that positive reinforcement ensues.
-
Build in a Process of Review
Use the AVI,
at regular intervals, on a selected random sample of your
organisation's stakeholders to gauge if a values shift is
occurring. If at any time, a significant values shift is
found, then start again at Step 1.
As part of this regular review process, ask
people their perception of how their organisation is living in
accordance with its values.
Encourage people to look at their own values
and reflect on how their life can be made more meaningful
through living their personal values in such a way that they
are "in tune" with the organisation's values - see eZine
#6, it is through this process that people are able to
maintain themselves at Position 4:
The four step process described above, should be
viewed as an investment. In today's competitive global
market place, organisations can no longer afford to
sacrifice the additional effectiveness that flows from
values-based processes for the sake of achieving false
efficiencies. As Michelle
Collins highlights (The Sunday Mail Jan 21, 2001, p. 92)
in an article titled, Ethics of profit: honour before greed, values-based
organisations consistently prove to be more successful than
other organisations. Michelle cites Cochlear Limited,
maker of the bionic ear, as a typical example of an ethical
success story:
[Cochlear Limited] is your
classic case of a growth company that has made good and used
state-of-the-art technology to improve the lives of deaf
people...Last year, Cochlear's shares went from a low of $8.50
to a high of $21.10.
Cochlear Limited, under the guidance of Heather
Lesley-Swan, have, for some years, undergone an extensive
values programme using the AVI
as its foundation.
References
Colins, C. & Chippendale, P. 1995,
New
Wisdom II: Values-Based Development, Acorn Publications,
Brisbane.
Longstaff, S. 1994, 'Why codes fail: And some
thoughts on how to make them work' in Ethics for the Public Sector, ed. N. Preston, Federation Press, Sydney.
Scott, T. & Harker, P. 1999, Humanity
at Work
, Phil Harker & Associates, Queensland |