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 BUSINESS ETHICS GUIDELINES AND RESOURCES

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Knowing what's ethical helps you and your employees make appropriate decisions. Too many ethics discussions are theoretical. Here are six very practical steps for ethical decision making.

It seems every day there are new stories about businesses and organizations being accused of or investigated for ethical violations. These events around the world have heightened everyone's awareness of ethical business practices.

Investigations of many high-profile companies accused of unethical conduct show that most had elaborate ethics policies or guidelines. It was the people at the companies, however, who did not pay attention to the policies.

A key point to remember about business ethics is that in spite of the codes of ethics, ethics programs and special departments, corporations do not make ethical decisions. Individuals make the ethical choices. A business should provide the environment or atmosphere for acting ethically, but it is the people of the business that put ethics into practice.

To help you determine if your actions are ethical, compare them to these six basic guidelines for ethical business operations.

• Laws
• Rules & Procedures
• Values
• Conscience
• Promises
• Heroes

RULES & PROCEDURES - Companies create specific policies and procedures to help the business function appropriately. Typically, these rules have developed as ways to keep the company successful and avoid problems. How does your planned action compare to what is stated in the company's policies and procedures?

VALUES - These social principles help to create society's laws and a company's policies and procedures. In turn, laws and policies reinforce the values. One example of values in operation is to ask yourself: "Does the action I'm considering follow not only the letter of the law, but also the 'spirit' of the law?" Is your action in agreement with the overall purpose of a law or rule? Or are you attempting to find a loophole?

CONSCIENCE - This internal sense of right and wrong develops from an early age. Your conscience recognizes certain principles that lead to feelings of guilt if you violate the principles. Will your actions make you feel guilty? Can you truly justify your actions?

PROMISES - Business is based upon trust. It is the belief that what is stated will be delivered. Will your action live up to the commitment that you made to the other person (customer, client, supplier, employee, employer) in the business relationship? Will your action build more trust?

HEROES - Every person has at least one individual who is a role model in some way. A hero may be a parent, teacher, coach, mentor or friend. Is your action what your hero would do in the same situation? How would your hero act?

Using these six guidelines will help you take action that is ethical.

For more ethics articles visit the George S May Blog for weekly updates.

This information is compiled and provided by George S. May International Company.
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