Code of Ethics

Every profession has an ethical code by which its members are expected to abide. A code of ethics spells out the principles that govern the behaviour of its members in matters of honesty, morality, fairness, and respect for the rights and property of others. Having a written code of ethics can be beneficial to both your organization and the public at large because it sets forth clear standards of conduct and creates an environment where professionalism flourishes.

What is the Code of Ethics?

The code of ethics is a set of rules, not enforced by law but by social pressure, that defines how an individual should behave in the workplace. Generally, it includes norms such as treating others with respect and avoiding taking unfair advantage of them. There are different variations to this code depending on what industry you work in and what company you work for.

Importance of Code of Ethics:

A Code of ethics is vital to a business because they ensure that every employee and person involved in the company is accountable for their actions. They govern what is morally and ethically right or wrong, which means employees should always feel confident that they’re making moral decisions as part of the company’s management team or as an individual contributor. If the code isn’t up-to-date, it can lead to wrongful conduct. 
The code also needs to be clear enough so that anyone who encounters it understands exactly what is expected of them. Companies should discuss these rules with any potential new hires before they accept the job offer. It may seem like this will take more time, but it will save time down the road if there are no misunderstandings on either side.

What are Examples of a Code of Ethics?

A code of ethics is a collection of ethical principles which regulate a particular class of human activity. To provide an example, it might be as simple as not harming medicine or more complex, such as getting your customer’s consent before delivering the content they never requested or providing information they don’t want to receive.

Advantages of Codes of Ethics:

1. Codes of Ethics encourage ethical behaviour by establishing an explicit set of behaviours that employees should strive to uphold at all times. 
2. Codes of Ethics give people working within the organization something to look up to and they serve as a way for employees to hold themselves accountable, thereby preserving their integrity and the company’s reputation. 
3. A code of ethics can be a form of protection from lawsuits in the event an employee is accused of behaving unethically.
4. Codes of Ethics provide a sense of clarity for those who are unsure about what is considered unethical or moral in specific situations. They also make it easier for everyone to know how they’re expected to behave on the job, regardless of whether or not they’re given explicit instructions on how to act in any given situation.
5. Codes of Ethics help create clear boundaries between what is acceptable and unacceptable when interacting with others while on the job, which helps reduce confusion and negative feelings among co-workers.
6. Additionally, codes of ethics foster unity among colleagues because they emphasize the importance of shared values. 

Limitations of Code of Ethics:

1. Codes of Ethics only work if all members of an organization adhere to them, which is not always the case. People do not often follow their Code of Ethics; they may even feel that some parts are wrong and shouldn’t be followed ‍‍‍- Some people do not adhere to codes of ethics because they do not understand the reasoning behind why certain things should be a part of the code. People may also misunderstand certain passages in the code, leading them to unintentionally violate it. 
2. Codes of Ethics cannot stop unethical behaviour before it starts, nor can they correct every instance where someone violates the code. Codes of Ethics cannot punish those who fail to abide by them or enforce compliance with its principles 
3. It is difficult for one person or group to create a universal set of standards for every industry since each industry has different needs and standards 
4. Although most codes are designed to promote ethical behaviour, they will never achieve this goal 100% of the time. The existence of human error, misconduct, and unethical actions (intentional or unintentional) make it impossible for any code to work perfectly

What is the Code of Ethics in the Organization?

A Code of ethics is a set of rules governing appropriate and inappropriate behaviour for employees and employers to follow in their relationships with each other and with their customers, clients, suppliers, representatives, competitors, and others in their business environment.
An organization’s code of ethics will address both what members can do to violate the company’s code as well as what members can do to avoid doing so.

How Code of Ethics can be Improved?

Although it is good to have a code of ethics in place, it may be hard to create and enforce one that will satisfy all people involved. These types of codes often leave some people feeling threatened and excluded which can then lead to a feeling that they are not being heard, leading them to cause trouble or misbehaviour. Codes also risk being exploited by those who know how they work and purposely do things knowing that they will get away with it.

Conclusion:

In general, a company’s code of ethics provides principles for dealing with ethical issues that arise in doing business, but some larger companies have their codes which include specific rules on how to handle conflict resolution and whistleblowing.