A code of ethics It is a set of values and ethical standards by which an organization is guided that, well designed and implemented, constitutes an asset that positively impacts the organization's brand and reputation.
Internal benefits
Within the internal benefits that an organization can achieve by designing and implementing an ethical code we can find:
- Prevents and minimizes risk situations for the company.
- Projects an image of transparency and commitment towards third parties.
- Protect economic interests, focusing on the prevention of fraud and other behaviors that could constitute a crime.
- Increases the motivation of the human team, promoting collective values.
In addition to the above benefits, It also increases the confidence of potential investors, improves the company's corporate image and attracts talent to the organization.
How to prepare the ethical code?
The content of this code must demonstrate the ethics of the company in the development of its activity, both in relation to normative compliance, the commitment to sustainable growth or the relationship with clients and suppliers among many others.
To develop a code of ethics one of the first steps It is the decision of its creation by senior management, since it is up to this senior management to promote the initiative and encourage other areas to participate in its development, forming a team or ethics committee to draft it.
The code of ethics must be simple and clear understandable for any interested person and should be easily accessible. Once you have a preliminary draft of the code, it should be reviewed by senior management and, additionally, by legal advisors of the company, responsible for clarifying some legal concepts.
At the moment There are no specific rules for the preparation of the ethical code, so each organization will carry it out based on its needs and those of its interest groups.
Communicate and spread
Once the code of ethics has been prepared, must be communicated to the rest of the members of the organization for your reading and subsequent accession. In the same way must be disseminated externally to other interest groups, either through the publication of the ethical code on the website or by sending a communication with the document and making a presentation of it.
In this point, It is advisable to include a contact information (phone, email...) so that interested people can send their questions or concerns regarding the document.
The ethical code must be reviewed annually, either through surveys or discussion groups, to prevent it from becoming obsolete.
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