VII.C.4
Summary of Ethics Standards and Guidelines
Use the following as standards or guidelines for conducting interviews and your ethical analysis.

10 Universal Ethical Principles

Functional Area Ethics, Standards, and Codes of Conduct
Accounting, marketing, financial, information technology, and other areas.
Example: AICPA, SEC, FASB etc.

Corporate Culture
Ideas, customs, traditions, practices, company values, and shared meanings
Ethical Climate – part of culture that sets the ethical tone, unspoken
understanding of what is and is not acceptable behavior

Ethical Safeguards
Ethics codes, committees, officers, ombudspersons, hotlines, training programs, audits.

United States Laws: U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

International Standards: Global Sullivan Principles (page 119 in text)

Methods of Ethical Reasoning: Utilitarianism, Rights, Justice, Golden Rule

Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Reasoning Development

Leadership Qualities
Ethical, charismatic leader – exhibits strong moral character and is capable of
influencing others. Personal spirituality

Ethics Awards Criteria
Example: A Business Ethics Magazine Awards criteria includes: be a leader in the
field, showing the way ethically, and have faced an ethically challenging situation
and overcame it with integrity.

Reasons Why Ethics Problems Occur:
Personal Gain and Selfish Interest
Competitive Pressure on Profits
Personal Values vs. Company Goals
Cross-Cultural Contradictions

Reasons to be Ethical:
Stakeholder/Public Expectations
Prevent Harm
It Pays; Greater Loyalty and Higher Productivity
Protect Businesses from Unethical Employees/Competitors
Protect Employees from Unethical Employers
The Samaritan Institute
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