Eva hating values: implementing an effective corporate ethics policy.

• Author: White, Samantha

When asked about their values, the vast majority of eompanies can provide a document they would describe as a code of ethics or conduct. However, research suggests a possible disconnect between a company's stated intentions and the degree to which it truly values ethical behavior.

Here are five steps that companies can take to ensure that their corporate ethics policy is effective and becomes embedded in the company culture. Also included are practical examples of the various ways organizations have accomplished this task.

1. Code of Ethics

   The essential elements of a code include assurances of support lor the policies from organizational leadership; practical guidance on what's expected regarding ethical issues; commitments concerning stakeholder relationships; example Q&As; scenarios or decision trees; details of how the code will be implemented and monitored; and the consequences of misconduct. Signposts to further support, advice and other relevant policies should also be included.

2. Communication and Awareness Campaigns

   This is a continuous process as communication of a company's ethics policy never ends.

   To engage employees and raise awareness of ethical decision-making, Cisco Systems created "Ethics Idol." a cartoon parody of the reality show "American Idol." In each episode, animated contestants sang about a particular ethical dilemma or situation, which was then commented on by a panel of Idolesque judges.

   After watching the show on the company's intranet, viewers were asked to vote on which of the judges had given the appropriate response to the situation. At the end of each section, the organization's ethics officer revealed the correct answer based on official compliance standards.

3. Training and Reinforcement

   Most organizations offer online, anti-bribery training. On its own. this is not enough; companies shouldn't be comforted by a tiek-the-box mentality. There is no substitute for face-to-face, qualitative training with wider discussion and debate of understanding and practical applications.

   A discussion of scenarios can help employees explore ethical issues in training sessions. For example. Strykcr, a medical device producer, reviewed events that had taken place within its industry and built a set of fictionalized scenarios based on them. To provide context, the company created a hypothetical organization, mission and organization chart. Employees were presented with a scenario based on this background and were asked to go...