THE CODE OF ETHICS

CODE OF ETHICS...

                                         

                                           

DEFINITION OF ETHICS;

• 'the discipline of dealing with what is good and bad, with moral duty and obligation'.
• 'a set of moral principles or values'.
• 'the principle of conduct governing an individual or group'.

                                               (  Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary  )

💚 THE CODE OF ETHICS is a set of guiding principles which direct the professionals or organizations in making decisions and conducting their activities or operations based on values such as honesty, integrity, fairness, and respect for others.a code of ethics provides guidelines on undertaking actions by persons or groups so that whatever actions are done by them will be ethical, responsible, and socially acceptable.

KEY ELEMENTS OF A CODE OF ETHICS:

1.core values and principles; a stated set of values of the organization or the profession, including honesty, accountability, fairness, etc.

EXAMPLES:- 

i)medical core principles: 

• autonomy; recpect the patients's right to make their own decision.
• justice; treat all patients fairly and equitably.

ii)education core values;

• empathy;  understand and care for the emotional and educational needs of students.
• commitment; dedicate yourself to the learning and development of every student.
• integrity; uphold ethical practices in teaching and administration.

2.rules and guidelines; thou shalt and thou shalt not lists that describe what is considered acceptable behavior regarding different situations.

EXAMPLES:-

i)workplace rules:

• attendance; employees must report to work on time and notify supervisors if they are unable to attend.
• dress code; follow the company's dress code policy(ex;business casual)
• no harassment; harassment of any kind will not be tolerated.

ii)school rules:

• no bullying; students must treat each other with respect, and bullying is strictly prohibited.
• homework submission; assignments must be submitted by the teacher.
• no mobile phones; mobile phones must be turned off during class hours.

3.confidentiality: directive to safeguard sensitive information regarding the clients, customers, or business affairs.

EXAMPLES:-

i)healthcare confidentiality:

• a doctor must not share a patient's medical records or diagnosis with anyone without the patient's consent, except in cases where disclosure is required by law.

ii)business confidentiality:

• employees must not disclose proprietary company information, such as trade secrets or upcoming product launches, to competitor or the public.

4.conflicts of interest; mention different scenarios that may involve a conflict between personal interests and professional responsibilities.

EXAMPLES:-

i)corporate conflict of interest:

• an employee working in procurement hires a family member's company to provide services to their employer, without disclosing the relationship.

ii)legal conflict of interest

• a lawyer represents two clients in a legal dispute against each other, which could compromise their ability to represent both fairly.

5.accountability; the procedures for reporting instances of offense;punishment in case of unethical conduct.

EXAMPLES:-

i)government accountability:

• a politician acknowledges poor decision-making in handling public funds and takes steps to rectify the misuse, including implementing stricter oversight.

ii)educational accountability:

• a teacher takes responsibility for a class's poor performance on an exam and adjusts their teaching methods to improve student learning outcomes.

6.respect and fairness; employs emphasis on the provision of equal treatment, non-discrimination, and respect towards colleagues and customers.

EXAMPLES:-

i)workplace fairness:

• a manager evaluates all employees based on their performance and skills when considering promotion, ensuring no one is favored based on personal relationships.

ii)school respect:

• a students treats classmates with kindness, regardless of their background or opinions, fostering an inclusive and supportive learning environment.

SIGNIFICANCE OF A CODE OF CONDUCT:

1.builds trust; fosters credibility and trust between the organization and its stakeholders.

2.guards the organization; it avoids a number of risks, including legal liabilities, through the proper adherence to law and regulation.

3.promotes professionalism; sets an examples of professionalism. it instills a culture of integrity.

4.serves as a guide for decision-making; all employees and members will have a clear guideline when facing ethical dilemmas.

💛 the codes of ethics may concern different areas of business, health care, law, journalism, and many others, the peculiarities being included in each particular area.