Ethics And Corporate Social Responsibility
Ethics and corporate social responsibility should be expressly stated or written to employees when they are new to the corporation, otherwise the business is jeopardizing their stability.
Many people view ethics and corporate social responsibility as two separate entities. In some manners they are separate, but both boil down to the very same principles. Ethics corporate social responsibility is the aim of most corporations and many spend thousands of dollars on training to implement an “ethics” officer to monitor allegations. This is an excellent idea because if employees have someone to go to, ask questions and report possible violations they are much more likely to report. On the other hand if the policy or ethics guideline is lacking, the business suffers because employees are not clear as to what to do.
Businesses striving for ethics and corporate social responsibility will often times hire a firm or individual well versed in ethics training. Most of these individuals have a license in their respective field and have researched corporate ethics for years. Not only have they investigated, but many have participated in the actual research of corporate ethics. The investigations span from financial theft, inhumane treatment of customers/clients and potential harm to society as a whole. It is no secret that a corporation, small business or individual can jeopardize society with irresponsibility or other unethical practices.
Corporations also have an obligation to their shareholders and other investors. There have been many cases and claims in the recent past where employees were falsifying records or other illegal acts to intentionally defraud the share holders. This may have been for financial gain or simply for their own good, but at the end of the day it is still a breech to the ethics corporate social responsibility of the company. One of the best ways for business leaders and board of directors to ensure that ethics are upheld in the business is to have a clear cut policy on ethics. For most companies and corporations the ethics guidelines are printed, bound and new employees must receive training. This also gives the employee the information of how to report, what to report and the consequences of failing to practice good ethical behavior. How can a company expect employees to follow their ethics policies when it is not documented, stated or expressed to them? It is impossible and that is the reason that a written policy is imperative to the stability of the company. Implementing these guidelines can sometimes be a bigger job than most had intended. It is a good idea to hire a lawyer or other firm that handles the policy writing for corporations. Seeking legal and/or other professional advice can ensure that the policy is valid and would stand up to legal action in court, should it ever be challenged. What good is corporate social responsibility if one can not enforce it?
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