Codes of ethics
About codes of ethics and conduct
A Code of Ethics expresses fundamental principles that provide guidance in cases where no specific rule is in place or where matters are genuinely unclear. In comparison to a Code of Conduct, a Code of Ethics will tend to:
- be more general
- contain fewer principles
- be expressed in terms of 'ought' or should (and not 'must')
- be directed to all persons affected (and not just to 'employees')
- provide general guidance in those cases where a Code of Conduct is silent, ambiguous or unclear
Bearing this in mind, a Code of Ethics might include provisions such as:
- that our actions should be based on a recognition of the essential dignity of each and every person
- that we should have an active concern for the wellbeing of the community and the environment
- that we should provide a challenging and safe workplace in which people can flourish
... and so on.
A well drafted Code of Conduct will be consistent with the primary Code of Ethics, however, it will provide much more specific guidance.
Why codes fail - and how to make them work
Dr Simon Longstaff, Executive Director of St James Ethics Centre, has written an article examining why codes of ethics and conduct so often fail, along with thoughts about how to develop and maintain codes that work.
Read Why codes fail and Some thoughts about how to make codes of ethics work.
'Off the shelf' codes of ethics
St James Ethics Centre does not provide 'off the shelf' or 'ready-made' codes of ethics. This is because we believe that such codes rarely - if ever - help organisations and their people to function within their stated ethical frameworks.
You will learn more about the Ethics Centre's views about why codes fail and how to make them work in the aforementioned articles.
Need a code? We can help!
Developing functional codes of ethics and conduct is a complex task. St James Ethics Centre has the expertise and experience to assist organisations in developing codes which reflect their own principles and values.
To further explore how the St James Ethics Centre may be able to work with you or your organisation in the development of a code, please contact our Ethics Consulting team by telephone on +61 (0)2 9299 9566 or using our contact us page.
Learn more about our Ethics Training and Consulting services, including developing ethical frameworks, such as codes of ethics.
Read more about codes of ethics
Visit our Ethics Articles section where you can read more about developing and using codes of ethics.