March 12, 2012

Task 5b: Professional Ethic (Part 2)

Yesterday I have read again through the two professional sources which steer the ethical framework in my place of work:
Code of Conduct
Company Policy on Values and Responsibility 
The Code of Conduct and the supplementary guidelines are binding and obligatory for all employees and executives. Therefore I have already read and work into consideration of these guidelines. The two sources above includes:


1. Basis
Explains why the compliance of the code of conduct are important.


2. Values and scope
To whom the guidelines may concern.


3. General principles
States which basic principle must be kept.


4. Confidentiality
Defines how to handle sensitive data.


5. Anti-discrimination
Notes that discrimination isn't allowed.


6. Conflicts of interest
Defines how to deal with conflicts.


6.1 Avoiding conflicts of personal and business interests
States how to avoid a personal or business conflict of interest.


6.2 Offering and accepting benefits/gifts
Defines how to deal with benefits and gifts in profession. 


6.3 Corruption
States how to avoid any kind of corruption.


7. Money laundering
Defines the regulations with money in our business.


8. Adherence to the law on competition and fairness in competition and marketing
States how to deal with competitors.


9. Customer orientation and business partners
Defines the behavior to costumers and furthermore that also the business partners should 
observe the code of conduct


10. Transparency of services
Explains the dealing with test results and report data.


11. Integrity of information/communication
Defines the guidelines of external communication.


12. Exclusions and non-associaton
Defines that a association to companies which don't adheres certain principles, ethical values or standards has to be avoid.


13. Environmental protection
States that the company pays high attention to the environmental protection and society.


14. Charity and sponsorship
Defines and refer to sponsorship guidelines.


15. Employee protection
Defines and refer to other sources which deals with the health and safety in the workplace.


16. Working environment
States the handling with Alcoholism or drugs.


17. Implementation, complaint procedures and misconduct reports
States the handling with this code of conduct.


18. Closing remarks


Now, I am aware of the fact that the points which I mentioned under task 5a doesn't include much of this code of conduct  although I have already known all mentioned rules and principles. I have thought about the reason for this and came to the conclusion that my professional principles do cover nearly all of my private ethical principles too. That may the reason why I haven't mentioned much which are included in the code of conduct. In my private life I am trying to safe resources, don't discriminate anybody or brake any laws or regulations. 


Although I have already known the code of conduct it was very useful that I had to read it now very carefully and with increased attention. That gave me the chance to fresh-up my knowledge and getting deeper in the matter.


One comment which I posted on Lizzy Wrights Blog about this issue was:
My Comment:
In my company we have very clear rules and guidelines for our ethical behaviour. Sometimes this is helpful because everybody knows these rules and trying to follow them. But of course it isn't this easy to behave and think all the time in this guidelines.
Lissy answered:
I think having a very clear set of guidelines regarding ethical behaviour is really good. I have just been reading and commenting on Emily Brenchley's Task 5b post - she raises the point that in a lot of contracts 'ethics' and 'ethical behaviour' either doesn't get much of a mention or is a very grey area. I suppose any ethical code would still be interpreted differently by different people according to your own values. But having clear boundaries must help to prevent possible issues.
What do you think?
http://www.tuv.com/media/corporate/aboutus_5/pdf_1/codeofconduct-EN.pdfhttp://www.tuv.com/media/corporate/aboutus_5/pdf_1/codeofconduct-EN.pdf

3 comments:

  1. Thanks for this examination of ethics, both personal and work. I ti is good to see discussion with links - sometimes it is easier to know our own ethical standards than those of our colleagues. How do these compare to the inquiry ethics - the ideas of informed consent? An insider-researcher who knows the ethics of a sector or organisation should be able to be more ethical in finding out about things? Getting permission of the Gatekeeper who may be careful with their staff takes great care - access is their's to give or deny. However an ethical practitioner should be able to give evidence that they will take the care needed to gather data from real people in the workplace. In your plan - also tell us how you will provide your participants with ethical practice they will understand.

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  2. Katharina,
    It's great to see a 'code of conduct', this is the ethical piece of my contract which I am missing. Now I understand the relevance of it, as before I noticed that ethics in my contract were quite scarce.
    I like how you have also mentioned personal ethics, as they are also representative of a large number of people, most of the time, if you have morals or views, there will be others who agree. So, for the inquiry it's necessary to think about this, and the try and predict how people will fee/react when taking part.

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  3. Thank you for your comments.
    Yes of course Paula, I think that a insider-researcher should know the guidelines of the sector or organization and should also be able to act in these mated frame. Comparing the guidelines of my working place and the ethical inquiry rules I have realized that there are many similarities. So, I have to follow both but it seems to me that their complement each other. At first I will get the permission of my chief an later on if he want it I will ask for the permission of the Chief Compliance too. I will get the permission of the partitioner with the consent Form/Interview agreement forms. Would that be enough?

    Alicia
    Thank you for you comment. Yes, I can understand that you are missing this, but I think that isn't very uncommon. How many Companies do have such documents? I don't know, but I suppose that many little or medium sized Companies don't have such a paper. Yes, you are right, others have to agree in our inquiry to our own ethical standards. So, we have to think about that.

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