Ethics Tools: Policies and Procedures

Update policies and procedures to produce behaviours preferred from the code of conduct, including personnel, job descriptions, performance appraisal forms, standard forms, checklists, budget report formats, and other relevant control instruments. In doing so, avoid creating ethical dilemmas such as conflicts-of-interest or infringing on employee's individual rights.

There are numerous examples of how organizations manage values through use of policies and procedures.

• To produce behaviour aligned with the value of social responsibility, organizations often institute policies such as recycling waste, donating to local charities, or paying employees to participate in community events.
• A high value on responsiveness to customers might be implemented by instituting policies to return phone calls or to repair defective equipment within a certain period of time.
• Consider the role of job descriptions and performance appraisals. For example, an advanced technology business will highly value technical knowledge, creativity and systems thinking. They use job descriptions and performance appraisals to encourage behaviours aligned with these values, such as rewarding advanced degrees, patents, and analysis and design skills.
• Include policies and procedures to address ethical dilemmas. (See section on “Ethical Dilemmas”.)
• Include policies and procedures to ensure training of employees about the ethics management program.
• Include policies and procedures to reward ethical behaviour and impose consequences for unethical behaviour.
• Include a grievance policy for employees to use to resolve disagreements with supervisors and staff.
• Consider establishing an ethics "hotline". This function could be provided by an outside consultant or an anonymous "tip" box in which personnel can report suspected unethical activities.
• Once a year, review all personnel policies and procedures. Consider including representatives of as many stakeholders as possible in this review.