Key Ethical Responsibilities of a Business Professional
In many cases, business ethics is a choice, but many organizations require that their employees adhere to an ethical code or otherwise demonstrate professional values. Though ethical codes may vary depending on the organization or industry, some responsibilities are key for any ethical business professional.
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Get With the Program
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Business professionals must support their own company's codes of ethics. Management and other employees will notice noncompliance. A professional who does not follow the company code of ethics may be punished by management. And if the act goes unpunished, other employees may see the breach as a "green light" to also break company ethics policy. If an a business professional does breach an ethics code, either accidentally or on purpose, the Complete Guide to Ethics Management suggests that the professional admit the breach and apologize as soon as possible.
Make the Ethical Choice
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Ethical business professionals must make decisions when they find themselves in situations that have no ethical precedent. Official professional ethics codes lay out specific rules and general guidelines, but there are many situations that will not be covered in a typical professional code of ethics. When there is no preset or obvious answer, ethical professionals use an accepted decision-making process, such as the "Utilitarian Approach" or "Virtue Ethics." (see Resources)
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Act Within the Law
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Following the law may seem like an obvious ethical responsibility, but business professionals have the added duty to maintain a working knowledge of the specific laws of the industry. In many cases, professionals must also ensure that their company (as a business entity) obeys the law. Ethical professionals must keep up on changes in laws such as changes to accounting laws in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, for instance. Interstate and international professionals must ensure they are current on the laws for the particular area where they conduct business.
Consider Social Responsibility
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Ethical business professionals go above and beyond what is required both by the law and by their professional code of ethics. Duty to the community, or social responsibility, is a common professional responsibility. To ensure both business and social welfare, the U.S. Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs site suggests that business professionals faced with an ethical dilemma ask the following questions: Does this solution fulfill employees professionally? Does it satisfy customers? Does it ensure profit to stake holders? Does it serve the community?
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