adminand values of the whole society or community.
Anthropologists and sociologists agree that it is a social construct, and biblically, all the great ethical instructions of the scriptures were given to communities, not individuals.
So when we speak of business ethics we measure it against the organisation, the community, the nation and the universe.
An ethical organisation is one that is passionate about doing the right thing and avoiding doing wrong.
It is wrong for an organisation to make unethical decisions that expose its stakeholders particularly workers and customers to needless risk.
Ethical decision-making is a key aspect in understanding the application of ethics in the workplace and it becomes more relevant when dealing with ethical dilemmas.
Developing ethical decision-making skills prepares employees to anticipate ethical problems, recognise ethical dilemmas, and resolve ethical issues.
The following are simple questions every individual and/or organisation should ask and answer in determining whether their decisions are ethical or not.
Is the decision legal?
This means checking the legality of your decision that is whether there is a potentially serious issue of illegality in it.
Is there a violation of the laws of the land, or company rules and regulations including the code of conduct, or professional ethics?
These are straightforward compliance issues. If something is happening that seems to violate laws and company rules, or professional standards, a red flag should pop up to alert the powers that be of the misdemeanour.
Generally speaking, laws are the social means we agree to abide by on how we should behave, and our acceptance of employment at a company means explicitly agreeing to observe its rules and regulations, policies and procedures including the code of conduct and/or ethics. Membership in a profession also entails agreement with its code of ethics.
Does the decision violate other people’s values?
Ethics is made complex by the fact that people have diverse cultural backgrounds that inform what they view as ethical.
The most commonly expressed sentiment in this regard is, “don’t impose your moral values on others”.
Hence the key principle in this regard is to be accommodative. This entails acknowledging our diversity as human beings and showing respect for that diversity.
What may be viewed as ethical in the Western world may be taken as unethical in Africa or other parts of the world.
For some people the Bible decides what is right and wrong, and for others it’s the Koran, still for some it’s the traditions that have been passed from generation to generation, and for some its mere common sense that informs ethical conduct.
However, much as there is this diversity in ethics and values, there are obviously ethical values that transcend our diverse backgrounds and inform what we ought to do as human beings.
These values are part of the common cultural heritage of all nations that are articulated by international institutions such as the UN Human Rights Charter.
They include democracy, good governance, honesty, integrity, transparency, accountability, truthfulness, etc.
Diversity should never be a reason to disregard ethics in our conduct as there is always a way of finding common ground in that diversity.
Obviously we will not always agree on some of these values but we will definitely help each other by honestly sharing our concerns and coalescing to form sound ethical processes that drive our organisations and communities forward.
An ethical company therefore does well by respecting the consciences and the deeply held values of its stakeholders who include workers and customers.
Would you like it done to you?
This test question moves from inner conviction to outwardly expressed behaviour.
Would you like the bad thing done to yourself? This goes along very well with the Christian adage that, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”.
The value of respecting the wishes of the person next to you is made clear here.
Ethical people and ethical organisations should treat others as they would like themselves to be treated.
Would you like the decision published?
The next test question is: “Would you mind having your decision splashed on the front page of a daily paper?”
The book of genesis illustrates the gist of this test in the famous story of Adam and Eve fleeing and hiding from God after they had sinned in the garden of Eden.
An ethical organisation should be transparent in its dealings and should be able to defend itself in public.
This test is premised on the universal dictum that the society has an entrained moral compass, and that our shame and fear before the judgment of our societies will help us avoid unethical choices.
Secrecy and deceitfulness are the hallmarks of unethical acts, and transparency and accountability are at the centre of defining ethical behaviour.
Will the decision not harm someone?
The final test isL “Could someone be seriously and irresponsibly harmed by the decision?”
The individual or organisation should carefully consider whether the action would harm or not harm others before committing the act.
An ethically sound company will act responsibly to prevent serious harm to any of its stakeholders, and ethical employees do not disparage their employers and colleagues to outsiders.
- Bradwell Mhonderwa is the Managing Consultant of Business Ethics Centre, a Corporate Governance and Business Ethics Management firm. For feedback, phone 04-293 2948, 0772 913 875, or email [email protected]
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