Ethics

2017 is shaping up to be the year of populism in the U.S. This has direct implications for compliance, HR and diversity professionals. If diversity is a key driver of business competitiveness, how do you create a culture of ethics, respect and inclusion amidst this rising tide of populism?

How do business leaders create a sustainable, ethical business culture? An important first step is helping the organisation stay focused on ethical concerns. Then, they must bolster this focus with practical actions, such as making sure there are shared values, having a credible code of ethics and ensuring continuous ethical improvements.

Companies with a strong culture of ethics have a real competitive edge in the marketplace. Often these organizations outperform the competition in productivity while also enjoying a lower rate of employee misconduct. Culture may be difficult to measure, but CCOs should focus on continually improving the corporate culture – it’s the company’s most important control.

They say drastic times call for drastic measures. But organizations are expected to operate with integrity even in the lean years. In the past few years, there have been several high-profile instances of financial reporting manipulation, including Wells Fargo, Toshiba, and GSK. When does “managerial discretion” cross the line into misrepresentation?

While it’s vital to have leadership on board in order to have a strong culture of ethics and compliance, an organization must also have the right mechanisms in place so that the team can do their jobs well. Captain Sullenberger was able to land Flight 1549 safely because he had the advantage of a prepared and well-trained staff AND appropriate...

The importance of planning is no more apparent than in times of crises. In 2009, Captain “Sully” Sullenberger landed Flight 1549 on the Hudson River after both of the plane’s engines failed. A few weeks later, in a formal address to the House, he lauded the virtue of preparedness – both for the risks that can be anticipated and the...

If you know a colleague is taking questionable shortcuts in an attempt to deliver strong performance, and you say nothing, does that make you an accomplice?

In this Ethisphere podcast, Christine Castellano – Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer at Ingredion Incorporated and a speaker at Ethisphere's 9th Annual Global Ethics Summit – shares her thoughts about moving beyond the hotline to create a strong ethics and compliance program.

Does your organization have a “speak up” culture? Is it widely understood that there won’t be retaliation against someone who does? Corporate culture is defined from the top down, and this is especially true when it comes to ethics. To encourage ethical behavior, leaders must be sure they’re setting the right tone at the top. The indictments earlier this month...

There are a number of reasons an employee might resort to bribery – some are out of the company’s control, but some aren’t. If your organization has had an issue with corruption, the problem could be corporate culture. Then again, ignorance can’t be ruled out as a cause. Of course, neither case is excusable, as both are preventable.

It can be instructive to pore over past corporate scandals and infamous ethical lapses, but the more productive course of action is building and maintaining a strong culture of ethics and compliance. A chief compliance officer’s role here is critical, but this is a feat he can’t accomplish alone. Senior leaders and middle manager have to be on board, too.

The compliance function is more visible – and more valuable – now than ever before. Companies that invest in compliance and ethics – that embed those values deep into the heart of the organization – reap the rewards. The return on ethics is so significant that Navex Global is making it the theme of its upcoming Ethics & Compliance Virtual...