Corporate ethical culture. Enhancement

Premisses, strategic concept, project structure and definition of results

Why you cannot help but care about ethics

It has become an indispensable requirement for every company to consider ethics. It is called for by the awareness that profit targets may only be reached by making the most of human resources, working in harmony with customers and suppliers, respecting the environment, and taking cultural context into account.
How to avoid paths that lead us nowhere
And yet we may not know “where to start”. Starting by commitment to social solidarity activities (corporate social responsibility activities) before looking into “who we are” and “why we work” is like putting a flag on the roof before worrying about the foundations and the state of the building. Starting by drawing up a “charter of values” and/or “ethical code” also often turns out to be the wrong approach. Consulting firms and training schools tend to provide ready-made standard template “charters of values”, “codes of ethics” and “social accounts”. They are models based on shared values, such as accounting transparency, respect for people, customer service, etc., but generic. By using them, all the charters of values, codes of ethics and social accounts end up almost exactly the same as each other. They do not actually bring out the ethical attitude of our company or enhance it. With them, the investment in ethics does not bear fruit, and in fact has negative repercussions. Employees and associates do not recognize the image that is given of them and do not share the objectives. They do not therefore contribute personally to ensuring that the ethical attitude of our company occurs in practice. At the same time, we have missed an opportunity to enhance our difference “in the eyes of our customers, suppliers and the social environment in which we work”.

What AssoEtica proposes
AssoEtica offers all organizations a way to discover their ethical roots. Only after bringing their own “ethics” to light along with their own “system of values, identity, history, the profound meaning of the promise they make to their customers, and the foundations of the agreement reached with employees and associates”, may they think about (“and we will do it together”) how to express and communicate them clearly and keep them alive. Charters of values, codes of ethics, and corporate social responsibility activities come later. The work on oneself comes first.
AssoEtica’s corporate ethical culture enhancement: organization of the programme

1. Bring your own ethics to light
We work using “organizational ethnography” instruments: we work to discover “what the values are” with respect and without prejudice. – Meetings with the people at the top (owners and top management). – Work with the entire population of employees and associates, using instruments that are chosen case by case: on-the-job studies, participant observation, interviews, focus groups, and contact with retired staff (history, traditions, and corporate knowledge). – Work with customers using instruments that are chosen case by case. – Work with suppliers using instruments that are chosen case by case. – Work with other players involved in the production process and sales activities (external contractors, traders, etc.) using instruments that are chosen case by case. – Work with other “stakeholders”, i.e. other figures or groups involved or in some way affected by our business: local government, politicians, trade associations, etc. – Work on documentary sources: historical documents, internal procedures, communication materials, product datasheets, advertising campaigns, etc.

2. Explain and share your own ethics
Your “own ethics” must first of all be shared, and made clear to those who are part of the organization. Appropriate methods are chosen for the context that are useful to clarify and reinforce values. There is no a priori method suitable for all situations. It may be, for example, a book that recounts the history of the business, a simple handbook, a well-organized code of conduct, or an annual meeting that involves all employees, etc.

3. Unite ethics with the business
Ethics are the result of a background, history and context. Business, “whatever its background, history and context”, calls for conduct that cannot be disregarded: attaining and increasing profit, prevailing over competitors, forming alliances, etc. If you lose sight of ethics, you give up on your own roots, you lose the trust of the people involved in your business, and you come into conflict with the environment. So you lose your ability to do business effectively. You must therefore find out where ethics meet business. Our ethical identity can and must be viewed as a competitive advantage and a distinguishing factor. Work in this direction must involve the people at the top (owners and top management).

4. Monitor your own ethics
Having defined the key aspects that assure the “ethical quality” of organizational life and presence on the market and in society during stages 2 and 3, instruments may be set up to monitor “performance and behaviour”. Indicators that measure various aspects of “ethical quality” are singled out. The company may undertake to maintain or gradually improve standards. The company may also undertake to spread information about “ethical progress” among employees and externally.

5. Tell the world about your ethics
At the same time, “our ethics” may be presented to the outside world, thus becoming a crucial topic of communication and central element of corporate communication.

AssoEtica Management and Scientific Committee