Code of Ethics for Employee and Client Consideration
Policy brief & purpose
Our professional code of ethics policy aims to give our employees guidelines on our business ethics and stance on various controversial matters. We trust you to use your better judgment, but we want to provide you with a concrete guide you can fall back on if you’re unsure about how you should act (e.g. in cases of conflict of interest). We will also use this policy to outline the consequences of violating our business code of ethics.
Scope
This policy applies to everyone we employ or have business relations with.
Note that our code of ethics is slightly different than our code of conduct. Code of conduct may include elements such as dress code and social media use, whilst our code of professional ethics refers to legally or morally charged issues. Still, these two codes do overlap.
Policy elements
What is meant by code of professional ethics?
First, let us define professional ethics: they are a set of principles that guide the behavior of people in a business context. They are essential to maintaining the legality of business and a healthy workplace.
So, what is a code of ethics? Our code of ethics definition refers to the standards that apply to a specific setting – in this case, APEX Personnel Limited.
What is the purpose of a professional code of ethics?
Having our business ethics in writing does not mean that we don’t trust our employees. We strive to hire ethical people who have their own personal standards, so we expect that a written code will not be necessary most of the time.
But it can still be helpful. You may find yourself in a situation where you are not sure how you should act. Life is full of grey areas where right and wrong are not so apparent. Some professional ethics also correspond to laws that you absolutely must know to do your job properly.
Additionally, every company makes bad hires occasionally. We also cannot predict how people are going to behave. When an employee behaves, or intents to behave, in a way that is against our professional ethics, or applicable laws, we will have clear guidelines on what disciplinary actions we will consider.
The components of our code of professional ethics:
We base our business code of ethics on common principles of ethics:
Respect for others
It is mandatory to respect everyone you interact with. Be kind, polite and understanding. You must respect others’ personal space, opinions, and privacy.
What constitutes harassment or victimization? Generally, try to put yourself in someone else’s place. How would you feel if someone behaved a specific way to you? If the answer is “I wouldn’t like it much” or “I would never let them behave like that to me”, then we do not tolerate this behavior no matter the person it comes from.
If someone, be it a client or colleague is offensive, demeaning or threatening toward you or someone you know, report them immediately to your line manager. You can also report rudeness and dismissiveness if they become excessive or frequent.
Integrity and honesty
First, always keep in mind our company’s mission. We all work together to achieve specific outcomes. Your behavior should contribute to our goals, whether financial or organisational.
Be honest and transparent when you act in ways that impact other people.
Conflict of interest
Conflict of interest may occur whenever your interest in a particular subject leads you to actions, activities or relationships that undermine the company. This includes situations like using your position’s authority for your own personal gain or exploiting company resources to support a personal money-making business. Even when you seemingly act to the company’s advantage, you may actually disadvantage it. For example, if an employee uses dubious methods to get competitor intel and raise their sales record, their action will have a positive impact on the company’s revenue, but it will put us at a legal risk and promote unhealthy business practices.
Justice
Don’t act in a way that exploits others, their hard work or their mistakes. Give everyone equal opportunity and speak up when someone else does not.
Be objective when making decisions that can impact other people. Be sure that you can justify any decision with written records or examples. Seek and use the most objective methods in any case; for example, when interviewing candidates, ask the same interview questions to all of them and avoid judging non-job-related criteria, like dress, appearance, etc.
Also, don’t discriminate against people with protected characteristics, If you suspect you may have an unconscious bias that influences your decisions ask for help from your Line Manager.
When exercising authority, be fair. Do not show favoritism toward specific employee.
If you need to discipline an employee, be sure to have prepared a case that you can present to HR. You must not retaliate against employees or applicants (such as in cases when they’ve filed complaints) as this is forbidden by law.
Be just toward clients or suppliers, too. If you think our company was in the wrong in a specific instance, do not try to cover it up or accuse the other side. Discuss with your Line manager to find solutions that can benefit both sides.
Lawfulness
You are obliged to follow all laws which apply to our organisation. Depending on your role and profession, there might be various laws you need to observe.
When you’re preparing contracts, writing adverts or online copy that may be governed by law please ask verification before finalising anything.
You’re also covered by our confidentiality and data protection policy. You must not expose, disclose or endanger information of clients, employees or our business. Always follow our cybersecurity policy, too.
Following laws regarding fraud, bribery, corruption, and any kind of assault is a given. You are also obliged to follow laws on Modern Slavery and avoid doing business with unlawful organisations.
If you’re not sure what the law is in a specific instance, don’t hesitate to ask your Line Manager.
Also, take responsibility for your actions. We all make mistakes or need to make tough decisions and it is important we own up to them.
Teamwork
Working well with others is a virtue, rather than an obligation. You will certainly get to work autonomously and be focused on your own projects and responsibilities, but you should also be ready to collaborate with and help others. Be generous with your expertise and knowledge, be open to learning and evolving. Work with others and do not hesitate to ask for help when you need it.
Our professional code of ethics policy aims to give our employees guidelines on our business ethics and stance on various controversial matters. We trust you to use your better judgment, but we want to provide you with a concrete guide you can fall back on if you’re unsure about how you should act (e.g. in cases of conflict of interest). We will also use this policy to outline the consequences of violating our business code of ethics.
Scope
This policy applies to everyone we employ or have business relations with.
Note that our code of ethics is slightly different than our code of conduct. Code of conduct may include elements such as dress code and social media use, whilst our code of professional ethics refers to legally or morally charged issues. Still, these two codes do overlap.
Policy elements
What is meant by code of professional ethics?
First, let us define professional ethics: they are a set of principles that guide the behavior of people in a business context. They are essential to maintaining the legality of business and a healthy workplace.
So, what is a code of ethics? Our code of ethics definition refers to the standards that apply to a specific setting – in this case, APEX Personnel Limited.
What is the purpose of a professional code of ethics?
Having our business ethics in writing does not mean that we don’t trust our employees. We strive to hire ethical people who have their own personal standards, so we expect that a written code will not be necessary most of the time.
But it can still be helpful. You may find yourself in a situation where you are not sure how you should act. Life is full of grey areas where right and wrong are not so apparent. Some professional ethics also correspond to laws that you absolutely must know to do your job properly.
Additionally, every company makes bad hires occasionally. We also cannot predict how people are going to behave. When an employee behaves, or intents to behave, in a way that is against our professional ethics, or applicable laws, we will have clear guidelines on what disciplinary actions we will consider.
The components of our code of professional ethics:
We base our business code of ethics on common principles of ethics:
- Respect for others. Treat people as you want to be treated.
- Integrity and honesty. Tell the truth and avoid any wrongdoing to the best of your ability.
- Justice. Make sure you are objective and fair and don’t disadvantage others.
- Lawfulness. Know and follow the law – always.
- Competence and accountability. Work hard and be responsible for your work.
- Teamwork. Collaborate and ask for help.
Respect for others
It is mandatory to respect everyone you interact with. Be kind, polite and understanding. You must respect others’ personal space, opinions, and privacy.
What constitutes harassment or victimization? Generally, try to put yourself in someone else’s place. How would you feel if someone behaved a specific way to you? If the answer is “I wouldn’t like it much” or “I would never let them behave like that to me”, then we do not tolerate this behavior no matter the person it comes from.
If someone, be it a client or colleague is offensive, demeaning or threatening toward you or someone you know, report them immediately to your line manager. You can also report rudeness and dismissiveness if they become excessive or frequent.
Integrity and honesty
First, always keep in mind our company’s mission. We all work together to achieve specific outcomes. Your behavior should contribute to our goals, whether financial or organisational.
Be honest and transparent when you act in ways that impact other people.
Conflict of interest
Conflict of interest may occur whenever your interest in a particular subject leads you to actions, activities or relationships that undermine the company. This includes situations like using your position’s authority for your own personal gain or exploiting company resources to support a personal money-making business. Even when you seemingly act to the company’s advantage, you may actually disadvantage it. For example, if an employee uses dubious methods to get competitor intel and raise their sales record, their action will have a positive impact on the company’s revenue, but it will put us at a legal risk and promote unhealthy business practices.
Justice
Don’t act in a way that exploits others, their hard work or their mistakes. Give everyone equal opportunity and speak up when someone else does not.
Be objective when making decisions that can impact other people. Be sure that you can justify any decision with written records or examples. Seek and use the most objective methods in any case; for example, when interviewing candidates, ask the same interview questions to all of them and avoid judging non-job-related criteria, like dress, appearance, etc.
Also, don’t discriminate against people with protected characteristics, If you suspect you may have an unconscious bias that influences your decisions ask for help from your Line Manager.
When exercising authority, be fair. Do not show favoritism toward specific employee.
If you need to discipline an employee, be sure to have prepared a case that you can present to HR. You must not retaliate against employees or applicants (such as in cases when they’ve filed complaints) as this is forbidden by law.
Be just toward clients or suppliers, too. If you think our company was in the wrong in a specific instance, do not try to cover it up or accuse the other side. Discuss with your Line manager to find solutions that can benefit both sides.
Lawfulness
You are obliged to follow all laws which apply to our organisation. Depending on your role and profession, there might be various laws you need to observe.
When you’re preparing contracts, writing adverts or online copy that may be governed by law please ask verification before finalising anything.
You’re also covered by our confidentiality and data protection policy. You must not expose, disclose or endanger information of clients, employees or our business. Always follow our cybersecurity policy, too.
Following laws regarding fraud, bribery, corruption, and any kind of assault is a given. You are also obliged to follow laws on Modern Slavery and avoid doing business with unlawful organisations.
If you’re not sure what the law is in a specific instance, don’t hesitate to ask your Line Manager.
Competence and accountability
We all need to put a healthy amount of effort in our work. Not just because we are all responsible for the company’s success, but also because it affects our colleagues. Incomplete or slow working might hinder other people’s work or cause them to shoulder the burden themselves. This comes in direct conflict with our respect and integrity principles.
We also expect you to take up opportunities for learning and development, either on-the-job or via educational material or training. If you are unsure how you can achieve this, have an open discussion with your Line Manager.
Also, take responsibility for your actions. We all make mistakes or need to make tough decisions and it is important we own up to them.
Teamwork
Working well with others is a virtue, rather than an obligation. You will certainly get to work autonomously and be focused on your own projects and responsibilities, but you should also be ready to collaborate with and help others. Be generous with your expertise and knowledge, be open to learning and evolving. Work with others and do not hesitate to ask for help when you need it.