Sep 22, 2009
Why Ethics Codes Aren’t Necessary
From the American Association of Professional Geneologists to the Advanced Medical Technology Association, countless organizations provide a Code of Ethics to serve as guidelines for their members. Like many nonprofits and trade associations, PRSA depends on its voluntary membership for compliance. In fact, September is PRSA’s annual Ethics Month. For-profit businesses of all sizes often provide training on their “rules” and accountability measures for not following them. If I were a betting woman, I’d say the number of organizations that have added some type of a Code of Ethics has significantly increased in recent years.
Norman Rockwell's "The Golden Rule" beautifully illustrates the point in this painting.
With all these guidelines, you’d think that questions like the following would be easy:
1) A home improvement show recommends the seller spray paint the dead grass in his front yard to make it look like real grass for that weekend’s Open House. Is that full disclosure to potential buyers?
2) Some medical companies provide financial compensation to doctors who prescribe the manufacturers’ products/devices. Is that in the best interest of the patient?
3) Companies outsource lower-rate hourly services and then mark up those rates to the client. Is that ethical?
The answer is simple. Just follow one rule – the Golden Rule. Just treat people like you want to be treated. Theoretically, if everyone applied the Golden Rule, then appropriate behaviors would follow suit. Of course this doesn’t apply to the person who is of such low moral character that no amount of guidelines can help them. Maybe I’m being naive, but I think Codes of Ethics wouldn’t be necessary if the Golden Rule were the standard.
While I support PRSA’s annual Ethics Month, my hope is that people practice the Golden Rule all year long.
I’ve been involved in corporate committees that have met ad nauseum on things like ethics, personnel policies, etc. Just do the right thing already. I’m sure the shareholders would expect and appreciate that.
Great blog. I agree that painting lawns green is kinda cheating in residential real estate, but it is common practice on the commercial side at places like Disney World and golf courses. OTOH sometimes these paint jobs look really obvious so if the amateur homeowners do a lousy job, they run the risk of losing points with potential buyers who will only become suspicious that the rest of the property is riddled with defaults the sellers have attempted to cosmetically hide.
Good point, especially about spray painting commercial properties. But for some reason, that doesn’t bother me nearly as much as on a piece of personal property – probably because I know how much time, money and energy it takes to have a relatively green lawn. Thanks for posting!
As far as ethics in the work place we used to think only “shady” companies and “crooks” took advantage of people by misrepresentation. Unfortunately organizations and professionals often stretch the truth. Some service providers take payment when it is a conflict to their profession. Why is this? Our society puts so much pressure on individuals to become “successful”. Society defines this by how much money one makes, where they live, what they have. The temptation is just too great to cut the corners of integrity
I test a level of cynicism, but with today’s headlines re: bailouts, Ponzi schemes, etc., cynicism is understandable. Again, maybe I’m naive, but if people would just treat others like they want to be treated, then integrity is a natural byproduct.