Ethical Practice

Question 1

What are the three sub-competencies in the Ethical Practice competency focus on the ways HR professionals participate in creating and supporting an ethical organization?

Answer 1

Personal integrity, professional integrity, and ethical agent

Question 2

HR professionals model ethical conduct and the organization’s values in all their actions. They strive to be ethical and admit their shortcomings. They are courageous in pointing out to others—including senior management—ways in which the organizations and its members are not meeting the ethical norms and the organization’s values.

Answer 2

Personal integrity

Question 3

HR professionals demonstrate awareness of and commitment to ethics in their work. They apply their Business Acumen competency to understand ethical risks in their industries. The types of ethical challenges an organization and its HR function face will vary by organizational activity and employee jobs. As part of building their Business Acumen, HR professionals should make it a point to learn their organizations’ particular ethical vulnerabilities.

Answer 3

Professional integrity

Question 4

There are certain actions HR can take to support the organization’s ethical goals. For example, they can communicate ethical expectations to all new employees and administer those expectations consistently. They can create the means for employees to report ethical issues and maintain confidentiality. They can ensure that all HR policies and processes are ethical and compliant.

Answer 4

Ethical agent

Question 5

What are the steps of a basic framework for ethical decision making?

Answer 5

1. Recognize ethical situations as they arise
2. Establish the facts about the situation
3. Evaluate the ethical dimensions of possible actions
4. Apply relevant codes of ethics and behavior to the options
5. Consult with others
6. Make a decision, own it, and learn from one’s mistakes

Question 6

What are the various moral codes of approach that one can evaluate actions ethically?

Answer 6

1. Utilitarian approach
2. Rights approach
3. Justice approach
4. Common-good approach
5. Virtue approach

Question 7

argues for the path that provides the greatest amount of good for the greatest number.

Answer 7

Utilitarian approach

Question 8

examines whether a decision violates any basic human right, such as a right to truth, privacy, or physical well-being.

Answer 8

Rights approach

Question 9

examines the degree to which an action might be preferential or discriminatory.

Answer 9

Justice approach

Question 10

considers the impact of the decision on the entire group (or society, in more general terms).

Answer 10

Common-good approach

Question 11

asks whether an action will promote or obstruct the decision maker’s character development and the character development of those affected by the decision.

Answer 11

Virtue approach

Question 12

supports trust in relationships with stakeholders, who could be business associates, investors, governments and communities, and employees.

commits an ethical organizations to disclosing details about dealings, transactions, or processes to those who have a vested interest

provides assurance when behaviors cannot be witnessed and it cannot be verified that they comply with laws, rules, or policies.

Answer 12

Transparency

Question 13

situations in which a person or organization may benefit from undue influence due to involvement in outside activities, relationships, or investments that conflict with or have an impact on the employment relationship or its outcomes.

Answer 13

Conflicts of interest

Question 14

reflect a commitment to truthfulness and fairness, abiding by social and business norms. requires an avoidance of conflict of interests and the use of bribery.

Answer 14

Honesty

Question 15

exchange of anything of value to gain greater influence or preference. It is a challenge in all businesses, but it can be a particular challenge for global organizations.

Answer 15

Bribery

Question 16

Steps to implement a sustainable anti-corruption program will vary across multinational enterprises, but they typically include:

Answer 16

Identifying specific risk areas where payments are made (e.g., promotional expenses, travel and entertainment, facilitating payments, charitable donations, lobbying).

Instituting effective controls concerning the method and location of all payments.

Providing culturally appropriate training and communication programs.

Embedding disciplinary mechanisms within the business model to help mitigate areas of risk.

Implementing robust monitoring, detection, and auditing processes.

Periodically reassessing all corporate governance and compliance programs.

Question 17

refers to the treatment of personal information that has been disclosed to another person (e.g., one’s doctor, lawyer, or financial advisor) or organization (e.g., one’s employer or a hospital). Maintaining confidentiality is the agreement to not share or make public that information.

Answer 17

Confidentiality

Question 18

What are the protected rights of employees that ethical employers must provide?

Answer 18

Creating a safe working environment, maintaining a fair working environment, and protecting employee privacy

Question 19

can be defined as principles of conduct within an organization that guide decision making and behavior. should reflect the needs, concerns, and values of the organization that creates, adopts, and uses it.

Answer 19

Code of conduct

Question 20

can help an organization promote ethical behavior by communicating to all its members the organization’s commitment to certain values, by defining behavioral expectations for all employees, and by providing direction to all employees when they are faced with ethical decisions.

Answer 20

A written code of conduct

Question 21

What are the two parts of codes of conduct that serve to communicate values and to guide actions?

Answer 21

Values-based and rules- based

Question 22

Communication from leadership reflecting commitment to the code and its enforcement.

The organization’s mission statement and/or vision statement.

A broad statement of organizational values and principles.

A more detailed statement of the organization’s ethical obligations to all its various stakeholders.

Answer 22

Values-based code of conduct

Question 23

thical and conduct guidelines (e.g., policies regarding conflict of interest, bribery/corruption, confidentiality, privacy, harassment).

Examples of ethical and unethical behavior to help employees recognize a potential risk or conflict when it arises and questions employees can ask themselves to assess the ethical impact of their actions.

Rules of conduct required to comply with laws and regulations. This may be a function-specific document.

A description of the enforcement process, including how suspected violations should be reported, how and by whom reports will be investigated and assessed, and how employees will be penalized for violations.

Answer 23

Rules-based code of conduct

Question 24

What are the five basic steps of code creation (or revision)?

Answer 24

1. Gather information
2. Draft and review
3. Adopt the code formally and communicate it to the organization
4. Monitor enforcement
5. Evaluate and revise the code periodically