There is a pervading crisis of confidence and trust in the global corporate culture. Trust has been ruptured between many organizations and their constituencies. Yet trust is at the basis of every relationship. The loss of trust leads to the loss of reputation and, ultimately, to the loss of business. Furthermore, ethical lapses can have substantial financial consequences for corporations with very costly litigation and government fines.
Recent corporate scandals and new legislation such as Sarbanes-Oxley and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines as well as government regulations and public scrutiny have made it imperative for corporations and not-for-profit institutions to develop and implement ethics programs. These programs can dramatically reduce fines imposed on companies found in wrongdoing. The Federal Sentencing Guidelines state that judges can reduce or multiply fines depending on whether or not a company has an effective ethics program.
Ruder Finn, the independent global public relations agency, has been, since its early years, deeply concerned with and committed to ethics in the workplace. Ethics has always been an integral part of its corporate structure. Since its early beginnings, the firm has had an Ethics Committee to address ethical issues facing the company by analyzing them carefully and examining the consequence of different courses of action. The firm has developed an internal ethics program that has allowed Ruder Finn's management to make critical decisions in resolving ethical issues.
Ruder Finn now offers ethics consulting to its existing and prospective clients. The new service can help them develop effective programs specific to their industry, company and culture.
Clear communication is key in developing ethics programs. Effective communications can convey to stakeholders, such as employees, the community and the government, the company's values and commitment to ethical behavior.
An effective ethics program can help foster an ethical culture throughout the organization. The development of an ethics culture within a company can not only prevent wrongdoing from taking place, but can also increase morale, loyalty and productivity.
Recent corporate scandals and new legislation such as Sarbanes-Oxley and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines as well as government regulations and public scrutiny have made it imperative for corporations and not-for-profit institutions to develop and implement ethics programs. These programs can dramatically reduce fines imposed on companies found in wrongdoing. The Federal Sentencing Guidelines state that judges can reduce or multiply fines depending on whether or not a company has an effective ethics program.
Ruder Finn, the independent global public relations agency, has been, since its early years, deeply concerned with and committed to ethics in the workplace. Ethics has always been an integral part of its corporate structure. Since its early beginnings, the firm has had an Ethics Committee to address ethical issues facing the company by analyzing them carefully and examining the consequence of different courses of action. The firm has developed an internal ethics program that has allowed Ruder Finn's management to make critical decisions in resolving ethical issues.
Ruder Finn now offers ethics consulting to its existing and prospective clients. The new service can help them develop effective programs specific to their industry, company and culture.
Clear communication is key in developing ethics programs. Effective communications can convey to stakeholders, such as employees, the community and the government, the company's values and commitment to ethical behavior.
An effective ethics program can help foster an ethical culture throughout the organization. The development of an ethics culture within a company can not only prevent wrongdoing from taking place, but can also increase morale, loyalty and productivity.
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