If you see something, say something. It couldn’t be more important, and it seems easy enough. But what if you’re not sure it’s as bad as you think? And if everyone else thinks things are great? And if you don’t want to be a spoilsport? Or a bother? Or a snitch? What if you’re the only one who can’t sleep at night, and the rest of your team is enjoying their sweet dreams? Find out in this month’s Talking the Walk.
The murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, closely following the murders of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, was one of a series of tragedies and high-profile cases that prompted global racial justice protests and led to intense public dialogue about racism, discrimination and the abuse of power (RDAP) in all aspects of society, including within workplaces. Recognizing that Ethics and Compliance (E&C) functions and practitioners may have unique opportunities to address RDAP within their organizations, the Ethics and Compliance Initiative (ECI) convened a working group to explore relevant research, best practices and opportunities.
Employees observing favoritism are sure to be less confident in reporting misconduct, as they can feel that there may be potential retaliation should they report a “favorite” employee for misconduct. Learn more by downloading ECI's latest EthicsStat.
When it comes to the potential for employees to engage in non-compliant behavior in the workplace, the risk is great. Through the longitudinal Global Business Ethics Survey® (GBES®), the Ethics & Compliance Initiative (ECI) regularly tracks the extent to which employees are in situations that result in non-compliance. We also identify the business practices that reduce the likelihood of future wrongdoing. Now more than ever, employees are being exposed to situations that result in wrongdoing. More employees are observing actual acts of non-compliance than in the 29 years of ECI’s GBES research. There is a known and proven solution … so what’s the bottom line? Unless organizations take action by implementing high-quality ethics & compliance programs, they are 467% more likely to experience non-compliance in their operations.
Since 1994, the Ethics & Compliance Initiative (ECI) has conducted the most reliable longitudinal, cross-sectional study of workplace conduct from the employee’s perspective. Referenced from boardrooms to classrooms, this rigorous study has been a benchmark for many ethics & compliance (E&C) professionals. Over the years, leading academics, survey researchers, experts on culture and business ethics have worked on ensuring validity regarding the survey questions, methodology and results. Now in its 17th iteration, ECI’s Global Business Ethics Survey® (GBES®) data provide the global benchmark on the state of ethics & compliance in business across the globe.
Conducted in 42 countries around the globe, the GBES surveys thousands of employees about their experiences and perceptions around ethics in the workplace. ECI members use this vast but easy-to-sort dataset to understand the current global state of Ethics & Compliance, identify potential issues at their own companies, and generate benchmarks that reveal how well their companies are doing in achieving their ethics goals.
Over the last 100 years, ECI has helped build and shape the ethics and compliance field. ECI was instrumental in developing the first codes of conduct and ethics offices for critical US government agencies and leading corporations. It led the way in making the case that integrity outcomes are just as important as financial outcomes and that they are essential to the long-term viability of our capital markets. More than just establishing a function, ECI recognized E&C as a profession with a knowledge base of its own, it then worked with key figures in government and business to define the role and the domain of the chief ethics and compliance officer and to articulate and measure program effectiveness. ECI always has been at the forefront, offering new insights and defining best practice.
This overview of significant events in the recent history of ethics and compliance is offered in support of preparation for the LPEC certification exam and is not intended to be all inclusive.