Business ethics  top^

20 Questions to Ask About Your Code of Conduct

Looks at questions that confront those who are responsible for codes of conduct today and at the questions that today’s compliance and ethics professionals are considering in reviewing their codes to meet current standards.
Joe Murphy & Win Swenson, Ethikos and Corporate Conduct Quarterly (2003), linked 09/10
http://www.singerpubs.com/ethikos/html/20questions.html

Applied Ethics Resources on the WWW

A range of resources on business and professional ethics, as well as ethical decision making.
Ethicsweb, linked 09/10
http://www.ethicsweb.ca/resources/

Complete Guide to Ethics Management: An Ethics Toolkit for Managers

A 20-page guide that is a straightforward and highly practical tool designed to help leaders and managers implement comprehensive ethics management systems in their workplaces that deal with the complex issues that can occur in the day-to-day realities of leading and managing an organization.
Carter McNamara, Free Management Library, linked 09/10
http://www.managementhelp.org/ethics/ethxgde.htm

Creating a Code of Ethics for Your Organization

Discusses why a business should have a code of ethics and provides some general guidance and considerations on writing a code of ethics, as well as samples and other resources.
Chris MacDonald, Ethicsweb, linked 09/10
http://www.ethicsweb.ca/codes/

Ethical Corporation

A media business whose aim is to encourage debate and discussion on responsible business through publishing, conferences, and independent research and advisory work.
Website, linked 09/10
http://www.ethicalcorp.com/

Ethics Games and Puzzles

Designed around ethics and values, these resources include Values Word-Search Puzzle, US Presidential Quotes Matching Quiz, Ethics and Values Crossword.
Ethics Resource Center, linked 09/10
http://www.ethics.org/resource/ethics-games-and-puzzles

Ethics Glossary

A glossary providing brief, easy to understand definitions of words associated with ethics, including the distinction between a code of ethics and a code of conduct. Adapted from the Ethics Resource Center of Washington, DC.
University of California website, linked 09/10
http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/compaudit/glossary.html

Ethics Resource Center Toolkit: Practical Guides to Ethics

This collection of useful ethics tools has been assembled by the Ethics Resource Center, and you may reproduce them for your own personal, internal use as long as attribution is given to the ERC as their creator.
Ethics Resource Center website, linked 09/10
http://www.ethics.org/page/ethics-toolkit

Golden Rule

Includes numerous links to information and resources on this Ethic of Reciprocity, which is often described as a universal ethical principle.
Scarboro Missions website, linked 09/10
http://www.scarboromissions.ca/Golden_rule/index.php

Guide to Business Ethics in the Workplace

Action steps for fostering a high level of ethics in business through a focus on the owner's values and sense of corporate social responsibility.
Business.com website, Frances Sharpe, linked 09/10
http://www.business.com/guides/business-ethics-61

Guide to Business Ethics Training

Action steps for providing business ethics classes for staff.
Business.com website, Gwen Helene Kleist, linked 09/10
http://www.business.com/guides/business-ethics-training-2069/

Guide to Codes of Ethics

A guide to creating a code of ethics, with suggested action steps.
Business.com website, Lea Terry, linked 09/10
http://www.business.com/guides/codes-of-ethics-9238/

Melding Quaker Ethics and Business

Examines the coupling of Quaker tradition, known for its commitment to peace and social justice, with the hard-headed pursuit of business success.
Rich Barlow, The Boston Globe (3/18/06), linked 09/10
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/03/18/melding_quaker_ethics_and_business/

Quiz: What's Your Ethical Style?

A nine-question quiz that is scored to indicate your relative weighting on two ethical styles - the ethic of justice or right, and the ethic of care or responsibility.
Center for Ethics and Business website, linked 09/10
http://www.lmu.edu/Page23849.aspx

Resolving an Ethical Dilemma

Presents a clear three-step process, and then links to a more complex discussion.
Center for Ethics and Business, linked 09/10
http://www.lmu.edu/Page27945.aspx

Resources for Writing a Code of Ethics

Lists numerous online resources as well as printed material related to codes of ethics and codes of conduct.
Illinois Institute of Technology website, linked 09/10
http://ethics.iit.edu/index1.php/Programs/Codes%20of%20Ethics

Saint James Ethics Centre

A fully independent, not-for-profit organisation that provides a non-judgemental forum for the promotion and exploration of ethics. The Ethics Centre's mission is to encourage and assist individuals and organizations to include the ethical dimension in their daily lives and thereby help to create a better world.
Website, linked 09/10
http://www.ethics.org.au/

Seven Steps For Changing The Ethical Culture Of An Organization

A brief and clear overview of 7 action steps for changing the ethical culture of an organization.
ERC website, Frank Navran, linked 09/10
http://www.ethics.org/resource/seven-steps-changing-ethical-culture-organization

Spirituality and Ethics in Business

Examines the current interest in spirituality at work, with persons at all levels in the corporate hierarchy increasingly wanting to nourish their spirit and creativity.
Corinne McLaughlin, Center for Visionary Leadership, linked 09/10
http://www.visionarylead.org/articles/spbus.htm

Ten Writing Tips for Creating an Effective Code of Conduct

An article explaining how to use an organization's values as the foundation upon which the code of conduct will grow.
Ethics Resource Centre website, Jerry Brown, linked 09/10
http://www.ethics.org/resource/ten-writing-tips-creating-effective-code-conducts

Top 10 Principles for Positive Business Ethics (New)

An article providing principles related to ethics as being about the quality of our lives, the quality of our service, and ultimately, about the bottom line.
Ezine Articles website, Philip E. Humbert, linked 09/10
http://ezinearticles.com/?Top-10-Principles-for-Positive-Business-Ethics&id=8015

Understanding Ethics

A brief overview of ethics.
St. James Ethics Centre website, linked 09/10
http://www.ethics.org.au/content/understanding-ethics

Updating your Corporate Code of Conduct (New)

A two-part article that explores the whys and hows of updating your organization’s Code, including questions to consider and reommended steps.
Corporate Compliance Insights website, Joan Elise Dubinsky & Rosentreter Group 2008, linked 09/10
http://www.corporatecomplianceinsights.com/2009/corporate-code-of-conduct-guidelines-policy-tips-writing-updating

What to Do After Your Code of Conduct is Written

Focuses on the communication, training, and initiatives needed to keep a code of ethics alive once it has been developed.
ERC website, linked 09/10
http://www.ethics.org/resource/what-do-after-your-code-conduct-written

Writing a Company's Code of Ethics

An article explaining how to organize a code around a company's core values.
Perspectives, A Periodical of IIT, W. Michael Hoffman, linked 09/10
http://ethics.iit.edu/perspective/pers19_1fall99_5.html

Corporate social responsibility  top^

Business Respect

Provides commentary, news, and resources on how business can successfully meet expectations to benefit both business and society from a pro-business perspective on corporate social responsibility.
Website, linked 09/10
http://www.businessrespect.net

Corporate Social Responsibility Overview

A brief overview of the meaning and implementation of CSR from Industry Canada.
Industry Canada Website, linked 09/10
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/csr-rse.nsf/eng/home

Corporate Social Responsibility: An Implementation Guide for Business

From the International Institute for Sustainable Development, this lengthy (115 pages) guide covers many topics on CSR.
IISD, P. Hohnen and J. Potts, linked 09/10
http://www.iisd.org/pdf/2007/csr_guide.pdf

CSR: Responsible Business is Good Business

A 3-part primer on corporate social responsibility from Industry Canada containing information on how to assess the effects of business activities on others, develop and implement a corporate social responsibility strategy and commitments, and measure, evaluate, and report on performance and engage with stakeholders.
Website, linked 09/10
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/csr-rse.nsf/eng/rs00128.html

Fluff is Not Enough: Managing Responsibility for Corporate Citizenship

The article looks at why a company’s practices must be aligned with the company’s stated values and day-to-day operating practices to be a truly responsible corporation, rather than simply being 'feel good' public relations activities.
Ethical Corp website, linked 09/10
http://www.ethicalcorp.com/content.asp?ContentID=47

GoodCorporation Self-assessment Questionnaire

This questionnaire contains 20 questions taken from the GoodCorporation Standard, a for-profit business focused on responsible business management, which allows you to rapidly obtain a view about your organization compared to GoodCorporation's self-assessment benchmark.
GoodCorporation website, linked 09/10
http://www.surveymethods.com/Preview.aspx?859B8F82D1CBD2C0C48F898289C2D3D786C4&DO_NOT_COPY_THIS_LINK

Guide to Building a Socially Conscious Company

Action steps for developing a small values-driven business that emphasizes improving the quality of life of their customers, their employees, their communities, and the environment, thereby often improving their own bottom line.
Business.com website, Frances Sharpe, linked 09/10
http://www.business.com/guides/building-a-socially-conscious-company-442/

Responsibility Paradox

Describes the corporate social responsibility paradox as stakeholders are holding corporations more responsible for their actions, while corporations understand their responsibilities to stakeholders even less.
Davis, Whitman, & Zald, Stanford Social Innovation Review, linked 09/10
http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/the_responsibility_paradox/

Mission and values  top^

2012: Socially Responsible Business

Discusses the choice between holding onto old, self-centered patterns of thinking or opening ourselves to new values and more peaceful and sustainable ways of living.
Corinne McLaughlin, Center for Visionary Leadership, linked 09/10
http://visionarylead.org/articles/2012.htm

Importance of Values Alignment

Discusses the importance of values alignment in an organizational culture for building a high performance organization.
Richard Barrett, Values Centre, linked 09/10
http://www.valuescentre.com/docs/ValuesAlignment.pdf

Index of Codes on Corporate Governance

Provides a listing of corporate governance codes around the world, with links to the documents.
ECGI website, linked 09/10
http://www.ecgi.org/codes/all_codes.php

Liberating the Corporate Soul

An article positing that values-driven organizations are the most successful organizations because values stand at the very core of human decision-making. When we work in an organization whose culture aligns with our personal values, we are able to bring our full selves to work.
Values Centre website, Richard Barrett, 2009, linked 09/10
http://www.valuescentre.com/docs/chapterfromtheworkplaceandspirituality.pdf

Meaning and Values Slipping into First Seat

An article focused on employees' desire for compensation that includes control of their time and life-work balance.
From the Herman Trend Alert (January 26, 2006), linked 09/10
http://www.workplacespirituality.info/Meaning%20and%20Values%20First.html

Sample Values-Driven Mission and Values Statement

An example of mission and values created using the Four Why’s Process described in "Liberating the Corporate Soul."
Richard Barrett, Values Centre website, linked 09/10
http://valuescenter.com/mission.htm

Ten Top Tips for Leaders

An overview of the ten most common areas discussed and developed during leadership coaching and mentoring sessions with senior executives.
Positive Path Network website, Sarah Cornally, linked 09/10
http://www.positivepath.net/ideasSC4.asp

Values-Based Leadership: Why It Is Important for the Future of Your Organization

Describes values-based leadership and why it is important, and identifies the values that values-based leaders display.
Richard Barrett, Values Centre, linked 09/10
http://www.valuescentre.com/docs/ValuesBasedLeadership.pdf

Whole System Approach to Cultural Transformation

A summary of the nine stages in preparing and implementing a whole system change process in an organization.
Richard Barrett, Values Centre website, linked 09/10
http://www.valuescentre.com/docs/WholeSystemApproach.pdf

Organizational structure  top^

Checklist for Accountability

Excellent tools to help charitable organizations foster practices that create an environment of transparency, accountability and integrity, and reassure their stakeholders of a commitment to upholding the public trust.
Independent Sector, linked 09/10
http://www.independentsector.org/issues/accountability/Checklist/index.html

Conscious Organization: Workplace for the Self-Actualized

Specific ideas to implement the values of a conscious workplace.
John Renesch, Business Spirit Journal (August 1999), linked 09/10
http://www.renesch.com/conso.html

Employee Wellness: Spirituality in the Workplace

An online library of articles on the links between wellness and spirituality.
Website, linked 09/10
http://www.managementhelp.org/emp_well/spirit.htm

Non-Profit Good Practice Guide: Preferred Practices and Pitfalls

A thought-provoking list of best practices and pitfalls in organizational management.
Grand Valley State University, Johnson Center, linked 09/10
http://www.npgoodpractice.org/PracticesPitfalls/Default.aspx?topicareaid=6

Responsible Workplace: How to Survive and Thrive

An article that explores how continued investment in responsible workplace practices is integral to surviving the recession and being fit for greater success when the recession ends.
BITC website, linked 09/10
http://www.bitc.org.uk/resources/publications/responsibleworkplace.html

Social enterprises  top^

Ashoka

A foundation that invests in social entrepreneurs, providing them as Ashoka Fellows with a living stipend for an average of three years to allow them to focus full-time on building their institutions and spreading their ideas.
Website, linked 09/10
http://www.ashoka.org/international

Canadian Social Entrepreneurs Network

Established in 2002 a vehicle for discussion on issues related to social entrepreneurship including community economic development, social enterprise, social venture, and social purpose business.
Website, linked 09/10
http://www.csef.ca/organizations.php

Social Enterprise World Forum

The Forum was the first international gathering of practitioners and support agencies dealing exclusively with social enterprise and brought together social enterprise leaders and champions from all continents to collaborate, share best practice and plan future developments. This collaboration raised awareness of social enterprise as an expanding global mechanism for social change and explored the merit of ongoing collaboration for key stakeholders. The Forum was held Sept 2-5, 2008 in Edinburgh, Scotland. The conference report, presentation material, photography and recordings will be available shortly on the website.
Website, linked 09/10
http://www.ceis.org.uk/index.php?render&p=42

Spiritual-based leadership  top^

Art of Spiritual Leadership in Business

A 4-hour, 4-CD audio-based learning program focused on practical methods for developing the four key faculties of spiritual-based leaders, which are summarized on 28 handy pocket-sized reference cards.
Global Dharma Center, linked 09/10
http://www.globaldharma.org/aslb.htm

Can Big Business Save the World?

Theme page on how people are transforming big business in order to transform the world. Free sign-up to read articles on Corporate Social Responsibility and Organizational Change; Authentic Business Leadership and Sustainable Development; Social Visionaries and the Future of Business; Whole Systems Change.
WIE website, linked 09/10
http://www.enlightennext.org/magazine/business/

Conscious Leadership: New Thinking for a Better Future

A short article on the role of spirituality in leadership, pointing out that leaders for a better future possess a unique combination of strengths—a powerful vision for what is needed to become a sustainable species as well as the spiritual chutzpah to act on their vision.
John Renesch, New Renaissance, 12 (2), Nov. 2006, linked 09/10
http://www.ru.org/political-science/conscious-leadership-new-thinking-for-a-better-future.html

Leading from a Spiritual Basis

An overview of four distinct contexts of leadership that have emerged in business, each representing a fundamental change in how we view the nature of business leadership.
Global Dharma Center, linked 09/10
http://www.globaldharma.org/sbl-home.htm

Leading with Spirit: Today’s Spiritual CEO’s

An article with specific suggestions about how to balance the "business" of leadership with the "spirituality" of leadership and move beyond minimum ethical standards.
Ted Collins for Workplace Spirituality, linked 09/10
http://www.workplacespirituality.info/LeadingWithSpirit.html

New Leadership Agenda (New)

An article exploring the proposition that business is a wholly owned subsidiary of society and the planet and must start seeking to be the best for the world.
Values Centre, Richard Barrett, 2009, linked 09/10
http://www.valuescentre.com/docs/thenewleadershipagenda.pdf

Practicing Servant-Leadership

An article based on the author's book, "Practicing Servant-Leadership: Succeeding Through Trust, Bravery, and Forgiveness."
Leader to Leader Journal, Fall 2004, © Larry C. Spears, linked 09/10
http://www.leadertoleader.org/knowledgecenter/journal.aspx?ArticleID=51

Put Your Spirituality to Work: Spiritual-Based Leaders

A downloadable booklet with a collection of 30 articles in each book, aimed at starting conversations about spirituality at work with a focus on how to lead from a spiritual basis, inspired by findings from international research with business executives.
Global Dharma Center, linked 09/10
http://www.globaldharma.org/sbw-home.htm

Responsible Leadership: Base Your Leadership on Spiritual Roots

Explores the importance of spiritually-based leadership.
William C. Miller, Executive Excellence ( May 2001), linked 09/10
http://www.workplacespirituality.info/ResponsibleLeadershipSpRoots.html

Seven Levels of Leadership Consciousness

The article outlines 7 levels of leadership consciousness, suggesting that the art of being an effective leader is more than learning how to empower others and produce results; rather, it is about understanding self.
TheMarketingSite website, Richard Barrett, linked 09/10
http://www.themarketingsite.com/live/content.php?Item_ID=237

Spiritual Leaders

A brief article describing emotionally mature leaders as those who have examined their life's journey and think in terms of "the better good".
Financial Post, Mary Pearson, April 19, 2006, linked 09/10
http://www.spiritualityandtheworkplace.ca/downloads/media_inner_self.pdf

Spiritual Leadership Theory

Describes a causal model of spiritual leadership based on faith in a clear, compelling vision.
International Institute for Spiritual Leadership, linked 09/10
http://www.iispiritualleadership.com/spiritual/theory.php

Spiritual-Based Leadership Research Programme

Findings from an ongoing international research programme launched in 2002 in order to contribute to the emerging field of, and the consciousness about, spiritual-based leadership in work organizations worldwide.
Global Dharma Center, linked 09/10
http://www.globaldharma.org/sbl-research.htm

Spirituality: The Emerging Context for Business Leadership

A 33-page article on the four distinct contexts of business leadership that have emerged around the globe - rationalist, humanistic, wholistic, and spiritual-based - and how each measures success by its own view of the purpose of business and leadership.
Global Dharma Center website, William C. Miller & Debra R. Miller, linked 09/10
http://www.globaldharma.org/Files%20-%20Adobe%20Acrobat/SBL/Spirituality.%20Emerging%20Context%20for%20Bus.%20Ldrship%20UPDATED%20Oct08.pdf

Visionary Leadership

A brief article on the profound interconnectedness between the leader and the whole, emphasizing that true visionary leaders serve the good of the whole and find a higher synthesis of the best of both sides of an issue and address the systemic root causes of problems to create real breakthroughs.
Centre for Visionary Leadership website, © 2001 Corinne McLaughlin, linked 09/10
http://www.visionarylead.org/articles/vislead.htm

Want to Introduce Spiritual Leadership? Follow the “Four Es” System

A brief article on the benefits that spiritual leadership can offer an organization and how to introduce it using the Example, Education, Environment, and Evaluation.
BC Human Resources Management Association website, Lulia Mihai, linked 09/10
http://www.hrvoice.org/story.aspx?&storyid=2025&issueid=690

What Is Servant Leadership?

Provides a description of the leadership role as one primarily of service.
Greenleaf website, linked 09/10
http://www.greenleaf.org/whatissl/index.html