A code of conduct is a set of rules outlining the norms, rules, and responsibilities or proper practices of an individual party or an organization.

Companies' codes of conduct

A company code of conduct is a set of rules which is commonly written for employees of a company, which protects the business and informs the employees of the company's expectations. It is appropriate for even the smallest of companies to create a document containing important information on expectations for employees. The document does not need to be complex or have elaborate policies. Failure of an employee to follow a company's code of conduct can have negative consequences. In '' Morgan Stanley v. Skowron'', 989 F. Supp. 2d 356 (S.D.N.Y. 2013), applying New York's

faithless servant The faithless servant Legal doctrine, doctrine pursuant to which employees who act unfaithfully towards their employers must forfeit to their employers all compensation received during the period of disloyalty. It is under the laws of a number of ...

doctrine, the court held that a hedge fund's employee engaging in insider trading in violation of his company's code of conduct, which also required him to report his

misconduct Misconduct is wrongful, improper, or unlawful conduct motivated by premeditated or intentional purpose or by obstinate indifference to the consequences of one's acts. It is an act which is forbidden or a failure to do that which is required. Misc ...

, must repay his employer the full $31 million his employer paid him as compensation during his period of faithlessness.

Accountants' code of conduct

In its 2007 International Good Practice Guidance, "Defining and Developing an Effective Code of Conduct for Organizations", provided the following working definition: "Principles, values, standards, or rules of behaviour that guide the decisions, procedures, and systems of an organization in a way that (a) contributes to the welfare of its key stakeholders, and (b) respects the rights of all constituents affected by its operations."

Personal Codes of Conduct

While codes of conduct are commonly associated with organizations and institutions, individuals can also develop a personal code of conduct, to guide their behavior, decision-making, and responses to adversity. These personal codes can typically reflect a person's core values, ethical principles, and practise aspirational virtues - such as courage, honesty, discipline, or resilience. Historically, figures like Roman emperor

Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius Antoninus ( ; ; 26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 and a Stoicism, Stoic philosopher. He was a member of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty, the last of the rulers later known as the Five Good Emperors ...

, through his philosophical reflections in Meditations, or the samurai class, through the Bushidō code, adhered to personal codes that shaped their worldview and conduct. In contemporary settings, individuals may adopt a personal code of conduct to uphold integrity, cultivate psychological resilience, or navigate unpredictable or stressful environments. Such self-imposed frameworks of rules can offer a structured psychological anchor by reinforcing a sense of agency and control. Psychological research suggests that individuals with a higher internal locus of control, defined as the belief that one can influence outcomes through their own actions, are generally more resilient and motivated in the face of adversity. Studies on

learned helplessness Learned helplessness is the behavior exhibited by a subject after enduring repeated aversive stimuli beyond their control. It was initially thought to be caused by the subject's acceptance of their powerlessness, by way of their discontinuing att ...

and control have demonstrated that perceived control is closely linked to psychological well-being and adaptive coping behaviors. Developing and consistently adhering to a personal code may support an internal locus of control by encouraging deliberate, value-driven responses to life’s challenges. Writing down one’s personal code and reviewing it regularly can further reinforce commitment, aid in goal-setting, and improve behavioral consistency.

Codes of conduct in practice

A code of conduct can be an important part in establishing an inclusive culture, but it is not a comprehensive solution on its own. An

ethical Ethics is the philosophical study of moral phenomena. Also called moral philosophy, it investigates normative questions about what people ought to do or which behavior is morally right. Its main branches include normative ethics, applied e ...

culture is created by the organization's leaders who manifest their ethics in their attitudes and behaviour. Studies of codes of conduct in the private sector show that their effective implementation must be part of a learning process that requires training, consistent enforcement, and continuous measurement/improvement: simply requiring members to read the code is not enough to ensure that they understand it and will remember its contents. Castellano ''et al.'' describe Tom Morris' book ''If Aristotle Ran General Motors'' as "compelling" and "persuasive" in arguing that in addition to codes of conduct and ethical guidelines, the creation of an ethical workplace climate requires "socially harmonious relationships" to be embedded in practice. The proof of effectiveness is when employees/members feel comfortable enough to voice concerns and believe that the organization will respond with appropriate action.

Examples

* Banking Code *

Bushido is a Samurai moral code concerning samurai attitudes, behavior and lifestyle. Its origins date back to the Kamakura period, but it was formalized in the Edo period (1603–1868). There are multiple types of bushido which evolved significantl ...

* Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief * International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers * Code of Conduct for Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States *

Code of Hammurabi The Code of Hammurabi is a Babylonian legal text composed during 1755–1750 BC. It is the longest, best-organized, and best-preserved legal text from the ancient Near East. It is written in the Old Babylonian dialect of Akkadian language, Akkadi ...

Code of the United States Fighting Force The Code of the U.S. Fighting Force is a code of conduct that is an ethics guide and a United States Department of Defense directive consisting of six articles to members of the United States Armed Forces, addressing how they should act in combat ...

* Code of Service Discipline * Declaration of Geneva *

Declaration of Helsinki The Declaration of Helsinki (DoH, ) is a set of ethical principles regarding human experimentation developed originally in 1964 for the medical community by the World Medical Association (WMA). It is widely regarded as the cornerstone document o ...

Don't be evil "Don't be evil" is Google's former motto, and a phrase used in Google's corporate code of conduct. One of Google's early uses of the motto was in the prospectus for its 2004 IPO. In 2015, following Google's corporate restructuring as a subsidiar ...

Eight precepts In Buddhism, the Eight Precepts (, ) is a list of moral precepts that are observed by Nuns, or Upāsakas and Upasikās (Upasaka, lay Buddhists) on Uposatha (Uposatha, observance days) and special occasions. They are considered to support Buddhist ...

Election Commission of India's Model Code of Conduct The Model Code of Conduct is a set of guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India for the conduct of political parties and candidates during elections. It is a set of norms which deal with matters including meetings, processions, election ...

* Five Pillars of Islam *

Golden Rule The Golden Rule is the principle of treating others as one would want to be treated by them. It is sometimes called an ethics of reciprocity, meaning that one should reciprocate to others how one would like them to treat the person (not neces ...

Geneva Conventions upright=1.15, The original document in single pages, 1864 The Geneva Conventions are international humanitarian laws consisting of four treaties and three additional protocols that establish international legal standards for humanitarian t ...

* Hippocratic Oath *

ICC Cricket Code of Conduct The ICC Cricket Code of Conduct is a regulation regarding the conduct of professional players in the sport of cricket. Traditionally, cricket requires "gentlemanly" conduct from all players. The Code of Conduct is written and enforced by the Intern ...

International Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation The International Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation, also known as the Hague Code of Conduct (HCOC), was established on 25 November 2002 as an arrangement to prevent the proliferation of ballistic missiles. The HCOC is the r ...

(ICOC or Hague Code of Conduct) * Izzat * Journalist's Creed * Kapu * Moral Code of the Builder of Communism * Pāṭimokkha * Pirate code *

Rule of Saint Benedict The ''Rule of Saint Benedict'' () is a book of precepts written in Latin by St. Benedict of Nursia (c. AD 480–550) for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot. The spirit of Saint Benedict's Rule is summed up in the motto of th ...

Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments (), or the Decalogue (from Latin , from Ancient Greek , ), are religious and ethical directives, structured as a covenant document, that, according to the Hebrew Bible, were given by YHWH to Moses. The text of the Ten ...

* Ten precepts (Taoism) *

Uniform Code of Military Justice The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) is the foundation of the system of military justice of the armed forces of the United States. The UCMJ was established by the United States Congress in accordance with their constitutional authority ...

Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 is an international treaty that defines a framework for diplomatic relations between independent countries. Its aim is to facilitate "the development of friendly relations" among government ...

References

External links

{{Authority control Applied ethics Morality Political charters Rules