What Makes a Good Ethics Program?

In today’s business world, ethics are of utmost importance. Ethical behavior ensures businesses comply with legal and regulatory requirements and builds trust and credibility with customers, employees and stakeholders. Ethics training programs have become an increasingly popular way to ensure employees are familiar with ethical standards and how to handle ethical dilemmas. The NASBA Center for The Public Trust recognizes the need for ethics training and offers courses for professionals and organizations to know the value of this type of program.

Great ethics training is characterized by several key features. First, it should be tailored to the needs of the organization. Training should address specific ethical issues relevant to the business. This ensures that the training is pertinent and resonates with employees.

Secondly, great ethics training should be interactive and engaging. Passive learning through lectures and presentations is unlikely to be effective in changing behavior. Training should be thought-provoking, incorporate case studies, role-playing, and other activities that require active participation from employees.

Thirdly, great ethics training should be ongoing. Ethics training is not a one-time event but rather a continuous process. Regularly scheduled training sessions can help to reinforce ethical principles and ensure that employees are current with changes in laws and regulations.

Finally, great ethics training should be supported by leadership. The tone from the top sets the ethical climate of an organization. When leaders model ethical behavior and promote ethical decision-making, employees are more likely to follow suit. Leaders should actively participate in ethics training and make it clear that ethical behavior is a priority for the organization.

The NASBA Center for The Public Trust’s Professional Ethics Training program is designed to educate people about what is considered ethical and unethical behavior and to provide the necessary skills and knowledge needed to make ethical decisions in the workplace. The CPT program is available in different forms – from in-person workshops and seminars to online courses and simulations. The CPT offers ethics training programs that are effective, engaging, and interactive.

Ethics training programs are essential for organizations that want employees to act ethically and responsibly. Great ethics training programs are customized, interactive, ongoing, and supported by leadership. By investing in ethics training, businesses can create a culture of integrity and trust, which will benefit the organization, its employees and its stakeholders in the long run.

-Deborah Lederman, Operations Manager