Multiple Communication Channels for Formal Ethics Communication

The company’s ethics message can and should be communicated in a variety of ways. The most obvious ethics communication channels include a mission or values statement, a code of conduct, policy statements, a formal process for reporting concerns or observed misconduct, and communications from leaders. In addition to these channels, the ethics message needs to be reinforced in all formal communication materials, including recruiting and orientation materials, newsletters, magazines, annual reports, and websites. The following are some types of communication materials that can be used to send an ethics message.

The company’s website is an important source of information about the company and its values and policies. Many companies are hesitant to include ethics information on their external website and instead use their firm’s intranet to convey the information. But stakeholders such as investors, potential employees, customers, and suppliers are likely to use the company’s website to gather information about the company. So, if ethics is important to these relationships, it should be included on the external site. For example, Lockheed Martin provides a large amount of information about ethics on its external website  its ethical principles, code of conduct, annual ethics awareness training, information about compliance training, information about how the ethics process works, and information for suppliers and other business partners who are asked to be guided by high ethical standards and to respect the restrictions the firm places on its employees with regard to such issues as giving and receiving gifts. The code, ‘‘Setting the Standard,’’ is translated into 21 languages. United Technologies also provides information about ethics on its website, including the code and other brochures in portable document format The information is also available in multiple languages.

RECRUITING BROCHURES These can include the mission or values statement, a discussion of corporate values, and a description of how people in the organization succeed and fail. Ethical conduct can be highlighted. Many organizations also have a website for those interested in finding out about careers within the firm and applying for jobs.

CAMPUS RECRUITING At Lockheed Martin the ethics office participates with university relations for on-campus recruiting. Ethics officers travel to college and university campuses across the country to assist in recruiting and to speak about the Lockheed Martin ethics program. In addition, ethics blogs are posted twice a month on the ‘‘LMCampus ConX’’ social networking site to raise awareness about corporate ethics so that students can better understand the importance of business ethics and be better prepared to enter the workforce.

ORIENTATION MEETINGS AND MATERIALS Orientation materials can include the mission or values statement, descriptions of common ethical dilemmas and advice for handling them, explanations of resources to help employees make ethical decisions, and instructions on how to raise an ethical issue or report an ethical concern. Organizations should pay particular attention to how their orientation meetings communicate values and expectations. New employees are eager to learn about their new employer, and orientations are a wonderful venue for communicating what an organization stands for and what it expects of employees. How not to introduce values and ethics during an orientation might best be illustrated by the manufacturing company’s general counsel we heard about who, when asked to address new hires on the company’s ethics and compliance program, simply read the code of conduct aloud to a group of new employees.