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Ethics, integrity & professionalism

5 principles of high-quality ethics and compliance programmes Logo cgma

  Neil Amato |   Free |   AICPA and CIMA |   26 Apr 2016 |   CGMA Magazine

Strong ethics and compliance functions are designed and implemented as part of an organisation’s culture. This article shares five principles of high-quality ethics and compliance programmes.

Topics covered:
  • Management accounting: Business: Strategy, Intermediate
  • Management accounting: Ethics, integrity & professionalism: Ethics, integrity & professionalism
  • Employee benefit plan auditing: Business: Strategy, Intermediate
  • Employee benefit plan auditing: Ethics, integrity & professionalism: Ethics, integrity & professionalism
  • Governmental auditing: Business: Strategy, Intermediate
  • Governmental auditing: Ethics, integrity & professionalism: Ethics, integrity & professionalism
  • Financial accounting & reporting: Business: Strategy, Intermediate
  • Financial accounting & reporting: Ethics, integrity & professionalism: Ethics, integrity & professionalism
  • Assurance: Business: Strategy, Intermediate
  • Assurance: Ethics, integrity & professionalism: Ethics, integrity & professionalism
  • Not-for-profit: Business: Strategy, Intermediate
  • Not-for-profit: Ethics, integrity & professionalism: Ethics, integrity & professionalism
  • IT management & assurance: Business: Strategy, Intermediate
  • IT management & assurance: Ethics, integrity & professionalism: Ethics, integrity & professionalism
  • Firm practice management: Business: Strategy, Intermediate
  • Firm practice management: Ethics, integrity & professionalism: Ethics, integrity & professionalism
  • Tax: Business: Strategy, Intermediate
  • Tax: Ethics, integrity & professionalism: Ethics, integrity & professionalism
  • Forensic & valuation services: Business: Strategy, Intermediate
  • Forensic & valuation services: Ethics, integrity & professionalism: Ethics, integrity & professionalism
  • Fair value measurement: Business: Strategy, Intermediate
  • Fair value measurement: Ethics, integrity & professionalism: Ethics, integrity & professionalism
  • Personal financial planning: Business: Strategy, Intermediate
  • Personal financial planning: Ethics, integrity & professionalism: Ethics, integrity & professionalism

3 Comments/Reflections

Gianni Platia

Gianni Platia Mar 2022

Although not a recent article, the 5 key points still hold true today.
A company's ethical stance & supporting policies should form the foundation of strategic decisions moving forward.  Ethical principles should be taught & shared throughout the organization not only to help build an inclusive culture within the company walls, but to maintain the public face of the company & ensure interaction with all stakeholders is managed in a way as not to damage the image & brand of a company.
Ethical principles, in all forms, should be a guiding light to all professionals.
Lynsey Hunt

Lynsey Hunt Jul 2018

A good article to refresh knowledge.
Peter Dann

Peter Dann Feb 2017

Here are the best practices for managing responsible business :
Ensure that concerns are prioritised on the basis of their impact on the company and related stakeholders, and that there is regular monitoring and evaluation. Follow up and address red flags. A lack of action can encourage bad practices.
Anti-corruption and applicable human rights risk assessment procedures should be clearly understood across the entire organisation.
The board and leadership team should ensure there is top-level commitment to addressing wider business issues of relevance – in both understanding and allocating resources.
Assess what information is available and how it can be used to increase insight for both addressing risk and creating opportunity in relation to ethical performance and reputation.
Include updates on ethical performance on the board agenda – this drives collection and action.
Ensure ethical architecture is in place, with optimum organisational design and support mechanisms, developing and providing relevant processes and tools to support employees and partners.
In order to implement an ethical culture, it is imperative to make it a strategic priority and set the tone from the top, with regular two-way communication with employees.
Encourage transparency and speaking up, ensuring a zero-tolerance on unethical behaviour that places the company and stakeholders at risk.