How ethical are you and your business? Do your colleagues, clients and customers know?

How well do you communicate your values and code of ethics - both internally to your organisation, and externally?

Did you know that many consumers and customers will actually pay more for ethical products and services? 

If this is news to you, numerous studies have shown that a significant percentage of ethical consumers are willing to pay a premium for products and services from companies that align with their values. 

With factors such as environmental impact and sustainability, social responsibility, and fair labour practices becoming increasingly influential on purchasing decisions, how ethical are you and your business, and are you making the most of your ethical credentials?

Every business and organisation has core values.

As the CIPD says, “Core values exist in most organisations, whether they’ve been consciously created and articulated or not. An organisation’s values provide a framework for the company’s culture and decision-making”.

And, “To operate ethically, an organisation needs an ethics programme to support and bring its values to life”. 

That could be “a formal or informal programme depending on the size of the organisation, but it should include a code of ethics as the key element”. 

If we regard values as “a compass to guide behaviour at work”, then a code of ethics helps bring the organisation’s values to life – without being seen just as a box ticking, compliance-driven exercise. 

Once that code of ethics is in place, businesses and organisations shouldn’t simply stop and rest on their laurels, because valuable feedback and insights can be fed back from staff, volunteers, clients, customers and stakeholders.

But how do you communicate your values and ethical credentials - both internally and externally?

Effectively communicating your values “indicates a long-term strategic commitment to building and maintaining an ethical culture”. 

Internal communications “should regularly refer to the values and ethical expectations”. 

Purposeful, value-led leaders “not only demonstrate a firm commitment to ethical practice to stakeholders, but can influence the rest of the organisation to follow suit”. How you act as a business role-model and talk about ethical behaviour creates organisational norms that illustrate what is acceptable and expected within the culture of the business.

Your ethical code should be regularly reviewed and discussed with your employees and volunteers - not just covered during induction and then never mentioned again. Talking internally about ethical values enhances your cachet as an employer as well as your company brand, making it easier to recruit and retain staff.

External communications should focus on demonstrating your ethical credentials.

A great way of doing this is by getting accredited.

An ethical accreditation, such as that offered by The Good Business Charter, recognises and demonstrates that your business or organisation follows responsible business practices and meets core ethical business standards.

Fully 97% of the public want businesses to act responsibly, and accreditation helps your business stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Increasingly, not only is accreditation a “nice to have” but vital for being added to approved supplier lists.

As The Good Business Charter says, accreditation is “A clear signpost to customers, employees, suppliers, and other stakeholders that your organisation behaves responsibly.”

Bnode holds Good Business Charter and other accreditation.

This makes us ideally placed to advise and work with you and your business or organisation on gaining ethical and responsible business accreditation, as well as embedding, communicating and getting feedback on your values and ethical code through training and workshops.

Bnode’s Ethical and Sustainable Business training packages include Sustainable and Ethical Business Practices, Social Sustainability and Social Accountability, and Business Sustainability and Sustainability Reporting (how to demonstrate and communicate your business or organisation’s sustainability performance and impact), as well as Community Engagement (working and engaging with local communities and interest groups).

Get in touch to find out more, or request an Introduction.