Why is it important for a manager to act ethically?
Business ethics and social responsibility are important for an organisation. There are lots of reasons that managers should behave ethically. These include:
- Unethical behaviour by managers can alienate stakeholders, customers and staff. This can damage an organisation’s reputation and perhaps even make a business fail.
- Staff often see managers as role models. An unethical manager is likely to have unethical staff.
What can managers do?
Managers need to support a culture of honesty and fairness. Lists and codes of conduct will help managers and their staff to avoid some of the worst types of behaviour. Managers also need to make an effort to treat everyone fairly, including their customers and staff.
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