Code of Ethics

Ethical codes are adopted by organizations to assist their members or employees in understanding the difference between right and wrong and in applying that understanding to their decisions. An ethical code generally refers to either a code of business ethics, a codes of conduct for employees, or a code of professional practice, and many organizations use the phrases ethical code and code of conduct interchangeably. Ethical codes are often adopted by management and also employers, not to promote a particular moral theory, but rather because they are seen as pragmatic necessities for running an organization in a complex society in which moral concepts play an important part. Even organizations and communities that may be considered criminal in nature may have ethical codes of conduct, official or unofficial.