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I work for a government agency that regulates other companies and this is a requirement that each company must have. I searched many companies and I have chosen to write about Centurion, which is a telephone company in the state of Arizona and many other states. Centurion refers to their ethical standards as “Code of Conduct – Doing the Right Thing”, (Centurion, 2011). Centurion’s code of conduct is divided into five principal sections. These sections include Seeking Guidance and Raising Concerns, Applying the Unifying Principles in
Our Workplace, Applying the Unifying Principles in Our Marketplace, Applying the Unifying Principles In Our Communities, and Protecting the Company’s Reputation and Assets, (Centurion, November 2011). This code of conduct is posted to the company’s website for the public and anyone that may want to view it. Centurion states that the people that are required to follow the Code are all employees, its subsidiaries, majority-owned and controlled affiliates, agents, consultants, contract workers, suppliers and anyone assigned to work for or provide services to
Centurion, (Centurion, November 2011). Each of the five elements are an important part of the company and the company takes these very seriously. They have each one listed and go into very great detail on each one and I had a chance to review and study each one myself. First we have their code of conduct of Applying the Unifying Principles In Our Workplace. This particular code of conduct deals with health and safety, diversity, discrimination and harassment and workplace violence.
This code of conduct is important to the company and/or anyone dealing with the many because it covers what the company expects of everyone working for and with the company. It states what the company wants from their employees in their personal conduct and treatment of others while working for Centurion. I feel that this particular code is ethical, because it requires the employees to conduct themselves daily in a professional manner. This means not putting themselves or anyone else at risk with their behavior or actions while working for Centurion.
The benefit to the Company is that they have employees that not only respect themselves, UT their fellow employees, customers and/or anyone doing business with Centurion. The second Code of Conduct that Centurion list on their website is “Applying the Unifying Principles In Our Marketplace. ” (Centurion, November 2011). This area of conduct includes Marketing and Sales Practices, Competitive Information, Antitrust and Fair Competition, Business Courtesies, Compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws, International Business and Affiliate Relationships.
I feel that this particular code covers Countersinks high standards of integrity and ethical business conduct. It s important for a company to have these kinds of ethics in place. I feel that this type of ethical behavior shows that the company has integrity when conducting business, not only within Centurion, but with outsiders as well. I think that this one of the most important codes that a company can have, because it shows that they are doing business honestly and fairly. Thirdly Centurion list “Applying the Unifying Principles In Our Communities”. Centurion, November 2011), as one of their five codes of conducts. This particular code includes several areas including Corporate Social Responsibility, The Environment, Community Activities, Political Activities, Lobbying, Political contributions, Serving in public Office, Honest Communications and Media Inquiries. I feel that this portion of their code of conduct is not only ethical but socially responsibility, especially in our society today. It shows that Centurion not only cares about what happens within their own company, but in the communities in which they serve.
Showing support for the communities that a company services shows that they are not only in business to make money, to better the communities. Anyone company that does business, should care about what is going on in the community, because after all it’s probably the community that they not only do business in, but many of them may live in that community. What better way to show support for your community than to be involved and proactive in what is going on around you. Seeking Guidance and Raising Concerns is another one of Countersinks code of ethics.
This include no retaliation, Integrity Line and other sources of help. I feel that this is very important for a company to have in place. This gives the employees comfort in knowing that if they do every have a problem or issues with someone or someone in the company they have a safe place to turn to for help. It feel that the most important element in this section is no retaliation. I feel that this is ethical and socially responsible because a person needs to know that if they have a problem with the company, and they report it, they need to know that they will not be fired for coming forward.
I personally had to deal with this issue before with a previous company and I was terrified that if I went to HER that I would be fired, but I isn’t, because the company I worked for also had a No Retaliation policy. Lastly Centurion lists Protecting the Company’s Reputation and Assets as their fifth and final code of conduct. This area covers Personal Conduct, on and off-duty, conflicts of interest, Authority to Act on behalf of Centurion, Accounting and Financial Reporting, Insider Trading, Customer Proprietary Network Information and Protecting Company Assets.
This particular code is conduct may be important to a company because they want to insure that their company is held to the highest standards Seibel. I feel that this is very important because it not only shows that the company cares about their employees but they also care about what others think or feel about their company. Centurion has provided a Code of Conduct for everyone to view. I feel that it is important for accompany have a code of conduct, so that everyone knows what is expected of them. This includes not only the employees working for the company, but for anyone doing business with a particular company.