Business Codes of Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business Codes of Ethics - Essay Example A well designed code of ethics will help highlight the resources available to achieve various goals set at the personal and corporate levels. A good code of ethics document will inspire confidence in all business associates – like suppliers, clients and employees. The rest of the essay will critically analyze the codes of ethics of two accounting firms and evaluate their merits in the process. The two firms chosen for the exercise are KPMG and Grant Thornton (Budd, 2007). â€Å"At KPMG, our promise of professionalism to each other, our clients, and the capital markets we serve, compels us to align our culture of integrity with our values, words, and actions. By setting high standards for ourselves, and our clients, our commitment to upholding KPMG’s values is clear: There is never a situation when compromising our standards is either expected or acceptable. To support our culture of integrity, KPMG has further developed a robust ethics program that includes our Code of Conduct, as well as the Ethics and Compliance Hotline†. (Budd, 2007) The above passage captures the essence of what KPMG stands for as an organization. The language is unambiguous and the sentences are well structured – two essential qualities for business writing. It also makes it clear how imperative ethics are to the firm – not compromising their standards in any situation. Keeping pace with the times they have developed a easy to use Ethics and Compliance Hotline, which can be availed by all business associates. So, in this regard, KPMG adheres to international standards of maintaining ethical business conduct (Shearer, 2002). â€Å"Being at the cutting edge of professional development is vital for an accounting and advisory organization operating in a dynamic business and regulatory environment. By taking an active role in entities that liaise with regulators, promoting high-quality professional standards and insisting upon high standards of ethical behavior, senior