Develop the key components of an ethics policy. For an organization to develop an ethical culture, and for that culture to be sustainable, an ethics policy requires the involvement of every member of the organization in committing to a formal structure to support an ongoing process of monitoring and enforcement. This can be achieved through six initiatives:

• Establish a code of ethics that presents a common understanding of organizational values and provides clear guidance on acceptable behavior.

• Support the code of ethics with extensive training for every member of the organization.

• Hire an ethics officer to formalize the management and leadership of the organization’s commitment to an ethical culture.

• Celebrate and reward ethical behavior so that employees come to see ethical behavior as a positive event rather than an avoidance of punishment

• Promote your organization’s commitment to ethical behavior so that all your stakeholders can learn what to expect from you.

• Continue to monitor the behavior as you grow so that ethical conduct remains ingrained in the organizational culture.