The code of ethics helps the organization’s employees or members of a specific profession to make the right decisions by establishing key ethical principles for their behavior. These principles define what constitutes right and wrong, to put it plainly. The code of ethics usually comes with guidelines on appropriate behavior, too.
A code of ethics helps ensure that everyone across the organization upholds its mission and values in day-to-day work. It also builds trust and mitigates risks. That’s why journalists, businesses, and healthcare professionals usually have to abide by a code of ethics.
Need a code of ethics example? Here are five of them.
Example 1: Code of Ethics
Example 2: Code of Ethics
Example 3: Code of Ethics
Example 4: Code of Ethics
Example 5: Code of Ethics
What to Learn from These Examples
Every profession and domain deals with unique challenges. But as these code of ethics examples demonstrate, some tenets of ethical conduct are universal, such as objectivity, transparency, and respect for privacy, equality, and human dignity. Lean on them to identify what ethical conduct means to you.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create my own code of ethics?
Why should I have a personal code of ethics?
What are the common principles in the code of ethics?
- American Medical Association. (n.d.). AMA Code of Medical Ethics. https://code-medical-ethics.ama-assn.org/
- International Chamber of Commerce. (2024, January 31). ICC Business Charter for Sustainable Development 2015. https://iccwbo.org/news-publications/policies-reports/icc-business-charter-for-sustainable-development-2015/
- National Education Association. (n.d.). Code of ethics for educators. https://www.nea.org/resource-library/code-ethics-educators
- Society of Professional Journalists. (n.d.). SPJ code of ethics. https://www.spj.org/spj-code-of-ethics/
- Association for Computing Machinery. (n.d.). ACM code of ethics and professional conduct. https://www.acm.org/code-of-ethics
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