A code of ethics is a set of specific principles guiding employees and the organization in their day-to-day operations and decisions to ensure appropriate professional behavior and promote the business and society’s prosperity. In E-MAGINE Biomedical, employees’ behavior is guided by the organization’s mission and standards and the following traits: honesty, integrity, respect for the individual, product quality, accountability, diligence, and discipline.
Overall, the ethical code helps significantly improve relationships with workers by favoring professional competence and behavior and resolving various corporate and business issues such as conflicts of interest, safety, or harassment. E-MAGINE Biomedical’s code of ethics comprises the ten main provisions: Transparency, Non-Discrimination, Harassment or Abuse, Recruitment and Hiring, Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining, Hours of Work, Compensation, Health and Safety, Environment, and Community.
Code of Ethics
Transparency
Managers, especially top-level ones, should provide the public with accurate and complete information about the organization’s products, plans, objectives, financial results, expenditures, salaries, achievements, and failures. Moreover, employers should deliver proper communication that entails honesty, respect, regular feedback, offering praise, and admitting offenses, wrongdoings, and mistakes.
Non-Discrimination
This provision requires employers to regard workers’ positions based on their professional experience, attainments, education, qualifications, abilities, and skills. Any discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, religion, age, disability, nationality, or political standpoints should be immediately suppressed and penalized (“REI’s factory,” n.d.). However, exceptions can take place in those cases when a particular disability of an employee thwarts delivering good work quality or even poses a potential danger to individuals and the environment.
Harassment or Abuse
The application of wrongful physical, psychological, or emotional disciplinary actions or instruments that can eventually expose employees to sexual harassment, any form of maltreatment, or threat, is strictly prohibited.
Recruitment and Hiring
This principle firmly advocates for the equal and honest treatment of all applicants by considering their professional backgrounds and skills. This provision also prohibits the use of all types of compulsory labor, including bonded labor, imprisonment, blackmail, intimidation, among others. Furthermore, employers cannot involve persons aged under 16 or those who have not graduated from high school (“REI’s factory,” n.d.).
Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining
Employers must provide workers with the legal right to the freedom of association and collective bargaining to address corporate and financial concerns (“Freedom of association,” n.d.). If the right to free association is bounded by the legislation, employers should enable employers to express their opinions or raise work-associated issues freely without any successive penalty or disciplinary or other reciprocal measures.
Hours of Work
Regular working hours should comprise 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week. Overtime will not exceed 12 hours per day and 60 hours per week; a week must have at least one day off. Herewith, overwork cannot be more than two days in a row. Besides, overtime must be offset by double pay and adhere to all respective federal and local laws.
Compensation
The organization should observe current state legislation with all laws and regulations related to employment and compensation. Moreover, employers should consider local industry standards and reimburse performed work and accidents and related injuries, losses, or suffering.
Health and Safety
Employers should provide employees with all necessary protective equipment and create safe conditions that aim at meeting the requirements of the current regulations and laws.
Environment
Managers should provide a conducive environment for work, which can prevent or/and minimize the adverse effect on people’s health or wellbeing and ecology.
Community
Employers are recommended to actively participate in various social projects via partnerships and material or staff’s aid to support the wellbeing and steady development of the community, including employees’ families.
References
Freedom of association and collective bargaining. (n.d.). International Labour Organization. Web.
REI’s factory code of conduct. (n.d). Recreational Equipment, Inc. Web.