1. Dr. Alan Richter, President, QED Consulting
Global Ethics & Integrity Benchmarks: Best Practices Institute Webinar July 24, 2012
Dr. Alan Richter, President, QED Consulting

2. Today’s Agenda
Become familiar with the Global Ethics & Integrity Benchmarks (GEIB).
Learn about global Ethics & Integrity best practices.
Explore how these benchmarks can be used in your organization.

3. Global operations are standard now
With the internet the world is “shrinking” and even small businesses have gone global…
We can all learn from the best practices of organizations – whether private, public, educational, governmental, etc.

4. Global organizations are challenging
Working across multiple national borders; culture impacts business practices and protocols
Maintaining integrity across huge economic differences
Addressing varieties of inequality
Confronting corruption
Maintaining ethical standards in the midst of cultural relativity
Dealing with ambiguity and complexity

5. Our proposed solution
Develop a set of universal/global standards that describe what it takes:
For an ethics program to be successful and effective
Anywhere in the world
Apart from any jurisdiction’s laws or regulation
Enabling you to baseline and measure progress over time

6. What is the GEIB? Derivation of the tool…
Designed to assess and measure your organization’s progress in making a Commitment to ethics and integrity in the workplace and in the marketplace
Benchmarks designed to be:
Global in reach
Incremental in application reflecting global best practices
Based on ethical business conduct across and beyond national boundaries
Descriptive rather than prescriptive

7. Our Assumptions Global Values exist, and they matter:
- Common set of ethical values apply across cultures and national boundaries
- Priorities may differ
- Values tend to unite, not divide, us
- Global values include:
Love / Compassion
Truth / Integrity
Freedom
Fairness / Justice
Community / Family
Respect / Tolerance
Responsibility
Reverence for Life
Adapted from Rushworth Kidder, Shared Values for a Troubled World, 1994

8. Twelve Categories Whistleblowing Vision and goals
Measurement, Research & Assessment
Confidential Advice & Support
Ethics Training & Education
Ethics Communication
Corporate Social Responsibility
Vision and goals
Leadership
Infrastructure
Legal Compliance, Policies, & Rules
Organizational Culture
Disciplinary and Reward Measures

9. Each Category is supported by five levels
Levels provide descriptors of progress, from 0% to 100% effective implementation
Ranges provided at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%
At 0% -- no work has begun on this benchmark
At 100%--your organization has adopted best practices, and is probably serving as an industry leader
Descriptors combine both processes and outcomes
Outcomes are more numerous and important at the higher levels
Outcomes are read cumulatively
Providing a way to gauge incremental progress toward your goals

10. How to Use Global Benchmarks
Set and stretch organizational standards
Engage employees and promote accountability for progress
Measure progress on goals
Engage in continuous improvement
Educate senior leadership
Assess ethical risks

11. How NOT to use the Benchmarks
These are guidelines, not requirements
They represent our understanding of global best practices and input from our panel of experts
They cannot tell you if you are in compliance with any set of laws

13. Leadership Category: 0% & 25%
___ Leaders view ethics and integrity as mainly an HR or legal function.
___ Managers and supervisors accept some responsibility for ethics, especially as it relates to standard Employee Relations and Human Resources practices–such as addressing sexual harassment.
___ Leaders need scripts to discuss ethics and integrity.
___ Reactive measures are taken to deal with difficult ethical situations, often on a case-by-case basis without consideration of establishing internal precedents. 0%
___ There is little or no active leadership, involvement, or accountability regarding ethics and integrity.
___ Leaders assume that their private moral codes are adequate to lead the organization.
___ Leaders talk down to employees, treating them like children.

14. Leadership Category: 50% & 75%
___ Leaders and managers demonstrate ethical awareness. They are conversant with the vocabulary of ethical analysis, and consistently act in ways that are consistent with the organization’s values.
___ Leaders often make internal and external scripted and extemporaneous speeches or statements relating to ethics and integrity to a variety of groups.
___ The board of directors shares responsibility for integrating ethical conduct into the organization’s culture.
___ Most managers receive training and coaching in ethics, and provide coaching about ethics to others.
___ Ethical awareness, analysis, and action are routinely incorporated into selection, performance evaluation, and promotion decisions.
50%
___ Managers and supervisors view promoting ethical conduct as part of their responsibilities and are held accountable for their own ethical behavior.
___ Some leaders in the organization are active champions of ethical action and the ethics function.
___ Leadership views ethics and integrity as a management level function, with direct impact on the organization’s bottom line.
___ Leaders understand that there is a direct connection between “tone from the top” and whether their organization enjoys a positive reputation for ethics.

15. Leadership Category: 100%
___ Management pay, bonuses, and promotions are tied to a variety of ethical indicators. Leaders are held accountable for supporting ethical conduct at an individual and organizational level.
___ Managing ethically is considered an essential leadership competency.
___ Senior managers are seen as role models. They emphasize the importance of ethical conduct as a core organizational value and strategy, and they provide consistent, visible leadership.
___ Leaders and board members publicly support ethics and integrity initiatives, even when these initiatives are perceived to be controversial.
___ Leaders and board members share a deep-seated commitment to ethical conduct as a foundation for the organization’s culture.

16. Availability www.qedconsulting.com
Available without charge from QED Consulting
Note: Benchmarks are copyright protected
Permission to use this tool will be granted if you submit a request in writing describing your intended use.
For more information please go to:

17. Questions and Comments…
Thank you!