Personal Code of EthicsMy Personal Code of Ethics: In everyday life it is important to strive to maintain a strict code of ethics.
Ethics are the foundation of any profession and almost every company you work for has a code that they and their employees try to do live by. For me someone who intends on a career in the business field my code of ethics is not that different from many of the professions we learned about. The first thing I would say any code should have is a pledge of honesty. The greatest thing you can do in life is be honest in everything that you do or strive to do. As we learned in our text every profession in criminal justice has a reference to honesty. (Pollock, 2004) The next part of my code is that of humility. As a leader in the business world and in my community, I have to maintain a level of connection to the individuals I supervise and serve. I would like to pull a quote from my company??™s policy manual; ??? The right way, everyday??? (Delhaize Group, 2008).
This statement is how we as associates are suppose to go to work each day to portray the best parts of our organization at all times. In my opinion it speaks to the way we should all live. Another part of my personal code is to continue to be active in my community through charity work. This may sound like a part that does not belong in a code of ethics however it is in my experience that by doing volunteer work for those less fortunate than I am helps keep me grounded. I also think that it is necessary to maintain a sense of humor as part of my personal code. Humor is a wonderful thing and it helps others be more comfortable. There is a negative side to humor though and it is a responsibility to always ensure that your humor is not offensive to anyone.
Now the next part of my code I pulled straight from the Police Officer I have just adjusted it to fit my code. ??? I will never employ unnecessary force or violence??? (Pollock, 2004) unless my life or the life of my family are put into grave danger. This particular piece of the code is one that we all should be careful with simply because to harm another person is against the law.
The final part of my code of ethics is pulled straight from the Bible as a Christian I felt it necessary that this be in there and even if you are not a Christian it does help life go by easier. ??? Love thy neighbor as thyself.??? (James, 1998) These are the main things that I try to live my life by, some days it is a struggle but most days I can go to sleep at night with a sense that I followed my code.
The Influence of Life on My Personal CodeEach of us has many life experiences and influence from family and friends that help us determine how we will live our life. The biggest influence I have had is my mother. When I think of the way she has lived her life I cannot help but want to mirror that.
I can remember as a small boy we were in the grocery store and I didn??™t think anything of it I picked up a pack of chewing gum when we were going through the checkout lane. We got out to the car and were getting ready to leave when my mom noticed me chewing the gum. She asked me where I got it and I told her from the store. She then turned the car off and took me back inside and I had to tell the manager that I had taken something I had not paid for. As I got older I remember thinking back on this and thinking ??? really all that for a . 50 cent pack of gum???. It was not until later in life I realized that it didn??™t matter the cost the more important thing was that it wasn??™t honest. Another major influence in my life is the fact that I had a medical condition that almost cost me my life.
This in itself helped me learn humility and an affection to do for others because of the struggle I went through. Most of what I have learned in life has come from these two major influences. I like most individuals have had things that have happened to help me see even clearer why a personal code of ethics is so important. As I am doing this assignment I am trying to think about my progression over the years and have come to the conclusion that my personal code of ethics has not changed much. The one thing that I know to be true about it is that with each passing day I realize more and more why it is important and why I must always strive to uphold it. Side by SideFor the profession I choose to compare my code of ethics to I have chosen that of a police officer. The very first part of my code, honesty, is very closely related to the code for a Police Officer concerning integrity.
??? A police officer will not engage in acts of corruption or bribery, nor will an officer condone such acts by other police officers.??? (Chiefs, 2000) This code of integrity for police officers is in my opinion the most important part because as with me it speaks to the character of the person. Without honesty and integrity the rest of your code would fall apart. I also think that not only should you be honest with others but to truly follow either of the codes you must be 100% honest with yourself. As I mentioned in my code the use of force is a direct similarity to that of a Police officer??™s code. ??? A police officer will never employ unnecessary force or violence and will use only such force in the discharge of duty as is reasonable in all circumstances.??? (Chiefs, 2000) The ability to protect oneself from harm in my opinion is a right however when you are in a position where violence seems to be inevitable be sure you have tried everything else first.
This is exactly what is in the police officer??™s code of conduct. (Chiefs, 2000) Now my next one is Humility and I believe that is most closely related to the performance of the duties of a police officer. ??? A police officer shall perform all duties impartially, without favor or affection or ill will and without regard to status, sex, race, religion, political belief or aspiration. All citizens will be treated equally with courtesy, consideration and dignity.??? (Chiefs, 2000) In simpler terms no matter what you are in life ensure that everyone is treated in the most humane manner possible irregardless of who they are or what their background is. Finally, the one part of my code that I thought there would be no similarity to is that of charitable work however to my surprise serving the community is one of the primary responsibilities of a police officer.
??? The fundamental duties of a police officer include serving the community; safeguarding lives and property; protecting the innocent; keeping the peace; and ensuring the rights of all to liberty, equality and justice. ??? (Chiefs, 2000) As we can see there are many similarities to be found in different codes of ethics. Every code has a basis that can be linked to another code. As we learned in our text any profession in the criminal justice field has a code of ethics that links it to those of us in other professions.
(Pollock, 2004)The ??? Unwritten??? CodeIn the field of my career choice there are many examples of a code of ethics. I have chosen to go into marketing in the business field. I did a simple web search for Business code of ethics and the sites to view corporations??™ code of conduct or ethics is unlimited. So in my opinion there is not an unwritten code. For example in my code I speak of integrity, honesty, community involvement, the golden rule, and obeying the law. All of these are a part of not only my current company??™s code of ethics (Delhaize Group, 2008) but are also a part of such corporations as H&R Block, Clear Channel Communications, Lockheed Martin, Wal-Mart, McDonald??™s, and Target. This is only a few of the companies I could see. So I would say that in my chosen field the code of ethics whether written or unwritten mirror each other very well.
As I stated earlier companies have these codes to ensure that their employees show the best aspects of the organization they work for. So in my personal code it is always my goal to maintain these same high standards. When it comes to ethics and the professional world it is a requirement of any individual seeking new employment or to maintain current employment to follow these standards. In all honesty it boils down to this no organization is going to offer employment or continue to employ someone who is dishonest or unethical. In closing it is evident that my personal code would hold to the scrutiny of any code of ethics with any organization including that of the general public. How do I Match UpMy personal code of ethics seems to align me very well with the corporate world. I believe that honesty and integrity are integral parts of life. When reviewing Delhaize Group??™s code of ethics this is the first two things they discuss.
(Delhaize Group, 2008) It is also a part of the other organizations I mentioned in the previous paragraph. (Protiviti Inc., 2010) It is also part of the Criminal Justice profession.
(Pollock, 2004) I feel I would not be doing myself justice if I worked for an organization that didn??™t align itself with the same ethics and morals that I have. Often times we find that as Americans we go into a profession without ensuring that it is something we have a passion for or that it matches up with our ideals and goals. For me the choice has always been clear.
I enjoy what I do and have done it for several years. The business world is where I fit in and I have a creative mind with an ability to rally others behind a cause. In closing I would have to say that whether it is criminal justice, business, medical, or with a government agency I think I would match up well and could find myself fitting right in with their organization.
This has been an enjoyable learning experience for me. I have often wondered what made an individual do what they do. I have learned that morals and an ethical code are important in all walks of life. I have also found that I am monitoring myself more than I ever did before to ensure that I maintain my ethical standards. I look forward to applying my new knowledge in the business world and to maintain what in my opinion has earned me a place as not only a respected leader in my store but also in the community we serve. Works CitedChiefs, A. o. (2000, August 13).
Institute for Criminal Justice. Retrieved January 28, 2011, from http://www. lib. jjay. cuny. edu/cje/html/codes/codes-usa-organizational/lepcc. htmlDelhaize Group.
(2008, January). Associate Handbook. Delhaize America Associate Handbook . Brussels, Belgium: Office of Compliance and Ethics. James, K. (1998). Holy Bible. Nashville, Tennessee: Holman Bible Publishers.
Pollock, J. (2004). Ethics in crime and justice: Dilemmas and decisions (4th edition ed.).
Belmont, CA: Wadswoth/Thomson Learning. Protiviti Inc. (2010). Knowledge Leader. Retrieved January 2011, from http://www. knowledgeleader. com
