Why get an Ethical Leadership Certification?

The topic of ethics has quickly become a cornerstone trait for any successful business in today’s world. Focus on ethics has followed major corporate downfalls, fraud, and the ever-changing technological world. Interest in business ethics dramatically increased during the 1980’s and 1990’s both within corporations as well as academia. Organizations began touting the need for an ethics policy as well as other elements to reinforce a positive culture. However, for many years the focus was on policy documents and facsimile compliance offices. The expectation of ethical behavior was not always brought to the center of attention. Following the corporate issues faced by Enron, WorldCom, Tyco and others in the early 2000s, investors and stakeholders began demanding a more transparent organizational culture that displayed ethics in every aspect of the business.

Establishing an ethics policy is easy. What isn’t so easy is getting all individuals within the organization to buy into and follow the policy. Why is managing ethics such a difficult task? To understand that concept, individuals should begin by understanding the psychology behind ethics and the many components of behavior involved. By understanding the dynamics of traits that comprise how individuals view ethical behavior, organizations will be better prepared to consistently and appropriately address ethical issues.

This series will focus on the topic of ethics and how it has permeated every aspect of today’s world. We will delve into the psychology behind ethics, the relationship between ethics and morality, why people do the things they do, tools and techniques for establishing an ethical cultural along with several other critical components to understand the dynamics behind the word Ethics and the actions that area associated with it. In addition, the series will evaluate and outline leading practices for many tactical components that are considered as part of the ethical environment. This includes codes of conduct, conflicts of interest and whistleblower hotlines.

This Ethical Leadership certification credential will provide the individual a holistic understanding of ethics in today’s business world and will prepare the learner to assist their organization in developing and exhibiting the appropriate practices and policies that will enhance their ethical culture.