undertaking the responsibility: Some typical mission statements

In the framework of the company ethics, company mission statements. These follow certain principles. The following principles are typical:

In relation to the employees: respect for the Dignity of each employee, discrimination-free recruitment and promotion of staff, creation of safe and healthy working conditions, a waiver of any Form of forced and child labour, delivery and development of employee skills, the right to the formation of an employee representation, open Information of the employees, trust and respect between superiors and subordinates, the payment of a reasonable remuneration.

In relation to the customer: High quality product, a reasonable price-performance ratio and high product security, open, honest and factual information (also in advertising), the constant search for improved products, in-depth advice, good Service, openness to complaints.

In relation to owners/shareholdersto increase corporate value and appropriate return on equity, corporate management, to the best of our Knowledge and belief, open, honest and timely Information to the owner on all relevant developments in the company.

In relation to the Public: compliance with laws, protection of the natural environment, the development of innovative, socially-acceptable solutions to the problem, support local, promote gender equality, reconciliation of work and family (Work-Life-Balance).

In terms of suppliers is limited, the models mostly on the principle of fair treatment. The rarer more specific provisions include, for example, the desire, permanently with the suppliers to cooperate the obligation not to discriminate against suppliers, as well as the waiver of counter transactions, which could put suppliers under pressure. More often, it is expressly requested by the suppliers that these also follow the ethical guidelines of the company.

Compared to the competitors there is the obligation to free competition, not collusion to hinder it.

In addition to the principles related to certain stakeholder groups, are also organized thematically principles, especially to the areas of environmental protection and sustainability, the fight against corruption, security, health, dealing with minorities, donations and sponsorships, and Corporate Citizenship.

This post is an excerpt from the new book on corporate ethics.

How can be implemented the business ethics as a Management responsibility? A stronger orientation of the corporate guide on the guiding principle of a life-serving economy is more and more demanded. Elisabeth Gödel discusses the philosophical foundations of ethics and clarifies the relationship of ethics and Economics. The focus is on the institutionalisation of ethics is on the level of the individual company.