Business ethics training is essential for most businesses operating in today's society. Social responsibility training for businesses facilitates relations with clientele and the public in general, but also promotes appropriate relations between coworkers and managers in the workplace. With the growing need for corporate ethics training, there are plenty of options to get ethics training for your business. In person business ethics seminars and business ethics courses, as well as a the multiple venues for online business ethics training are all viable options.

Making the most of business ethics training requires taking some proactive steps on the part of your business, but often lucratively pays off. Here are just a few ways to foster an ethical atmosphere within your company from the International Business Ethics Institute:

1. Do not base business ethics policy solely on the legal requirements of your domestic territory or state. Go above and beyond what is required to show a true commitment.

2. Make sure to offer training materials in languages other than English if necessary.

3. Focus on the many cultural similarities rather than the few cultural differences within your company.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find business ethics training that emphasizes putting ethics into practice in real life situations

After you send employees off for ethics training or provide classes on business ethics in house or online, it is up to the business owner, managers, and employees to put what is learned in ethics training into practice. To make the most of business ethics training, it is best find a provider that understands the importance of helping businesses use ethics training on a day to day basis.

I recommend: Both LRN and Employment Learning Innovations offer business ethics training programs that emphasize helping your business use ethics in real life scenarios.

Find business ethics training that fulfills your business' unique needs

If your business is dealing with a particular issue of business ethics find ethics training providers that offer specific classes or seminars on that particular issue. This way you can focus more on a specific problem that may be of concern with your employees and focus less on issues that may not be relevant to your company.

I recommend: Both Employment Law Training and ProEthics offer issue specific training for your business.

Customize business ethics training to maximize benefits for your company

The best way to make the most of business ethics training is to work with providers who offer custom solutions for your individual business needs on a detailed level.

I recommend: Both Corporate Ethics US and WeComply offer highly customizable ethics training services.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When seeking out a provider for a business ethics class or a business ethics seminar, look to the company's past record of performance. See if clients they have worked with in the past have truly been able to make the most of the ethics training they received after the trainers left. This is the best way to really see if an ethics training company is committed to helping you implement ethics training in your business.

Promoting a high level of business ethics within your company is good business. That’s why business ethics training should be an integral part of your overall employee education program. By providing some form of business ethics classes, your staff may be more likely to embrace corporate responsibility. Having employees attend seminars in business ethics creates other benefits as well. For starters:

1. A strong business ethics education can create a sense of accomplishment among employees.
2. Business ethics classes can improve employee morale and reduce turnover.
3. You can strengthen your public image by training in business ethics.
4. Business ethics classes can also benefit the community.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Define your goals before beginning business ethics training

Know your destination before you begin the journey. Clearly identify what you want your employees and your business to gain from training in business ethics.

I recommend: Discover your 'ethical style' by taking this free quiz from the Center for Ethics and Business of Loyola Marymount University. Then use your findings to decide what type of business ethics education would most benefit your company.

Invest in business ethics training

Take the time to research your options and invest in a business ethics education program that can be tailored to fit your business. Whether you plan to train your entire staff or just want to sharpen your own leadership skills, there are several methods of business ethics training, including seminars in business ethics, webinars, online training and even hiring an ethics coach to work in-house.

I recommend: Professional Services Source offers a number of business ethics programs that can be customized to fit your business's needs. RGI International provides onsite business ethics training, as well as online courses. You can also take seminars in business ethics from RedHawk Communications or business ethics training from The Richardson Company.

Establish a workplace code of ethics

Establishing a code of ethics should be a key component of your business ethics education. Make sure it relates to your business based upon the values of treating your customers, vendors, community and employees with integrity and respect.

I recommend: The Ethics Resource Center offers a helpful Ethics Toolkit for business ethics training and guidelines for writing your Code of Ethics. The Illinois Institute of Technology's Center for the Study of Ethics also offers a list of Resources for Writing a Code of Ethics.

Transform your business ethics education into everyday practice

Integrate your business's ethics code into your company culture and use what you learn in every aspect of your business. There is no point in going through business ethics training if you don't consistently reinforce the basics after the training has concluded.

I recommend: Encourage your staff to meet regularly and engage in conversations about your company's values and ethics. As part of your training in business ethics, sign up to receive free newsletters from CharacterCounts! to spark ideas and offer inspiration.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Use your business ethics education to establish a strong code of ethics and integrate its principles into the daily operations of your business.
• •  Consider business ethics training an investment, not an expense. The money you spend up front will pay off in the long run in the form of happier and more productive employees, positive publicity and loyal clients and customers.
• •  Encourage your business partners to attend seminars in business ethics.

Business ethics education and training programs are important to businesses who wish to ensure their employees are operating at high ethical standards when interacting with business partners and clients. In today's society ethics have become an essential element to any successful business. There are several ways a business owner or manager can obtain business ethics training for employees.

Traditional business ethics training can include sending employees to another location for business ethics seminars, paying for employees to attend business ethics courses at a local college, or bringing in an expert to deliver on site corporate ethics training. However, training programs are more widely available and lower cost today than ever with the utilization of online business ethics training tools. Both traditional and online options should cover business ethics training basics such as:

1. Social responsibility training on diversity and discrimination.

2. Instruction on business ethics as related to sexual harassment policy and procedure.

3. Ways to prevent and handle work place violence.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Take advantage of free trials to find the best business ethics training for your company's needs

There are numerous companies and experts that offer a wide variety of classes in business ethics both online and on-site. Determine your company's needs and then research potential business ethics training providers.

I recommend: Many training providers will offer free samples or trials so you can determine if their training is a good fit for your company's unique needs. HR Classroom offers a sample course, and Brightline Compliance offers several free demos.

Consider an on-site business ethics training program

Having on site business ethics training allows employees to learn in a face to face environment and ask questions directly from teachers and experts.

I recommend: Both Corporate-Ethics US and rgilearning offer on site ethics training and consultation.

Consider an online business ethics training program

Today there are numerous companies offering online business ethics classes and webinars. By training employees online, you will reduce costs, increase flexibility, and have the ability to train more employees at once.

I recommend: Both Global Ethics University and Ethics and Compliance Solutions offer extensive online business ethics training packages.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Look for a business ethics training provider that offers the ability to customize, so you can tailor the training to meet the distinct needs of your company and corporate culture.
• •  If you decide to go with an online business ethics provider, make sure they provide additional follow along materials. It is important for your employees undergoing training have a way to review what they have learned.
• •  Look for programs that provide a certificate once the training is completed. In order to earn the certificate, employees usually have to take a short exam. By doing this employees are tested on what they have learned, and feel a sense of accomplishment from earning a certificate.

The idea of business ethics is one that may differ in the minds of different managers and leaders. However, there is a solid study around the issue of businesses being responsible for their actions and fostering values in the work place. Reading up on some of the key terms around the study of business ethics can help focus a company on its responsibilities, the benefits of achieving good ethics, and many other considerations about how ethical choices affect all of the aspects of a business.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Code of ethics

Those involved in business ethics often choose to start with a personal or company 'code of ethics.' A code of ethics is a set of principles or statements that guide individuals and groups in day-to-day behavior and decision-making. This is used in business ethics training to reinforce ethical concepts.

I recommend: Read more about the code of ethics at WiseGeek. See more on using this concept in business ethics training at Global Ethics University.

Management discipline

When writers claim 'business ethics is a management discipline' (and a lot of them do), part of what they may be saying is that training plays an essential role in the process.

I recommend: See more about management and training for business ethics at the Complete Guide to Ethics Management.

ADA discrimination, Americans with Disabilities Act

ADA-type (Americans with Disabilities Act) discrimination is when a business or company does not seem to be accommodating those with physical disabilities. This impacts business ethics and leads to ethical polemics in a company. ADA training is when a company chooses to learn proactively about how to handle ADA compliance or related issues.

I recommend: Find out about ADA training at HR Certification.

Stakeholder

So who is a stakeholder in any given business? This term is often used to expand the 'community' around a certain business to make managers more accountable. A stakeholder is any customer, investor or anyone else who can recognize the impact of the business on their lives. Those in business ethics training are taught to value the stakeholder as well as the general public.

I recommend: See a definition and more on stakeholder on this page from LinguaLinks.

Triple bottom line

The term 'triple bottom line' is something that experts use to talk about business ethics, and trainers use in business ethics training to orient learners. The 'triple bottom line' includes the company's financial, environmental and social impact on the community.

I recommend: Find a definition of the triple bottom line and more from this Business Ethics Pledge page.

Character education

Character education is helping individuals to be attuned to all of the positive elements that business ethics seekers can find. Trainers use this in business ethics training to help learners realize that a lot of interactions rely on character above all else.

I recommend: Read up on character education and many more great terms for business ethics at the Ethics Resource Center.