The Institute of Business Ethics (IBE) report shows that 71% of companies now train their employees in ethics, compared with 47% in 2004. It is the first time that the majority of companies surveyed offer such training.
The report also shows that more boards of directors are taking an active role in their firm’s ethics policy. Yet while nearly half of companies say the responsibility for business ethics sits with their legal department, just 13% say it lies with HR.
“Liaising with HR is critical in getting the information companies need on business ethics,” Simon Webley, research director at the IBE, told <i>HR</i>. “Exit interviews and staff surveys – both handled by HR – are important in getting a good indication of an organisation’s ethics.”
