Business and Marketing Ethics
Codes of Ethics Governing Businesses and Marketers
The Illinois Institute of Technology's Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions provides a large database of codes of ethics and other related resources for a large number of professional fields. Among some of the codes most relevant to business and marketing professionals are:
1. American Marketing Association
(http://www.marketingpower.com/AboutAMA/Pages/Statement%20of%20Ethics.aspx)
Ethical Norms and Values for Marketers:
- Do no harm.
- Foster trust in the marketing system.
- Embrace ethical values.
- Strive to be truthful at all times.
- Offer products of value that do as claimed.
- Stand behind products that fail to deliver as claimed.
- Honor commitments and promises.
- Strive to serve the needs of customers.
- Avoid using coercion with all stakeholders.
- Consider environmental stewardship in decision-making.
- Value individual differences and avoid stereotyping customers in a negative way.
- List to needs of customers and make reasonable efforts to improve their satisfaction.
- Give back to the community through volunteerism and charitable donations.
2. Better Business Bureau (http://mbc.bbb.org/business-code-of-ethics/)
Business Code of Ethics:
- Equality: recognize individual rights and display a fair sense of justice.
- Truth: strive to be open about all aspects of all offered products and services.
- Honesty: uphold the principle of fair play and be vigilant against deceptiveness.
- Integrity: serve customers with honestly, and avoid preying on human ignorance or gullibility.
- Cooperativeness: support a healthy marketplace through cooperation with customers, other businesses, and every person who benefits from an ethical, free-market system.
- Self-Regulation: honor all commitments, and seek to resolve any disputes in a fair and expeditious manner.