Executive Summary: Ethics At Verizon Wireless

The goal of communications is to make ethics a live, ongoing conversation. If ethics is something that is constantly addressed, referenced frequently in company meetings, and in personal conversations among managers and employees, then people are more aware and more willing to defend the company’s policies when they see or hear of problems. Employees will hold other employees responsible and accountable for living the company’s values.

We as business owners, management and or in a role of authority must set, address and comply with a solid foundation of ethics. “A code of conduct is the single most important element of your ethics and compliance program. It sets the tone and direction for the entire function. Often, the code is a standalone document, ideally only a few pages in length. It introduces the concept of ethics and compliance and provides an overview of what you mean when you talk about ethical business conduct.”

When creating the content within the code of ethics, it is important to remember and establish immediately that The Code of ethics applies to all Widget Tech Inc. employees and directors. To create a code of ethics a company needs to look to the industry, it is important that employees, directors and stakeholders are aware that “We (Widget Tech Inc.) abide by all rules of conduct of the American Widget Manufactures Association” (Joel Saltzman, 2006) It is also important to Look outside the industry and compare current Code of Ethics with other companies in our manufacturing industry. A company must cover all aspects of business when creating their code of ethics. It is also important for a company to consider problems that might have occurred in the past, and how problems have been resolved.

Ethics and moral obligations are issues we all encounter at one time or another. In the professional setting, all people should act in a manner that would uphold the good of society. To be ethical, one has to determine their obligations, moral ideas, and moral philosophy (Boatright, p. 19, 2009). The case analysis involving Jacob Franklin was a perfect example of how an individual can face the dilemma of doing what is right or wrong. Businesses have their own code of ethics, and the employees within the business have to determine whether or not they will follow the company’s code of conduct. I will discuss several ethical issues in the case analysis including; failure to report information, remaining silent regarding faulty equipment,

T-Mobile is a well-known U.S enterprise with a good reputation in the wireless industry because of good practice of business ethics. Under the leading of John J. Legere, in 2012, the company was recognized as one of the world’s most ethical enterprises (T-mobile Makes Ethisphere’s Most Ethical Companies List, 2012). The firm’s core value includes “respect and integrity drive our behaviour”, “customer delight drives our action”, “I am T-mobile - count on me”, etcetera (T-mobile, 2016).

Ethics are integral in the 21st century due to the evolution of business, technology, and government oversight. There is a legal responsibility to do what is right by the customer – if you produce a product knowing that there is a high risk of harm to the consumer, you will be eventually be found out, prosecuted, and held liable.

Over the next 60 days, every person is expected to receive and complete training on the code of conduct, and components of the compliance and ethics program. Additional specialized training will be available for those with special functions. An ethics hotline is also available at 1-877-ETHICAL to anonymously report illegal activities or unethical conduct inconsistent with the standards of this program. A non-retaliation policy is being strictly enforced to allow anyone to share anonymous and confidential reporting. You are the backbone of the company and I am proud that we all will carry out ethical work practices that will further strengthen our commitment to these standards and enhance our rich

Verizon Communications connects to society not only by suppling 38% of the wireless communication subscription market, but more importantly through its commitment to ethical values and practicing socially responsible policies. Stating these beliefs in their code of ethics, “We stand for integrity, respect, performance excellence and accountability. This reaches beyond products and services, connecting our customers to a larger truth about what we do and why it matters.” (Verizon, 2017) Following a code of ethics, Verizon presents a “Verizon Credo” that goes into more depth about their core values. Considering the ethical and social responsibilities of Verizon as it influences the company ability to be a possible investment, a source to purchase from, or as an employer, research and analysis would reveal Verizon to be a leader in ethical values and funding socially responsible projects. WeNeedMore.com is a recent initiative Verizon has been supporting to invest in education and to broaden the scope of a child’s mind. Verizon strongly defines a set of core values, that are monitored and practiced, setting aside this company to be accountable to their customers on behalf of for their products. Employment under a Verizon adheres to an agreement between the company and its employees. This agreement to operate under ethical standards is clearly defined, enabling the employee to excel along the expected route.

AT&T’s Code of Ethics offers all managers and employees guidelines for company’s values. The code's

We found that although a code of conduct, ethics hotline, and newsletter exist, none were consistently used, enforced, or reinforced by company employees or management. For example, upon joining the company, employees must sign a code of conduct; however, management has not made a sustained effort to implement or reinforce the code.

Ethical behavior is virtuous and beneficial for business in any type of organization. In healthcare, the outcomes are improved patient care, dedicated staff and healthcare providers, and amplified market share. It obliges leaders, managers, directors, and supervisors to have a comprehensive interpretation of the role of ethical decision making (Winkler, 2005). Ethical health care organizations have incorporated and combined ethical practices and values, continuing education on ethics for everyone involved, successful ethics substructure, and morally spirited and dauntless leaders (Winkler, 2005). These organizations have a vision and statements that directs behavior and decision making.

In the workplace as well as one’s personal life is essential for ethics to be maintained; often taking the right action is not always the most popular choice. It is important for maintaining an upstanding ethical code of conduct to be a productive individual as well as function as an employee in the workplace.

Most organizations implement a code of ethics to establish proper standards and procedures for line managers and employees. Additionally, Dowlen and Festing et al., ‘‘HR professionals have an important role to play in instituting a strategic plan for legal compliance and developing corporate codes voluntary compliance’’ (p. 271). Ideally, a well-written code of ethics will provide guidance and understanding on how staff members should handle certain situations. For example, Lisa Magloff from Chron Business, states that ‘‘The Kraft code of ethics contains just 10 short rules of ethical behavior that all employees must follow. The introduction to the Kraft code of ethics suggests that employees should let values guide their actions

Today’s business world presents numerous ethical issues. In today’s world above board/moral ethics in organizations do not often materialize intuitively. Organization must strive to provide employees with a clear understanding of the overall company vision. This will aid employees in practicing the code of ethics, policies and procedures in the workplace. Companies must be unwavering in continuously delivering the uppermost ethics of provision in which customers, applicants and employees are entitled to under fair business practices. One major core value is to uphold responsible and fair business practices.

In their personal and professional lives, people can and, unfortunately, sometimes do go against their moral and ethical standards. Ethical standards are what it means to be a good person, the social rules that govern our behavior. Ethics in business is essentially the study of what constitutes the right and wrong or the good or bad behavior in the workplace environment. A business is an organization whose objective is to provide goods or services for profit. The organization has a group of people that work together to achieve a common purpose. The moral challenges that these men and women face each day along with a whole range of problems that could occur, are why ethics plays such an important