Code of Conduct
Your Code of Conduct sets the ground rules (policies) for personal interaction in your business. It outlines behavioural and ethical guidelines for all employees (including management), especially in relation to each other and to the customer. Your Code of Conduct should be seen as the policies that give life to your company values. Again, this can be as simple or as complex as you'd like.
One of the best examples of a Code of Conduct belongs to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. It is entitled “The Gold Standard” and is made up of three components which each employee carries around with them on a laminated card.
The Ritz Carlton Credo
- The Ritz-Carlton Hotel is a place where the genuine care and comfort of our guests is our highest mission.
- We pledge to provide the finest personal service and facilities for our guests who will always enjoy a warm, relaxed yet refined ambiance.
- The Ritz-Carlton experience enlivens the senses, instills well-being, and fulfills even the unexpressed wishes and needs of our guests.
Write a Code of Conduct for your business in the space below. It’s perfectly fine for it to be fairly basic for now. It’s something that you’ll likely add to over time.
What will you do to make sure that your Code of Conduct is more than just words on a page, filed away in a manual somewhere? Do all stakeholders (employees, shareholders, partners etc.) have access to this document? What else can you do to bring it to life?
Any time you create policies that might be controversial in nature, make sure that you go over them with a lawyer before you implement them. Also, be aware that employment laws can vary by region and from province to province, so if you are expanding or moving your business, make sure your lawyer has adequate local knowledge.