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Ethics and Corporate Governance

Target Audience:	Heads of Internal Audit, Audit Managers, Risk Managers, Company Secretaries, Non Executive Directors
Maximum Number:	12
Time commitment /cost:	1 day / £375 (discounts for multiple bookings)
Course documentation:	Binder with narrative text, slides, examples, case studies and exercises

At the root of the Enron and WorldCom collapse, in the sense of betrayal felt by Marconi investors and Equitable Life pensioners, in countless lower profile corporate frauds and failures, there lies a breakdown in ethical conduct - notoriously suspended at Enron. Acting ethically is a challenge to all of us as individuals, as employees and as professionals. How should we behave when the rights and wrongs are not clear? What framework can we rely on in a multi-cultural global environment? What questions should we be asking ourselves and our colleagues?

Using case studies and extensive participation this course will help you to clarify your thinking, re-inforce the ethics and values of your organisation, and tackle difficult issues as they arise.

Objectives
By the end of the day delegates should be able to:

Understand the principles of business ethics and relate them to common business dilemmas
Analyse Ethical Statements and evaluate cultural factors
Design a Code of Conduct and
Get buy-in from directors and management at all levels
Energise ethical behaviour throughout the organisation

Outline of the Day

Introduction and objectives Introducing the course leaders and the participants. Setting objectives and expectations	Common Issues in Business Ethics "One small company can't affect the global picture" - which issues should companies take up and which can they safely ignore? Working ethically in a 'sinful' sector· Balancing undesirable outcomes Aggressive earnings management Whistle blowing Is there a special role for internal audit?
Fundamental Ethical Principles Justice, fairness and duty to others: where do we get these principles from? Autonomy, Independence and Collegiality: issues for non-executive directors and internal auditors Doing good and not doing harm: shareholder rights and corporate social responsibility Ethics and the law	Facilitating Ethical Discourse in Organisations How to embed ethical principles in your organisation Using the risk workshop in an ethical context Creating a support network for when the right thing to do is unclear Avoiding the factors which undermine corporate ethics
Ethical Statements and Codes of Conduct Examples from leading companies, organisations and professional bodies - including the IIA Gaining commitment to a written Code of Conduct What to put in your corporate Code of Conduct Communicating and re-inforcing your ethical position	Reflection Point and Conclusions Building an action oriented plan to create or renew a corporate Ethical Statement and make it meaningful to everyone from the Board room to the shop floor.

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