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Business
owners, employees and customers:
It?s your turn to weigh in. What
kinds of ethical questions should a
business be asking itself? As local
business and civic leaders strive to
frame a regional code of business
ethics, they are seeking advice from
the community. Please reflect on the
following questions, and send us
your responses. Email letters to the
editor (400- words) to
news@ledgertranscript.com .
The Ledger-Transcript will print the
letters and they also will be posted
here following publication.
1. What responsibilities, if any,
does a business have to others in
the community?
Should my business have a role to
play in issues concerning education,
the environment, the elderly and/or
the cultural life of my community?
How could my business help the
community address these challenges?
2. Does my business have a clearly
stated Code of Business Ethics? Are
all employees required to "actively"
review its elements on a regular
basis (monthly, yearly, biannually)?
3. Beyond providing jobs, how can my
business add value to our community?
How might I foster opportunities for
my employees to do so?
4. Do I communicate with others in a
respectful manner? Do my business
practices demonstrate respect for
others? Do I behave with integrity
and dignity?
5. Do I feel comfortable engaging in
a discussion with my colleagues,
supervisors, or clients if I believe
something they are asking me to do
conflicts with my personal ethics?
6. How much weight should
profit-making have in business
decisions? What, if any, other
factors should be considered?
Read the
"Viewpoint" article, Monadnock
Ledger-Transcript, 04/17/07 (PDF)
To
the editor:
For what they have recently
undertaken and will accomplish in
the future, I applaud the New
England Center for Civic Life (NECCL),
its director Joni Doherty, and all
who participated in the Franklin Pierce University
seminar on Business
and Ethics. I also commend this
newspaper for its active role in
formation of the group's initiative
"to provide businesses with tools to
foster ethical decision-making" and
to develop a culture of ethical
awareness throughout the region.
Last year, the Pew Internet and
American Life Project found 60
million American Internet users (45
percent of 135 million surveyed)
used the web when facing a major
moment in their lives and when
making big decisions. Clearly,
yesterday's discussions around the
water cooler have moved to a new
venue. With this in mind, I propose
consideration be given to formation
of a "blog ring" anchored by NECCL
and with each member (including this
newspaper) concentrating on one, or
more, ethical issues of concern to
the group. (For readers unfamiliar
with Internet jargon, "blog" is an
abbreviation of weblog and refers to
an Internet journal for, and easily
updated by, interested readers.
Tightly related material residing on
a number of journals and linked
together for convenience becomes a "blog
ring").
Maryann Harper (West Rindge
Builders) has it right, "The
initiative isn't about rules -- it's
about changing a culture."
Principles of ethics may be
expressed as a code. However, the
seat of ethical behavior is in our
hearts. Changing our culture today
is not unlike the challenge faced by
Abraham Lincoln who observed; in
order to "win a man to your cause,"
you must first reach his heart, "the
great high road to reason." I urge
group members to consider renaming
the initiative just launched to "The
Monadnock Guide for Ethical
Choices." It sets aside the
connotation of a set of rules for
businesses to live by. Rather, it
suggests the initiative's work
product escorts one and all into
unfamiliar territory. That is, an
ethical awareness culture throughout
the region. Members of the
Association for Practical and
Professional Ethics are a highly
diverse group of ethicists committed
to the fields of education,
business, health, journalism, law,
engineering, computer science,
public administration and other
vocations. Several well-endowed
university ethics centers and
member-supported associations
provide outreach programs including
publications, videos and websites.
Laurance Foley
Dublin
Millipore Corporation's Code of
Conduct
Millipore's code of conduct is
managed and maintained by
Millipore's Office of the General
Counsel. It covers a wide variety of
topics such as insider trading,
improper payments, equal employment
opportunity and respect in the
workplace, health safety and
environmental protection, and
respect for third party copyrighted
materials, to name a few.
We also make it clear that even the
most thorough plan cannot cover
every possible situation. Our
employees are expected to conduct
themselves with the highest level of
integrity and to "do the right
thing" in all circumstances.
Millipore employs a rigorous means
of communicating the contents of
this program. Each year, all
Millipore employees are required to
read the code of conduct and sign a
document stating they have read and
understand its contents.
Millipore offers several options for
employees to report suspected
violations of the code of conduct.
The traditional method is via the
worker's supervisor or human
resources representative. But
employees are also encouraged to
contact a member of the legal
department if they feel so inclined.
There is also a compliance line,
which is managed by a third party in
order to maintain confidentiality.
The compliance line uses a toll-free
number that enables employees to
file complaints. This number is
displayed on our internal computer
network and is posted throughout our
facilities. This level of
communication is essential in order
to facilitate this process.
Millipore views the compliance line
as a tool that enables our
leadership to quickly and
efficiently manage potential
violations. All reports to the
compliance line are taken seriously
and are investigated immediately.
Employees who use the compliance
line are encouraged to call the
number back after a period of time
so that the result of the
investigation can be reported to
them.
I have had the opportunity to be a
part of a few investigations that
were the result of reports to this
line. The name of the person making
the call was never revealed. I
worked closely with our legal
counsel as well as our vice
president of human resources. Their
involvement demonstrates, I believe,
the company's commitment to
maintaining a business that operates
under the highest possible standards
of integrity, trust and ethical
standards.
Scott Loomer is human resources
manager for Millipore Corporation's
Jaffrey facility.
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