Ethical Committees- Roles and Suggestions for Effectiveness
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The document discusses the roles and responsibilities of ethical committees and how to establish an effective ethics program within an organization. It describes how ethical committees promote ethical practices, develop and oversee ethics policies, ensure protections for participants, and provide training on ethical codes. It recommends conducting a needs assessment before forming a committee and choosing knowledgeable members known for integrity. It also discusses the roles of the committee chair and ethics officer in developing ethics statements, training, investigating complaints, and communicating the ethics program. The document provides suggestions for making ethics committees transparent, encouraging whistleblowers, injecting ethical behavior throughout the organization, and ensuring top management support.
Ethical Committees- Roles and Suggestions for Effectiveness
- 2. ETHICAL COMMITTEE – The ethical committee is a standing committee of the broad of trustees. It promotes the ethical practices of psychology and is responsible for the code of ethics and conduct and other ethical guidance within the organisation.
- 3. – The committee may issue internal and external reports on the extent to which the company is living up to its ethical standards and oversees the organizations reporting on corporate responsibility generally.
- 4. Responsibilities of an ethical committee – To establish and monitor help lines. – To oversee subsequent actions following breaches of the ethical policy. – Developing and reviewing the effectiveness of and updating ethics and related polices. – The liaison with stakeholders over ethical issues.
- 5. To ensure the protection of rights, safety and well-being of participants involved in an organization. To ensure that there is effective communication reinforcing ethical values and good practices in the business and censuring unacceptable practices.
- 6. – To ensure that there is effective training in the code of ethics of all levels. – Setting up monitoring, reporting and accountability processes.
- 7. Responsibilities of committee members Acting with integrity and avoiding or declaring personal conflicts of interest. As committee members, they will make decisions as a collective group and hold joint responsibility for decisions and actions taken by the committee, even in their absence.
- 8. They are responsible for ensuring that all decisions are taken in the best interests of the organisation and that their role is carried out effectively. Individual members should demonstrate selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
- 9. Role of Ethical Committee – To define Formal codes of conduct – Developing ethical policy for the organization and also investigating ethical infractions by employees – Establish Ethics communication system that would include the facility for employees to post queries, get advice, or report any wrongdoing. –
- 10. – Develop and organise ethics training program meant to make workers conscious of ethical issues that are likely to arise in place of work; and how to deal with them effectively. – Establish and a disciplinary system that would ensure prompt, decisive and impartial dealings with violations.
- 11. – Setup an ethics office with officer(s) to oversee the process and facilitate the communication of the policy to employees
- 12. How to form an Ethical committee? – NEEDS ASSESSMENTS Before initiating an OEC, those responsible should conduct a needs assessment to provide a necessary' foundation for the committee's work. Such a review will not only surface areas needing education and policy analysis but also provide colleagues with an opportunity to voice ethical concerns
- 13. – CHOOSING THE MEMBERS Each organization sets its own bylaws for ethics committees, often citing the types of persons who should be invited to participate, remembering always that membership is voluntary and not remunerated.
- 14. – The persons choosen must be: – • Knowledgeable – . • Able and willing to do the preparatory work necessary for such deliberations (including professional reading, workshops, programs, or courses). – • Capable of ethical discourse
- 15. –• Sufficiently oriented to. • Recognized for their honesty and integrity
- 16. Who chairs the committee? – The leader of such a group should be a woman or man of recognized strength, integrity, and moral leadership.
- 17. Supporting the committee – The kinds of support needed tend to be quite practical and measurable. They include (but are not restricted to): – • Administrative assistance for scheduling meetings, taking minutes, calling ad hoc consults, managing calendar, and numerous other services
- 18. • Sufficient funds to ensure adequate education for committee chair and members. This includes books, subscriptions to ethics journals, and tuition to workshops. While these tuitions are costly, many committees rotate attendance, the participants promising to share their learning with the entire OEC
- 19. . • Cooperation from, and the active involvement of, individuals who manage key departments in the organization..
- 20. • Use of the system's or facility's public relations and educational mechanisms to inform colleagues about the committee's existence, role, and function. This includes simple and clear information about how to access the committee for a consultation
- 21. • The participation of all who commit to involvement on the committee. While membership in an OEC may look quite good on a professional resume, it does not serve the organization if members do not do their homework or fail to attend meetings.
- 23. Ethics Officer – The ethics officer serves as the organization's internal control point for ethics and improprieties, allegations, complaints, and conflicts of interest and provides corporate leadership and advice on corporate governance issues.
- 24. Essential Functions of ethics officer – Develops and disseminates corporate ethics statements, policies and supporting forms/acknowledgements. – Provides an internal review of other corporate policies to ensure corporate consistency and integration with the corporation's ethics philosophies. Integrates the corporate ethics message throughout the corporate culture
- 25. – Oversees the development and implementation of corporate ethics and conflict-of-interest training and conducts ethical decision-making training for senior management on ethics issues and avoiding conflicts of interest.
- 26. – Promptly conducts investigations pursuant to complaints and allegations of ethical wrongdoing or conflicts of interest. Prepares written investigative reports as necessary.
- 27. Ethics Communication System – Ethics communication systems play a crucial role in making an ethics program successful. – Ethics communication systems should allow employees to make enquiries, get advice if needed, or report wrongdoing.
- 28. The objective of the ethics communication system The company’s values and standards of ethical business conduct to employees. Provide information to employees on the company policies and procedures regarding ethical business conduct. –
- 29. Put in place processes to help employees obtain guidance and to resolve questions regarding compliance with the firm’s conduct and values; and
- 30. Establish means of enquiry such as telephone hotlines, suggestion boxes and email facilities for employees to get in touch with and get advice from competent authorities. It is also ideal to have one of these facilities available to allow anonymous contact, where and when required.
- 31. Suggestions for Effectiveness – Make the proceedings of the committee transparent and accountable. – Encourage whistle blowers. – Have the spirit of ethical behaviour injected to whole of the organisation. – Ensure participation in related activities and training. – Ensure top management support
- 32. Thank You – Presented By – Aswathy Krishnan A.S. – Athira T.S. – Biju B