As a journalist, I choose to act in accordance with the Code of Ethics set out by the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), of which honesty, fairness, independence, and respect for the rights of others underpins the code.

This means I strive to ensure that every story I research and write about is honest, fair, independent, and respectful to the rights of others—even this blog post! And over the years, most of the organisations I have worked for, have too, upheld the ethos of the MEAA Code of Ethics.

Of course, just because a particular industry or trade union prescribes a set of guidelines, doesn’t necessarily mean each organisation or practitioner within that industry will uphold them—case in point: News International’s involvement in the phone hacking scandal in the UK.

And usually, until there is a breach of ethics like that of News International’s, it’s rather easy to forget why a code of ethics is necessary, particularly since compliance to the code is often voluntary, or at least, highly malleable.

But by submitting to a code of ethics, conduct or practice, you’re establishing yourself as an authority in your field; you’re telling your customers, clients and employees that you have integrity.

If you’re a bookkeeper or operate your own bookkeeping business, your clients are entrusting you with one of their most prized possessions—their livelihoods, and a code of ethics illustrates to them how you and your business operate.

But there are other reasons to adopt a code of ethics, aside from professional status. Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream, for instance, instituted a “values-led business” code by donating 7.5 percent of profits to charity, while other organisations value a work culture grounded in a strong ethical framework that promotes high staff retention, greater customer loyalty, and increased productivity.

For all the different reasons an organisation or business would have to adopt a code of ethics, the outcome never deviates—a code of ethics ensures accountability.

If you choose to submit to the Australian Association of Professional Bookkeepers’ Code of Professional Conduct, you’re communicating to your clients what they can expect from you, and, in turn, what you can expect from them—conduct that is ethical and lawful, confidential, objective and independent, and competent.

Angela

Recent Posts

Office Admin Workers Day – gift ideas for staff

Office admin workers are the key employees which keep every business running, large or small.…

11 hours ago

Join the Bookkeeping Academy

Join the Bookkeeping Academy as a member to improve your personal brand and get online…

3 weeks ago

Should You Reconcile Your Accounts Every Day?

Reconciling Your Accounts Daily Gives a True Picture of Cash Flow The king was in…

3 weeks ago

BAS Course and Financial Reporting training by rescuing Jerry’s messy startup

Some of the most challenging bookkeeping work is catchup or rescue bookkeeping. When there are…

4 weeks ago

Can you REALLY Trust PayPal?

When we were using our old enrolment form I was alerted about the option to…

1 month ago

Bookkeeping Basics: Chart of Accounts Explained

Just wanted to give you the heads-up on some cool stuff we've been working on.…

1 month ago