What to Do If Your Business Conducts Unethical Practices
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What to Do If Your Business Conducts Unethical Practices

One of the keys to having an ethical practice is to be willing to correct wrongs and work until you have done so. You see ethics is about doing the right thing.

Most regulatory bodies for professions have a Code of Ethics that outlines the things that are expected as well as a process to ensure that ethical practice is being done.

The steps to dealing with an issue are as follows:

  1. Clearly state the problem
  2. Gather information from all parties involved in order to be aware of various perspectives
  3. Consult with people who have expertise in your field and ask them to help you in this process
  4. List all of the possible options for resolving the issues
  5. Review each of the options with the consultants you have chosen
  6. Determine the risks and benefits of each choice
  7. Select the solution that you have chosen and be clear about why this was chosen
  8. Implement the solution that you have chosen
  9. Monitor the effects
  10. Keep good records of the above process

While you are working on the above remember that one of your main goals is to do no harm.

Although there isn't a formally written step in the Codes to forgive yourself, that is an important part of the process. You cannot move forward in your practice if you are constantly regretting the past action or are worried about making another mistake in the future. Let it go. Oh, you don't have to forget about it as it can be used as a foundation for better practice in the future if you are willing to learn from the situation.

Then, when you have completed the process, you will likely want to consider asking the consultants involved if they will be willing to act as practice advisors for you in the future. Then, when you aren't sure about how to handle a situation you will be able to contact them and do some preventative work.

Never, ever try to hide unethical conduct. This will not resolve anything and will, with time, come back at your in a way that will not only reduce the respect that others have for you but also will make you look like someone who cannot be trusted in the future. You are far better to just confront the problem and deal with it by using a good ethical process.

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