Fundamental Principles of Ethical Behavior

Fundamental Principles of Ethical Behavior
1. Integrity
- It is the act of behaving in an ethical, moral, honest, and honorable way –
even when you know that there is no one watching.
- If a manager runs out to the shop and leaves an employee in the office,
they trust that employee will continue with their work, whether they are
being supervised or not.
- An employee who starts playing games on their phone as soon as the
manager has left, is not showing integrity.
- The word ‘integrity’ does not feature heavily in job descriptions, but it is
a quality that every employer looks for in an employee.
- In many cases it is implied – an employer assumes the person applying
for the job is honest and trustworthy, so it should not need to be specified
in the personal specifications required for the position.
- It is about more than simply trusting an employee. An individual with
integrity lives their life in a moral and ethical manner, they have good
interpersonal skills and the core values they hold extend to their
professional life as well.
- Employees who do not exhibit traits of integrity can be toxic to
workplace culture and therefore a company’s productivity. Where
integrity does not exist, there is often corruption.
2. Objectivity
- Means a lack of bias, judgment, or prejudice. Maintaining one’s
objectivity is the most important job of a judge.
- Judgment based on observable phenomena and uninfluenced by emotions
or personal prejudices.
Subjective Objective
- Anything that is based - Factual and based on
on personal opinion, observations and
judgment, feelings, or measurement.
point of view.
3. Professional Competence and Due Care

- To maintain professional knowledge and skill at the level required to
ensure that a client or employer receives competent professional services.
4. Confidentiality
- Refers to a duty of an individual to refrain from sharing confidential
information with others, except with the express consent of the other
party.
- There are rules and regulations which place restrictions on the
circumstances in which a professional such as a doctor or attorney, may
divulge information about a client or patient, and other situations may be
deemed confidential by the use of a contract. To explore this concept,
consider the following confidentiality definition.
5. Professional Behavior
- It is a form of etiquette in the workplace which is linked primarily to
respectful and courteous conduct, believe it or not, it can benefit career
and improve chances of future success, codes of conduct. It comes down
to ethics, integrity, or education, and being conscious of how you treat
co-workers.
- Comes down to giving your best at all times while treating others with
respect. Think about how your behavior will be perceived by others and
make sure to understand and follow company codes of conduct where
they exist.
Four (4) Fundamental Ethical Principles
1. The Principle of Respect for Autonomy

- Autonomy means “self-rule”. We have an obligation to respect the
autonomy of other persons, which is to respect the decisions made by
other people, concerning their own lives.
- “The principle of human etiquity”
- Respect for autonomy is a norm that obliges us to respect the decisions
(self-determination) of adults who have decision-making capacity.
• Three conditions:
1) Intentionality
2) Understanding
3) Absence of controlling influences that determine their action.
• Moral rules or obligations:
1) Tell the truth.
2) Respect the privacy of others.
3) Protect confidential information.
2. The Principle of Beneficence

- Obligation to bring about good in all our actions.
• Two aspects:
1) Providing benefits
2) Balancing benefits and risks/harms.
• Moral rules or obligations:

1) Protect and defend the rights of others.
2) Prevent harm from occurring to others.
3) Remove conditions that will cause harm.
4) Help persons with disabilities.
5) Rescue persons in danger.
3. Nonmaleficence
- Holds that there is an obligation not to inflict harm on others. It is closely
associated with the maximum primum non nocere (first do no harm).
• Rules:
1) Do not kill.
2) Do not cause pain or suffering.
3) Do not incapacitate.
4) Do not cause offense.
4. Justice
- Obliges us to equitably distribute benefits, risks, costs, and resources.
• Arguments (rules):
1) To each person an equal share.
2) To each person according to need.
3) To each person according to effort.
4) To each person according to contribution.
5) To each person according to merit.

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Fundamental Principles of Ethical Behavior

3. Professional Competence and Due Care

Four (4) Fundamental Ethical Principles

1. The Principle of Respect for Autonomy

2. The Principle of Beneficence

• Moral rules or obligations:

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