0_READING PRACTICE-business ethics

Universidad de Oviedo Comunicación Oral y Escrita en Inglés I
Departamento de Filología Inglesa, Francesa y 2023-2024

Alemana
READING PRACTICE (UNIT 3)
Ethics is a brand of philosophy which is concerned with principles and rules of human
behaviour. In considers what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ and examines moral values.
In business, the creation of a code of ethics is a way for organizations to establish basic
principles about their behaviour. This covers all aspects of business conduct: the company’s
business strategy, its treatment of employees and suppliers, its sales practices and accounting
practices. In fact, most business activities have an ethical aspect. In many ways this is
determined by commercial objectives as unethical practices can have negative consequences
for a business. More and more companies realize the value of ethics in today’s crowded
marketplace. Companies can benefit from promoting their ethical practice.
The ethical code of a company covers more than its basic legal obligations. It states
what a company chooses to do rather than what it is forced to by law. Business ethics concern
both the conduct of the organization as a whole and the conduct of the individuals within an
organization.
The following questions are examples of ethical issues which business organizations
are typically concerned with:
1 Is it ethical to reduce costs by using cheaper resources in less economically

developed countries? For example, large Western multinational companies using child labour
in some of their overseas factories.
2 Is it ethical to sell products that are legal, but could harm those who use them? For
example, cigarettes and alcohol.
3 is it ethical to advertise to children? For example, the use of thin models in clothes
advertisements could discourage children from eating properly.
4 Is it ethical to look for loopholes in the law to avoid paying tax? For example, setting
up offshore companies.
These are ‘big’ questions that elicit strong opinions and strong disagreements. But ethics also
raises many smaller questions about individual employee behaviour. For example, “How do I
manage my team?” and “Is it acceptable not to tell the whole truth when selling products or
services to my customers?”.
In theory, business ethics are a set of attitudes, morals and rules of behaviour that
should be shared by all organizations. One company’s ethical policy should be the same as
another’s. However, in practice, not all businesses agree on what is ethical and what is not.
Individuals in everyday life have very different ethical standards, so why should we expect
individuals in business organizations to be different? On the other hand, organizations often
make very clear statements and promises about their values. For example, environmental
concerns are central to most of today’s businesses, so you would expect that a company with
the slogan ‘Making the world a better place’ would be taking actions that were good for
society or the environment. So anyone who voluntarily joins the organization is giving their
agreement to the corporate culture and to the values attached.
Universidad de Oviedo Comunicación Oral y Escrita en Inglés I
Departamento de Filología Inglesa, Francesa y 2023-2024
Alemana
Read the text on business ethics and complete the following activities
Determine whether the following statements are true or false according to the text.
Support you answers in all cases. Do not copy literally from the text.
1. In business, a “code of ethics” is used mostly to increase the companies’ financial
benefits.
2. Codes of ethics test the way the whole company behaves as much as the way each
member/worker in the company behaves.
3. “Big” questions about ethics are rarely addressed by large Western multinational
companies.
4. In practice, most companies share the same ethical codes, unlike the individuals
working for them.
Find expressions in the text that mean:

a. a local division of a business or any other organization:
b. people or organizations that provide raw materials for companies to develop

their products or activities:
c. to dissuade somebody from doing something, or make them less willing to do

it:
Answer the following questions with information from the text, using your own
words:
1. How can companies set out their basic principles of behaviour?
2. What does the author mean by saying that “the ethical code of a company covers
more than its basic legal obligations”?
3. Why is it important for companies to make “clear statements and promises about their
values”?
Find synonyms in the text for these words:

a) worker: d) international (or transnational):
b) damage: e) behaviour:
c) prompt: f) motto:

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Universidad de Oviedo Comunicación Oral y Escrita en Inglés I

Departamento de Filología Inglesa, Francesa y 2023-2024

READING PRACTICE (UNIT 3)

1 Is it ethical to reduce costs by using cheaper resources in less economically

Find expressions in the text that mean:

b. people or organizations that provide raw materials for companies to develop

c. to dissuade somebody from doing something, or make them less willing to do

Find synonyms in the text for these words:

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