Companies are sometimes hesitant when it comes to holding an ethics workshop – they’re not sure what will come out of them or how expectations can be managed. However, ask the HR or operational people who attend them afterwards and invariably, the responses are very positive. That’s because ethics workshops represent a unique opportunity for the company to put its finger on the ethical pulse of how its people are working.
Properly planned and facilitated, ethics workshops can provide senior managers with valuable insights into the key ethical concerns that their people are carrying. These can bring reassurance, surprise or perhaps even the odd shock or two. As an external, independent expert in ethics and insurance, my role is to instill confidence amongst attendees in how the event is managed and how the issues raised are reported. The earlier such confidence is achieved, the greater are the insights likely to come out of the workshop.
Not surprisingly, preparation is important, to ensure that everyone has similar expectations about what the workshop is to there to achieve. Having been involved in several such events, I have the experience to ensure that your workshop is a success for those commissioning it, those participating in it and those who hear about its outcomes.
Duncan is an independent adviser on business ethics, with a particular focus on the insurance and financial planning sectors. He worked in insurance for 18 years and has been an ethics adviser for 11 years. He's a Chartered Insurance Practitioner.