Ethics A to Z
This is a guide for Ethics Ambassadors to foster ethical workplaces through daily actions and values.
A is for Authenticity – Be yourself, act with integrity, and lead with honesty.
Always ask: “Is this the right thing to do?”
B is for Belonging – Create an ethical culture where everyone feels valued and included.
Be bold in calling out unethical behaviour
C is for Courage – Speak up when something doesn’t feel right; ethics needs brave voices.
Create a safe space for honest conversations.
D is for Diversity & Decency – Embrace different perspectives and treat others as you’d like to be treated.
Don’t assume—seek diverse perspectives
E is for Empathy & Empowerment – Understanding others leads to ethical choices; give people a voice in decision-making.
Ethics is everyone’s responsibility, not just leaders’.
F is for Fairness – Ensure just treatment, not just equal treatment; favouritism breaks trust.
G is for Growth & Gratitude – Ethical cultures evolve; learning from mistakes matters. Appreciate those who model ethical leadership.
Give credit where it’s due.
H is for Honesty & Humility – Say what you mean, mean what you say, and recognise ethics as a lifelong journey.
How you treat people matters more than what you say
I is for Integrity – Doing the right thing, even when no one is watching, is the foundation of ethical leadership.
J is for Judgment & Justice – Make balanced, fair decisions, even when rules aren’t clear.
Just cultures learn from mistakes, not punish them.
K is for Kindness – Ethical workplaces are built on care and consideration for others.
Keep accountability personal; don’t pass the buck.
L is for Listening & Leadership – Ethical leaders listen first, act second. Everyone can lead through example.
Lead by example, whatever your role.
M is for Making a Difference & Mindfulness – Ethical cultures are built through intentional choices, every day.
Make time to listen to others’ concerns.
N is for Nuance & Non-Judgment – Ethics isn’t black and white; seek understanding before making assumptions.
No one is perfect—admit when you get it wrong.
O is for Openness & Ownership – Transparency fosters trust; take responsibility for ethical choices.
P is for Psychological Safety & Principles – People speak up when they feel safe. Ethics is about living values, not just writing them down.
Psychological safety means people can speak up without fear.
Q is for Questioning & Quality of Character – Ask “Why?” and let your values shape your daily actions.
Question assumptions before making a big decision.
R is for Respect & Responsibility – Mutual respect builds strong ethics; own your impact on others.
Respect is at the core of ethical workplaces.
S is for Stewardship & Self-Awareness – Think long-term, consider your biases, and foster ethical environments.
Small ethical choices add up to big cultural change.
T is for Trust & Transparency – Trust is hard to build, easy to break—protect it.
U is for Understanding & Unity – Ethical workplaces thrive when people work together and see the bigger picture.
V is for Values in Action & Vision – Ethics isn’t just theory; it’s what you do every day. Think beyond today’s decisions.
W is for Whistleblowing & Wisdom – A strong ethical culture welcomes concerns, learns from past challenges, and grows.
Words matter—be honest, clear, and respectful.
X is for eXample-setting – What you do matters more than what you say.
eXamine the impact of your actions on others.
Y is for Your Role – Every person shapes an ethical workplace; ethics isn’t just policy—it’s how you show up.
You have the power to shape workplace ethics.
Z is for Zest & Zeal – Ethical cultures are full of purpose, energy, and passion for doing the right thing.
Zero-sum thinking leads to ethical blind spots—collaborate instead
Share you own idea for the alphabet…
In my #AlphabetOfEthics …
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