Corporate Ethics - Whose Ethics Are They Any Ways?!

All companies have some kind of ethical codes, whether implied or expressed, especially within the GCC.  Many organizations bring consultants to lay down those codes for them or at least would take the advice of a consultant once the codes are identified and about to be published to the employees and to the external customers.  Employees are usually asked to acknowledge the understanding of those codes. 

The question here is do we need consultants to lay down the codes for us and tell us what is right from wrong?  Whose codes do they follow any ways? Aren’t our ethical codes embedded already in our culture and we have been fed with the ethics since we were “knee high to a grasshopper”, sort of speak?  Aren’t our ethics based on our religious beliefs that never change and stand out time?  So…why do we need consultants from else where to tell us what is right and what is wrong, in terms of internal or external organizational governance and business, while the organization is operating within the boundaries of our ethical “built-in” values? 

Unlike many other cultures, where the ethical values are a mixture of religious beliefs and best practices that dominated the way they do business and socialize, our values are part of what makes up our identity and therefore, it is a taboo to violate them.  In fact, violators are stigmatized with shame. 

So, instead of reaching out for others, we should look at the jewels we have in our set of values that we believe in and practice every single day.  Are we that naïve, inexperienced and uneducated to require a consultant, from somewhere else, to tell us what is right and what is wrong?  To lay down few documents and get paid "handsomely"?  To believe in others rather than believing in ourselves, in our capabilities and competence?  Haven’t we been growing all our life on values, principles, cultural understandings and teachings?

So why do organizations turn to consultants to set their ethical codes, policies and procedures?  Why is it true in all types of organizations; be it educational, industrial, medical and so forth?  If we are planning to contribute to the rise of our nations, then I believe we will need to go back to the basics and assess our capabilities, have trust and confidence in ourselves and seek the help of others only when we lack the expertise ourselves.