“Mainstreaming” ethics in Australian enterprises

Abstract

Focuses on the status of ethics in the larger and more significant Australian business corporations, using a survey instrument. The findings cover the origins of Australian enterprise codes, their implementation, the use of comprehensive strategies to support them, the sanctions imposed for their breach and the level of ongoing review and reporting. Uses these as criteria of “mainstreaming” ‐ the establishment of a company’s ethics function as a major and central focus of management activities, systems and procedures. Suggests that the extent of “proprietary interest” afforded addressees of codes is an element of code effectiveness and ethics mainstreaming.