Ethical and Socially Responsibility in Business

Ethical and Socially Responsive Business
As the CEO of Chipotle, it is one of the top priorities to have a clear and concise code of ethical conduct. It not only helps the business lay out a plan of what is acceptable and what is not, it also ensures the employees understands the policies and what they are allowed to do. The code of conduct helps define the ethics of the company. Ethics is a set of moral guidelines to decipher what is right or wrong in any decision that falls outside of the law (Kelly, McGowen, Williams, 2014). Having a clear set of rules helps the employees’ decision making become easier as many topics are outlined in the code of conduct.
Chipotle has many key areas in the code of conduct, but one that stands out is the statement on integrity and how the company is built around it. The
Chipotle code of conduct states, “Integrity is about being real and being honest. It means doing the right thing even when no one is watching. These values permeate the way we do, and do not do, business” (Chipotle, 2010). In the entire code of conduct, it relates back to that simple statement from the company. Yet as simple as that statement is, it shows what the company strives to achieve; a positive and genuine environment where employees like their jobs and customers want to come.
Professionalism can play a major role in a company’s success as it is closely linked with customer service. That makes it a key area for Chipotle. Employees are taught to think before they speak or act, to keep in mind that all items can be used in public, and employees need to represent the company positively (Chipotle, 2010). Professionalism covers many areas such as harassment, so employees know how to treat each other as well as the customers. By adding this to their code of conduct it allows employees to be aware of what is expected of them and how to achieve the level that the company wishes to achieve.
Because of what is in the code of conduct it is important that management and employees know what is expected. Steps need to be taken to ensure their understanding. One of the ways to make certain all employees read it is to have it in the new hire paperwork. Once the new employee completes the reading they sign the document to acknowledge their understanding. Their manager can then discuss key points with the employee and answer any questions that they might have. Key personnel should follow the guidelines placed by the company and make sure the policies are followed by everyone. Some ways to achieve this would to review it on a regular basis, discuss main topics (or issues) in leadership and staff meetings, and to refer to the policy in employee discussions or corrective actions. Leading by example plays a huge role in making sure that it is followed. The company cannot expect a line employee to follow the guidelines if any supervisor, manager, or senior manager does not.
Chipotle encourages employee involvement in heath events such as marathons or any activity that promotes their health, well-being or education as it benefits the company and employee. There are benefits for the community, as well as Chipotle, when it comes to community activities. If it were not for the community, Chipotle would not be able to run and operate their business. It is in the best interest of the company to avoid any affiliations that involves religious or political affiliations (Chipotle, 2010).
Another way to have community involvement is to donate food to fundraisers. As small as this may seem, it can have a huge impact. People see that food was donated by Chipotle, raising awareness of the company’s involvement. It also can bring in more customers who liked the food, or customers wanting to support a business who supports a cause. Getting Chipotle’s name out in the community in a positive manner will in turn help increase business.
A company’s code of conduct represents what the company stands for, what they want to achieve, and how they are going to accomplish their vision. Employees are made aware of the expectations of the company and the outcomes if not followed.




















References
Chipotle. (2010). Chipotle Investor Relations – Code of Conduct. Retrieved from http://ir.chipotle.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=194775&p=irol-govConduct on 6/12/2016.
Kelly, M., McGowen, J., & Williams, C. (2014). BUSN (6th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.