Ethics in Accounting: Relationship between Accountability and Ethics in Organizations

Ethics in accounting
Executive summary
This paper explores the relationship between accountability and ethics in organisations and how
it has not been examined. The paper identifies major ethical issues and how they affect the
organisation from employees to management and the stakeholders. It also lays out ethical
principles and how they relate to businesses, not leaving out regulatory measures that should be
put in place to avoid unethical behavior in workplaces. The paper goes further to advice on
disciplinary actions to those who breach the organization policy. Last but not least, it talks about
how unethical behavior can affect the organization if not handled well and gives a response and
implementation plan to unethical cases in organisations.
Table of Contents
Executive summary.........................................................................................................................1
Introduction......................................................................................................................................6
Ethical issues in accountancy.......................................................................................................6
Avoid putting pressure on the employees................................................................................7
Encourage competence.............................................................................................................7
Benchmarking..........................................................................................................................7
Stepping in for the employees when necessary........................................................................8
Moral responsibility.................................................................................................................9
Ethical principles........................................................................................................................10
Have a team mentality............................................................................................................10
Outline clear expectations......................................................................................................10

Practice what you preach........................................................................................................11
Introduce policies to discuss Unethical dilemmas.....................................................................12
Introduce the APES 110 code of ethics.........................................................................................12
Integrity..................................................................................................................................12
Objectivity....................................................................................................................................12
Due care and professional competence..................................................................................12
Confidentiality........................................................................................................................13
Professional behavior.............................................................................................................13
Implementation plan..................................................................................................................13
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................14
References......................................................................................................................................15

Introduction
Responsibility is an act of carrying out duties to others. The task could be assigned according to
the position that the person holds. It includes the process, the outcome and consequences of the
act performed while accountability is the readiness to explain to stakeholders for one's intentions,
actions and judgments. Employees must act responsibly to ensure there is accountability in the
organization. Every employee has a specific role to play in an organisation to help the
organisation to achieve their goals, and in case one person decides to work alone without the
help of others, chances of that person making wrong decisions are high, and any wrong choice
could lead to failure of the organisation. Eventually, it ends up affecting many people among
them colleagues, those in leadership, clients and stakeholders. Employers should ensure they
provide their employees with a conducive work environment and reduce pressure to ensure the
employees do a quality job. If the working conditions are not right, wrong decisions might be
made to have the job done and to deliver. Employers should also create a good working
relationship with their employees to ensure there is a consultation in the event where difficult
situations have to be made. Proper channels should be put in place for violations to be reported
and handled without fail.
Ethical issues in accountancy
According to Duff (2016) unethical practices in workplaces are not only encouraged by the
employees but the organization plays a major role of encouraging unethical practices in many
ways. There are many ways that an organization through the management can stop this unethical
behavior and one of them is: