Preparing for a Professional Career: Ethical Issues and CPD

This report, prepared for a "Preparing for a Professional Career" module, delves into global ethical issues within the business environment, focusing on topics such as discrimination and child labor. It examines the impact of ethical issues on organizations, explores solutions like codes of conduct, and provides examples of companies facing ethical challenges. The report also highlights the positive outcomes of ethical practices, such as enhanced reputation and employee motivation. Furthermore, it includes a detailed CPD (Continuing Professional Development) plan, outlining areas of learning, reflection, future implications, and SMART objectives, demonstrating a commitment to continuous professional growth and ethical conduct in the workplace. The assignment assesses the likely impact of implementing a code of conduct and reflects on the learning from the module.

Preparing for a
Professional Career

Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Main Body.......................................................................................................................................3
Part A...............................................................................................................................................3
Global ethical issues....................................................................................................................3
Solution of ethical issues.............................................................................................................3
Two organisational example of having ethical issues.................................................................4
Positive outcomes of code of conduct.........................................................................................5
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................5
References........................................................................................................................................6
Appendix..........................................................................................................................................7
Part B...............................................................................................................................................7
CPD plan......................................................................................................................................7

Introduction
Preparation for a professional career is basically very important where an individual
analyse what plans they have regarding their career and how they can achieve their goals and
objectives of life to make a successful career (Kaplan, Kuhnt and Steinert, 2020). Some of the
global ethical issues are child labour, discrimination at workplace related to position, religion,
skin colour and etc. This file covers global ethical issues and challenges and their positive and
negative elements, solution for the issues, ethical issues in context of organisation, conclusion
and at the end this report covers CPD plan where it has four parts area of learning, reflection of
learning, future implication and action (SMART) objectives.
Main Body
Part A
Global ethical issues
Global ethical issues are those issues which are created by norms, values beliefs of
human beings (Guan, 2019). These issues give a lot of harm to corporate world. Example of such
issues are discrimination at workplace due to religion, skin colour and many others which is done
just because wrong perception of people. It is consider that when the world’s biggest ethical
issue arise when an individual has some personal issues with their senior employees and they set
their mind that their managers are not going to behave properly with then. Due to this issue much
other issue will arrive like it will impact upon culture of organisation, discrimination at
workplace like boss will treat well to other employees and treat badly to that employee with
whom they have some personal issues. In context of international level there are different types
of ethical issues in different countries. Most of the time developed country faces the issue of
personal problem between boss and employee. Developing countries have child labour issue
more as compared to other issues and they also face discrimination on the basis of their position,
status and many others (Martin and et. al., 2020). Most of the companies have strict rules and
regulations against these issues and in case they arise in their organisation then they take actions
as soon as possible.
Solution of ethical issues
Code of conduct is the rules and regulations followed by companies to eliminate
unethical activities from their organisation. For example Morrison’s company which is a

retailing company in UK has the rule of maintaining a good working environment which impact
to create a good organisational culture and in case any employee found to break the rule by their
unethical action like found discriminating at work place and etc then that employee will be fired
out from the organisation (Alqudah and Muradkhanli, 2021). To maintain the relationship
between employees and management team to eliminate the misunderstanding and some personal
issue between these two important assets of company, they supposed to conduct a meeting in
which they share each other’s issues and problems and then in the same meeting they found
solution too. Employees represent their opinion that what type of behaviour they are expecting
from management team and management team represent that what kind of corporation and
performance they are expecting from their employees. Hence, in the end they both resolve their
personal issues and agrees on each other’s requirement for doing work in their organisation. This
is how they maintain their culture and resolve their ethical issues which further help them to
increase their reputation at international level.
Two organisational example of having ethical issues
It is essential for every company to handle their ethical issues as soon as possible to gain
good reputation and many other benefits (LaVan and Martin, 2021). Patagonia is an American
company which manufacture and sell outdoor clothing. Few years back it is found that the
employees of this organisation have many issues regarding their safety at manufacturing
department. Employees complaint that they have to work with huge machines and tools without
any safety. After this their management team focuses on this issue and tries to eliminate the
problem as soon as possible. They provide safety kit to their worker who works in manufacturing
department; they give those helmets, gloves, rubber boots and many others items for their safety.
They also provide them health insurance facilities and fully paid maternity leaves. On the other
hand Wipro and Tata Steels are also considered as ethical company with their well being
behaviour of management toward their employees. Here, managers recognize the comfort level
of employees that in which condition they work happily and their performance increase their
company’s overall productivity. After recognizing the ways they adopt the same way which
seems to be comfortable for their employees to work in organisation. This helps to reduce the
conflicts between management team and employees.

Positive outcomes of code of conduct
When companies follow rules and regulations to control their ethical issues then they
gain many advantages like it helps to increase the reputation at global level (Nwankwoala, 2019).
When the company is gaining the advantage of free from ethical issues then they are appreciated
at international by other companies and gain many awards of having ethical free environment.
Another benefit of having ethical environment at organisations is that their employees believe
them and motivated to work better for their organisation. Hence, it is also essential to increase
the performance of employees. Solving ethical issues also helps to increase the productivity of
organisations. When companies solve their ethical issues like disputes and strikes of their
employees then employees focus more on working and increasing the productivity of
organisation. In case code of conduct is not followed in organisations and the ethical issues did
not get resolved then it will impact badly upon whole organisation and it’s functioning. In case
code of conduct gets avoided by the organisations then they will not able to achieve their set
goals because their employees get demotivated and their performance get decline (Rezaei and et.
al., 2021). Their reputation also gets impacted badly.
Conclusion
From the above information it is concluded that ethical issues arise in companies which
is not a big issues but handling them inefficiently or ignoring them is a big issue. Companies
who avoid to pay attention to their ethical issues has to face many issues is lack of employees
trust on their company, lack of employees good performance, not reaching the organisational
goal on time and many others. Hence, it is essential for every company to handle their ethical
issues in a proper way that it will not arise in future again.

References
Books and Journals
Alqudah, M.A. and Muradkhanli, L., 2021. Artificial Intelligence in Electric Government;
Ethical Challenges and Governance in Jordan. Electronic Research Journal of Social
Sciences and Humanities. 3. pp.65-74.
Guan, J., 2019. Artificial intelligence in healthcare and medicine: promises, ethical challenges
and governance. Chinese Medical Sciences Journal. 34(2). pp.76-83.
Kaplan, L., Kuhnt, J. and Steinert, J.I., 2020. Do no harm? Field research in the Global South:
Ethical challenges faced by research staff. World Development. 127. p.104810.
LaVan, H. and Martin, W.M., 2021. Ethical challenges in workplace bullying and harassment:
Creating ethical awareness and sensitivity. Concepts, Approaches and Methods, pp.163-
193.
Martin, D.E. and et. al., 2020. Ethical challenges in nephrology: a call for action. Nature Reviews
Nephrology. 16(10). pp.603-613.
Nwankwoala, H.O., 2019. Geoethics As an Emerging Discipline: Perspectives, Ethical
Challenges and Prospects. Earth Sciences Malaysia. 3(1). pp.01-08.
Rezaei, M. and et. al., 2021. Key indicators of ethical challenges in digital healthcare: A
combined Delphi exploration and confirmative factor analysis approach with evidence
from Khorasan province in Iran. Technological Forecasting and Social Change. 167.
p.120724.
Rushton, C.H. and et. al., 2021. Mindful Ethical Practice and Resilience Academy: Equipping
Nurses to Address Ethical Challenges. American Journal of Critical Care. 30(1). pp.e1-
e11.
Szocik, K., Norman, Z. and Reiss, M.J., 2020. Ethical challenges in human space missions: A
space refuge, scientific value, and human gene editing for space. Science and
Engineering Ethics. 26(3). pp.1209-1227.

Appendix
Part B
CPD plan
Area of learning-
It is learned that code of conduct is most important factor which must be considered in
the priority list of companies to solve the issues. It is those rules and regulations which are made
for employees of an organisation to work to create a good working environment. The main
purpose of code of conduct is to manage the behaviour of employees at the workplace because it
is the well written document which has all rules required to be followed by employees in an
organisation (Szocik, Norman and Reiss, 2020). It has very strong impact on business ethics
because if every employee work according to rules and regulations which create discipline then
there are many issues which will not arise like conflicts, strikes and many others. Hence,
companies free from ethical issues can maintain good ethics in their organisation.
Reflection of learning-
From the above information I get to know the importance of code of conduct at different
places globally. Hence, I also get to know that some ethical issues arrive when business is
conducted globally. Issues may arrive but these issues will impact the company when it get
ignored for a longer period of time. Therefore, I also learn that ignoring ethical issues will impact
badly upon the company. Hence, the best ways to solve the ethical issues are code of conduct
which must be pasted on the notice board of the company so that every employee will read it. I
gain the knowledge of ethical issues and importance code of conduct is solving the issues.
Future implications-
From the above information about ethical issues and code of conduct I get to know that
I can become a good employee if I follow all norms, rules and regulations, policies and many
other special rules of the company which they ask me to follow. On the other hand I can also ask
my manager about all rules in case I am not clear with any policy of organisation without
wasting time to wait for others to tell me.
Action-
SMART objective is used in this part of CPD which is explained below-

Specific- The objective must be specific and clearly defined. My objective is to keep a
good behaviour in organisation where I will work in future by having good disciplined attitude of
working.
Measurable- It is essential that the objective will me measurable. My manager will
measure my performance and let me know that I am an ethical employee or not. Here, manager
will also suggest me to take those steps which will help to improve my ethics at work place.
Achievable- It is essential to test the capabilities on regular time. Hence, I will ask my
managers and colleagues to rate my behaviour and discipline so that will make changes in my
behaviour if I found that I am lacking behind to follow my aim.
Relevant- It insures the importance of objective (Rushton and et. al., 2021). For me
having disciplined behaviour at workplace is very important and I will give it priority to follow
the norms and rules of organisation.
Time bound- It is essential to set a specific time for the objective. I have chosen to
learn all ethical behaviour of my chosen organisation within 2 months and then I plan to follow it
for lifetime till I am employees in that organisation