MBA402 Governance, Ethics, and Sustainability: NAB Code of Conduct

This report presents a comprehensive Code of Conduct for National Australia Bank (NAB), addressing key areas such as discrimination, exploitation, corruption, dishonest and fraudulent behavior, whistleblower protections, and enforcement mechanisms. The report is based on research of recent news articles and other information about NAB. It includes core values, norms for employees, shareholders, and consultants, and emphasizes workplace ethics, team work, punctuality, and integrity. The report also addresses specific examples of misconduct and provides recommendations for handling personal conflicts and maintaining confidential information. Furthermore, it outlines the importance of whistleblower protection, safety, and health of members, and contribution to society. The report concludes with the enforcement of policies and regulations, with a minimum of 15 references, including at least 5 from academic journals or textbooks, as required by the assignment brief.

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NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK
Code of Conduct
Student
4/23/2019

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Contents
Introduction............................................................................................................................................4
Code of Conduct................................................................................................................................5
Core Values.......................................................................................................................................5
Norms to be addressed and should be taken care by the Employees, shareholders and temporary
consultants...................................................................................................................................5
1. Prohibition of Discrimination at workplace:...........................................................................5
2. Support Human rights:.............................................................................................................6
3. Ban on Exploitation: Do not exploit the dream, work, Talent, needs of many people............7
 Exploitation on the work.........................................................................................................7
4. Implement tougher regulations against Corruption, crime, Bribery and Unethical behavior
of corporate gift giving and taking..........................................................................................8
5. Employees must to maintain workplace ethics:......................................................................9
6. Dishonest and Fraudulent Behavior:.....................................................................................11
7. Whistle blower ptrotection:...................................................................................................11
8. Safety and Health of the members:........................................................................................12
9. Contribution towards Society:...............................................................................................12
10. Enforcement:..........................................................................................................................12
Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................14

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Bibliography........................................................................................................................................15

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Introduction
National Australia Bank is one of the largest financial institution in Australia, who is not only
providing support to every type of businesses, whether they are large, medium or small, but also
work with them. It provides financial assistance to schools, hospitals and roads for their
development. Today, there are about 30,000 employees serving the needs of 9,000,000 people
(Anon., 2019). It is providing services in more than 900 locations of Australia, New Zealand and
many other places.
However, due malpractices, fraud conducted in the past, from 2013- 2017 in the bank, Rosemary
Rogers, who was the former chief of staff to former Nab CEOs Andrew Thornburg and Cameron
Clyne, convicted for allegedly violating the rule and taking the bribery of about $5.4 million in
February (Yeates, 2019). This issue came into highlight with the help of whistleblower. In
February 2019, Australian royal commission highly criticized the practices of bank for making
profits without even thinking of its customer (The NewYork Times, 2019).
National Australia Bank has to revise its code of conduct for securing the trust of its customers.

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Code of Conduct
Core Values
Norms to be addressed and should be taken care by the Employees,
shareholders and temporary consultants.
1. Prohibition of Discrimination at workplace:
National Australia bank will be drafting the policy of “No Discrimination” in its institution. It
will take action against all the activities, which involves discrimination based on gender,
religion, disability, pregnancy and race (Anon., 2019). As per the policy, People are free to
report any matter, faced by him/her through the seniors or from its colleagues. Institution will
provide full encouragement, and shall perform counseling of people in eliminating this unlawful
act and take necessary action for making a peaceful environment in the organization. Example:
Flexible work
environment for
their employees
Fulfilling the
expectations of
its shareholder
Help community
to make it
better place to
live in

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 Discrimination based of pregnancy:
If a woman is 6 months pregnant and has stressful job of opening bank accounts
that is very up and down work. Her doctor has restricted to do any type of
work, which involves any type of movement. She tried to explain her problem
to her manager, but he is not taking it seriously (Marcum & Perry, (Summer
2015)).
In the above situation, the employee must talk to the HR department in the
organization and discuss this matter with them, even it does not work then she
should file an application in the Equal Opportunity Act.
Various other issues in which members may come in contact:
 Personal bias attitude by the managers towards their employees
 Un fair prejudice against shareholders
 Commenting and making joke of any person personality problems, bullying and any
decimation faced by consumer through the sellers or business person (Anon., 2019).
Employees and members must not tolerate any type of this misconduct in the organization. If any
discrimination happening around, employees should not only inform but report to their manager
and support the victim.
2. Support Human rights:
The Rights and opinions of every individual are given equal respect here. It welcomes diversity
in the organization. In any organization, employees are investment of the company and making
safe, making healthy work life balance is the responsibility of an organization. Employees are
given equal opportunities to perform well and develop their potential.

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Source: (Acaroglu, 2016)
3. Ban on Exploitation: Do not exploit the dream, work, Talent, needs of many
people
It cares for its employees, customer, and shareholder and do not exploit their needs. It will
implement the policy “Voice against Exploitation” for eliminating human exploitation in the
organization. It criticizes any task that put un- necessary pressure on the employee and force
them put work before their health, mind and body. It will make effort in making friendly,
flexible, and satisfying working environment. It will provide genuine advice to customers and
shareholders and protect their rights.
 Exploitation on the work :
If an employee is hard working and due to his capability his /her boss assigned task for which
he /she is not qualified. Employee tried to explain his /her boss that he /she is not reached that
level of training but the boss is not giving any heat to his problem and is not interested in
taking any opinions . Now the employee his overburdened and has to do over- time to complete
that work
It has taken initiative to protect the interest of its employees by opening an online Champaign
against exploitation where employees can share their problems without disclosing their identity
and the organization will address such matters in the organization meeting.

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4. Implement tougher regulations against Corruption, crime, Bribery and
Unethical behavior of corporate gift giving and taking
To eliminate corruption from the organization, National Bank of Australia will be implementing
ABC (Anti-Bribery Corruption) .This law will be applicable to the residents, business associates,
shareholders, organization member living in Australia. It expects from all the members of the
organization to be fair, punctual and perform their duties with full integrity. It is responsibility
of all the members to follow the program and contribute in making the organization corruption
free (thefintechtimes, 2018).
The consequences for violating the rule will be Fine and imprisonment. Any member Found any
suspicious activity happening must inform manager.
Source : (thefintechtimes, 2018)

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5. Employees must to maintain workplace ethics:
a) Team Work:
Every employee must support his/her colleagues. The National Bank of Australia will be
motivating employees to work as a team. In team, opinion of every employee respected and
division of work followed so that employees can perform effectively and efficiently.
At the end of every week, team managers will conduct team activities so that every employee
can interact and participate and can explore his/her leadership capabilities.
b) Be punctual:
Every employee must follow the professional ethics at work place. Punctuality should be the
prior priority of the employees. Employees must not only be punctual in their work but must be
on time. It is an essence of good behavior at work place. It increases the working productivity of
employees. NBA wants its employees to be punctual.
Example of corruption : if a company is misusing a state money for their own projects
which is given to them for the development of the community .The employees know that
the management is breaching the rule but they are threatened ,that if they told anybody
about money they will be fired .
Therefore, in such case employees must take a stand together and speak against the
violation of the rule. They must inform the government officials.

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Source: (Anon., 2018)
c) Perform their duties with Integrity:
In the institution, employees must be honest, fair and true to their work .With the great hard work
and dedication, employees must set examples for everyone whether for manager or peers.
Integrity not only develops the professional skills and develops overall personality of employee.
Employees must be responsible towards their work, should take full responsibility of their work,
and together must make positive working environment (Anon., 2019).
d) Personal conflicts:
A personality conflict arises due to differences in the personality of the colleagues. It has bad
influence on the quality of work and productivity of employees. It has a negative impact on the
working environment.
The National Australia Bank conducts training sessions for the employees on how to deal with
such situations. It condemns such attitude in the institution and can take strict action against the
employee.
e) Believe in fair competition and must be true to the organization:
Competition is motivation to many people. Employees create competitive workplace
Competition satisfies both psychological needs and self-esteem needs The National Australia

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Bank will be drafting a framework for the competition at the institution so that the overall goals
of NAB should not be ignore and the task is completed on time.
f) Maintain Confidential Information about:
 Company:
It is a responsibility of Human resource manager to maintain the confidential information of its
employees and company as it can be misuse and increase the cases of fraud and defamation.
Employees shall not be allow to uses the company assets like computer for their personal
benefits.
 Shareholder:
It is duty and responsibility of managers to maintain the confidentiality of the board members.
Managers not allowed for disclosing any information about the shareholders to any member of
the institution. If managers are, fail to protect the confidential information. Then strict actions
will be taken.
6. Dishonest and Fraudulent Behavior:
In National Australia Bank is putting more efforts in making tougher rules and regulations in the
institution. Any type of fraud, dishonest behavior whether it is on the workplace or in the board
of meeting will be punishable (Anon., 2015).
Each member must protect the institution from fraud and dishonest behavior. If any member
finds about frauds or dishonest behavior, it is his /her responsibility to allegedly report the
management. There are some situations which member can face.
 For avoiding bankruptcy in future, if a financial manager of a company is
manipulating the financial statements and making the financial position better

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than before, then due to such fraud, shareholders will invest their money. This
can damage the reputation of the company
In Above cases, members must be aware and immediately inform the top management about the
activities. It will be introducing Biometric advance technology to protect customers from any
financial crime.
7. Whistle blower ptrotection:
Whistle blowers are the protectors of the organization. The role of whistleblower is to inform
about the wrong doings happening in the organization and protecting the people associated with
it. Whistle blowers also provide information about future insights. National Australia Bank will
be implying the policy of Treasury Laws Amendment (Enhancing Whistleblower Protections) Bill
2018. It will be putting more efforts in protecting the interest of the whistle blowers (Cassidy,
2019). Example:
American Tobacco Company was the third largest company during 1996 .His former
employee Jeffery Wigand, during the interview with Mike Wallace blew the whistle. He
told that the company is increasing the usage of nicotine among the society, which has a
harmful effects on lungs and brain. This lead investigation against tobacco industry at that
time
Now the identity of the whistleblower will be protected. It is not compulsory that whistleblower
should be the current employ in the institution. It can be ex-employee or the shareholder.
8. Safety and Health of the members:
Good health is an essence of effective performance and keeping it is the duty of all the members
of the institution to maintain safe and healthy environment. National Australia Bank will be