Business Ethics and Professional Conduct: Unilever Report Analysis

This report provides an in-depth analysis of ethical considerations within Unilever, a multinational retailer. The report begins with an introduction to the importance of ethics in business and then dives into the main body, which examines the ethical implications of business decisions. Task 1 focuses on defining ethics, its importance in decision-making, and the features of a professional code of conduct, specifically within Unilever. It explores how Unilever's employees are guided by a professional code of conduct that emphasizes inclusivity, respect, and responsible conduct. The report then explores the utilitarian, rights, and common good approaches to ethical decision-making, and applies them to a case study involving a child stealing food. The report emphasizes the significance of ethical practices for sustainable success and long-term retention in business. Finally, the report concludes by summarizing the key findings and reiterating the importance of ethical behavior in the business environment.

Working Ethically

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
QUESTION 1.........................................................................................................................3
QUESTION 2 ........................................................................................................................5
QUESTION 3 ........................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................9
REFERNCES:................................................................................................................................11
Books and Journals:..............................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Ethics are important element for society and its people which demonstrate an
understanding between right and wrong. Ethics shows person beliefs, values and judgements
they make within their surrounding. Ethics are needed to ensure wise decision within
organisation and set appropriate standard for working which regulate for employees, managers
and all members for company working into society This report is going to focus on Unilever, a
multinational retailer of London UK(Cox, 2020). The company was established in the year 1929.
it deals in various consumer food items, grocery and healthcare. It is going to evaluate about
what professional conduct are required while taking business decisions and enhance fair
treatment.
MAIN BODY
TASK 1
QUESTION 1
What are Ethics and its importance in decision making.
Ethics are the most essential and concerned factor by society that shows beliefs, norms
and morals prescribed by different individual on the basis of their culture. These ethics creates
influence on decision making on buying behaviour of consumers, peroneal interest and morals.
Business organisations work into wide society to target large number of people. Therefore, they
needs to first identify what ethics and countries culture are inclining them. Ethical consideration
is must to identify what is right and wrong in performing business practices(Crane, 2018). No
activities could harm others sentiments and create a matter of disruption into society. For an
example, Fair and Lovely has came into allegation that is discriminate the people as per their
colour through their advertisement, so that the company come into unethical code of conduct. So
that ethics are necessary to treat all the individuals with fairness, honesty and dignity. Business
could only get sustainable success and long term retention by valuing other perceptions which is
all about ethics.
Features of Professional code of conduct
A business work on global level whether on small level, all are working to achieve
objective of profitability and customer base. Working for society give rise to take understanding
ethics and value society put influence on in their daily life. Professional code of conduct is

required to adopt to provide clear decisions and standard to employees which include how must
they behave, what are rules and ethical practices of organisation. Employees of Unilever are
provided by with professional code of conduct in terms of following points:
Be inclusive: Professional code of conduct ensure to have fair treatment of individuals
whether belongs to any background, gender, religion, status, physical or mental stability.
Organisations must encourage and treat everyone equally by giving them all human rights
towards working.
Be respectful: At organisational level, people are being facing various situation, work
pressure or maybe personal grudges. But these all are should not impact on treating on others
sentiments. So that the main feature of professional conduct is to be respectful towards others.
People should not feel uncomfortable or embarrassed while working into business environment.
Use wise words: another feature of professional conduct is to use wise words while
communicating with other person whether it is from lower of higher authority(de Andrade, and
Bizzo, 2019). There should no use of unacceptable by being kind to others, do not do and
support any misbehave in organisation and not to offend people by insulting or bullying them.
A new professional conduct for the employees of Unilever to ensure equality and fair
treatment
Working environments: The environment in which employees are working must be
filled with equality, full of laws and legal rights, equal treatment with other peers and maintain a
positive work culture for self and others. Employees of Unilever are well understood by
companies laws in which they does not entertain any miss happening or discrimination.
Therefore, they must have felling of generous and humanity for other also. In companies
working environment, there is need for protecting safety and privacy policy for all the people so
that customers would not get influenced or unsatisfied with organisation practice. The
environment of Unilever must be filleted with anti-bribery, responsible risk management, and
protecting others right.
Countering corruption: Under this professional conduct in Unilever, employees and
every member of the organisation must not regulate any conflict which hurt the sentiments of
other and lowers down the image of organisation. The organisation needs to be aware from
bribes and corruption to support fair working and fruitful environment. Under this, employees
have to fulfil its responsibility to make effective use of companies financial or intellectual

assets, keep data accurate and honestly. Employees need not to make misuse of the role an
position which results on fair and equal treatment of other members.
Respecting people: All employees needs to maintain dignity and fair values while
working with other member whether they are companies investors, shareholders or customers.
Respect and honesty are the priority in Unilever environment(Kaur, and Tadros, 2018). They are
all the direction of Unilever and pioneer of their working. Employees needs to know their
responsibility and authority associated with their leaders and managers. All the instruction must
be followed with due respect and line of position. There should no such activity of harshening
and lowering others motivation through self position in organisation. Self and others respects
must be regulate positively.
Supporting communities and employees: No employees will involve in any act of
trafficking or child labour and support trusted community and responsibilities towards society by
sustainable business practices. Therefore, these all will eliminate the influence of misshapen and
exploitation of customers for personal gain, monitor each conduct of other employees and
inform about any less delightful activity to the board(Lloyd, 2018).
These code of conduct drives the professional values under Unilever maintained by
employees and all the staff members. Therefore, it gives the company a sense of belongingness
and society welfare through behave ethically by considering values and society norms. All
business practices will be ensure with dignity and in favour of society environment.
QUESTION 2
Ethics are the most significantly approved in any of living situation. Ethics are
universally applicable whether in context of organisation or living a life generally. Working
based on ethics would maintain pleasure towards society and laws is to be regulate for both
economic and personal welfare. If work are not done by its rules and regulation, the effective and
empowerment would not reflect in the away it should be. People work on the basis of these
ethics to be get valued and show concerns regarding others. Sometimes, not all are restricted and
wrong. It depends on how people react to the situation and what norms they follow. It describes
what is right and wrong for self and other individuals. Ethics makes the person eking and
generous towards other and describes the inner feeling and strength to judge what should not be
done. Therefore, there are main relevant theories and approaches analysed to know its influence

in better terms also, in order to solve the issue related with case study, the best approach will be
described below:
The Utilitarian Approach: As per this approach, decision making become quite suspicious as it
is is based on three ethical prospective. The decision maker needs to analyse various concepts
and keep in mind the main areas of ethics in order to come to a conclusion. Through this, the
first things keep in mind that what action is going to focus about. The second one, a person will
come to know about what will be consequences and benefit it would get after making the
decision. And the last is, by taking the decision, how the decision will Crete good impact to how
many number of people and bad impact in which number(Luetge, 2017). After considering all
the important aspects, the result will be based on ethically approved also in terms of other's
welfare. As per the case study, the action is in relation of a poor child which could get punish
because of country law to make stealing in order to be alive in search of food. The law says that,
a person involve in stealing would must get punish for such act in terms of cut hand or on spot
death. It would harm the life of little boy who has no support due to its orphanage and could
harm his all life in a prison suffering from pain. Therefore, the situation could result in not
following laws and lie to mob. But if the boy caught in hand of mob, it would suffer his all life
for stealing just an apple from market, in which mob would not loose anything by harming a
child life. The issues is rising between sup[porting a poor boy for having a meal which he had
not get from so many days and to break the law by not opening up the truth.
The rights approach: a person is consisting with many rights to choose what is moral and
immoral in taking decision into many life situations. According to the philosophy of this
approach, a person have full right to tale decision freely without being into any pressure or come
under manipulation. Any other individual could not forcefully agreed on their own perspective
without others consent(Roberts, 2017). Therefore, the approach is suggested for them who being
forced and think about others consent for choosing their own life situation. There are different
rights associated with every individual which no one could violate as it is the matter of human
dignity that must be integrated with person's own choice. These rights are listed below:
The right to truth: an individual must have right to speak truth which does not appropriate as per
their own choice. They have independent right to stand against what they think that is not right
and comfortable for their own perspective.

The right to privacy: associated with these right, a person could maintain any secrecy for their
own thoughts and ideas. They are not forced to disclose what and why they think by any forceful
violation.
Right to be injured: through these right, a person could himself forced to be in punishment out
of his own interest, if they think they have done something wrong or made mistake in any event
into whole life, it could get punish freely.
Through knowing these rights, the scenario in case study have given the right to us to not
disclose arrival of the little boy. To protect a child life, the decision could be take freely due to
right of privacy and save the little boy from get punished. As it is the perception of us that the
boy has not stole something big or harked any one, so that it would not be fair to punish him
with tough cruel painful act In Town square.
The common good approach: Through this approach, all the economic facilities must be
beneficial to every creature that it would not Create the matter of discrimination. The social
environment, political and health care as well as all natural resources must be provided to each
person on the planet(Särkelä, and Laitinen, 2019). The common good defined the term to be as
good as much can towards society and surrounding. Take wise decision which are in favour of
both community and people in terms of getting care, income, basic livelihood and public
transports. It is basically to appreciate others freedom and make them believe in their own self.
As per the case study, the issues is rising between our own perception and country law
that strictly does not entertain any illegal act of thieves(Widodo, 2018). The approach here is
used to solve the issue is the rights approach, in which we have our own rights to protect the
child by being kind and serious to him. through this approach we could be injured for not
disclosing truth as it will save a child who has not living his life because of being orphan. It
shows the ethics towards society people, it will not consist harm to other individual but protect
one life.
QUESTION 3
According to the equality and diversity act 2010 UK. The law is enforced to protect the
right of equality for every individual or resident. The law demonstrate that, while working in an
organisation, the employees must feel equally treated and does not get any discrimination in
terms of pays, respect, roles and responsibility and many other elements. The society must be
free from any harassment, discrimination and buying from the practices of business. Therefore,

it is required that every individual perform their duties followed by the law. The main objective
of equality and discrimination act UK are clearly stated below:
 working environment must be free with any discrimination, unfruitful acts, misconduct
and harassment
 Opportunities and incentives must be regulate within employees equally so that no person
could raise voice against unfair treatment
 Encourage and maintain good relations while Working with people with cross-cultural,
regional or differentiated background(Suter, 2020).
 All the employees need to get appreciation and motivation to work hard for achieving
their goals.
 The amendments in the legislation has come up with further superior laws regarding
equality and fair welfare. It influence on being honest, respectful and kind with pothers.
 Organisation must be boost with diversified talent potential and to trainee them for being
the best without making termination.
According to the two job adverts, both are providing job on some specific aspect. Job 1 on
domestic violence hostel workers are is opening for the Asian women who have aged under 18 to
35. though this job advert it is identified that not all laws are fulfilling as according to equality
and Diversity Act which does not promote and diversification and equality for all male and
female. Therefore, the positive action form this job is that it lowers down demotic violence that
face by hostel workers by students. Many female students have faced an unsafe environment of
living into hostels. But this job is not appropriate for as per the law as it would not give equal
treatment and obliged for males which are not the culprits. Therefore by seeing from the
perspective of positive discrimination, the job is providing specific discrimination in relation to
health and security of females(Suter, 2020). Therefore, the job is suitable for females but not for
male which shown unequal distribution of opportunity and not encouragement of diversification
which is not legal as per the act. Another positive discrimination is shown that it give
opportunity ton only three candidates who must have the degree related to the delivery of public
services. It gives opportunity for unprofessional and inexperienced graduate to take internship
programme and be prepare for future development. This job role is not actually suitable for
unprofessional trainee who have not understanding of ethical norms and what decisions would
must make to eliminate harassment.

As per the job 2, it is on public relations opportunity which is mainly driven for getting the best
participate to make good public relations with society. Therefore, it is suitable for young learners
who want to drive into public relations and management policies. In order to perform the best
job roles and follow all the criteria of equality and diversity law, the London office is providing
schemes for disable people who who are still the students or have complete their graduations.
The job is on according to all the criteria a person must consider have that is the minimum age,
resident of country. Therefore it is best suitable for the country to have diversified employees
who attain and maintain public relations. This schemes for job is not for experienced workers
rather they provide opportunity for younger generation to solve public relation issues with their
modern mind(Velázquez-Iturbide, 2018). The job Is following rules and criteria of the act by
enhancing diversification and promoting equal treatment at workplace. This has seen as a
positive impact of the job role towards the the act ass it taking the action by giving opportunity
to disables and promote equal treatment in terms of physical and mental health. Along with this
the positive discrimination the job makes is with the experience persons who have gained all
knowledge in public relations but still could not apply for the job so that,. Others will get the
opportunity which is the fair discrimination.
Therefore, it has analysed that, the job 2 is legal in UK as per the equality and diversity
Act 2010. the job has maintained all positive aspects by enhancing diversification and providing
equal opportunity to the young students and degree holders(Weinstein, and Lewis, 2020). In
order to conduct the best practices into society, this job is been liking to share ethical values and
norms that run as an initiative for other business councils. disables are those sections of sociality
which easily does not fulfil their c dreams, but through this job, the dream must be come true.
CONCLUSION
The report has concluded the main criteria of ethics by showing its significance in
decision making process. The function are performed by the organisation in the way of making
professional conduct and regulating within whole organisation. Through strict rules and
regulation, employees will understand and get clear about their authorities and delegation.
Moreover, with the case study, the value and rights has been demonstrate effectively to support
what is right and wrong. Therefore, in order to promote diversification and eliminate harassment,
organisation needs to be prompt and work according to the law which is in favour of both society
and employees.

REFERNCES:
Books and Journals:
Cox, C.L., 2020. ‘Healthcare Heroes’: problems with media focus on heroism from healthcare
workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of medical ethics, 46(8), pp.510-513.
Crane, J.K., 2018. 3. THE EATER. In Eating Ethically (pp. 41-51). Columbia University Press.
de Andrade, V.F. and Bizzo, W.A., 2019. Corporate social responsibility in Brazil according to
SA 8000: Case studies and the correlation with the supply chain. Journal of cleaner
production, 210, pp.1022-1032.
Kaur, L. and Tadros, E., 2018. The benefits of interprofessional collaboration for a pharmacist
and family therapist. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 46(5), pp.470-485.
Lloyd, A., 2018. The harms of work: An ultra-realist account of the service economy. Policy
Press.
Luetge, C., 2017. The German ethics code for automated and connected driving. Philosophy &
Technology, 30(4), pp.547-558.
Roberts, E.F., 2017. What gets inside: violent entanglements and toxic boundaries in Mexico
City. Cultural Anthropology, 32(4), pp.592-619.
Särkelä, A. and Laitinen, A., 2019. Between normativism and naturalism: Honneth on social
pathology.
Suter, I., 2020. Rewilding or reviewing: Conservation and the elephant-based tourism
industry. Animal Sentience, 5(28), p.3.
Velázquez-Iturbide, J.Á., 2018, October. Report of the Spanish computing scientific society on
computing education in pre-university stages. In Proceedings of the Sixth International
Conference on Technological Ecosystems for Enhancing Multiculturality (pp. 2-7).
Weinstein, M.P. and Lewis, J.S., 2020. The clinical and laboratory standards institute
subcommittee on antimicrobial susceptibility testing: background, organization,
functions, and processes. Journal of clinical microbiology, 58(3).
Widodo, H.P., 2018. A critical micro-semiotic analysis of values depicted in the Indonesian
Ministry of National Education-endorsed secondary school English textbook.
In Situating moral and cultural values in ELT materials (pp. 131-152). Springer, Cham.