Report: Values, Ethics, Working Collaboratively - Business Development

This report delves into the critical aspects of ethics, values, and collaborative work within a business context. It begins by defining ethics and exploring the factors that influence ethical behavior, followed by an examination of the significance of workplace ethics in fostering organizational growth and protecting assets. The report then highlights two key UK laws that promote ethical practices, such as the Human Rights Act and the National Minimum Wage Act, and discusses how these laws prevent unethical conduct. Furthermore, the report analyzes the concept of social responsibility, exemplified by the actions of Boohoo Group Plc, and explores the issues employees may face, including unethical leadership and discrimination. It outlines essential rules for employees regarding public and client interactions, such as integrity, objectivity, and confidentiality. Finally, the report examines the legal rights individuals have under GDPR, emphasizing the importance of data protection and transparency in business operations.

Values, Ethics and
Working
Collaboratively

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1 ...........................................................................................................................................3
A) Explain the meaning of Ethics and also discuss various factors that influence ethics. .........3
B) what are the importance of workplace ethics in an organisation. .........................................4
C) Discuss two UK laws that helps in promoting good ethical practices in an organisation.....5
TASK 2 ...........................................................................................................................................5
A) Under which category does this initiation falls under. Choose an organisation and show the
obligations it performs to the society. ........................................................................................5
B) Discuss issues faced by you and also mention 5 rules that are expected from you as an
employee of the organisation from the public and clients .........................................................6
C) Discuss legal rights people have in relation to GDPR...........................................................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Organisations are formed when various different types of individuals come together with
varied interest and different backgrounds on a same platform to achieve common goals and
objectives. It is very important for these individuals and the organisation to practice and carry out
the activities of the organisations effectively, by following ethical practices at the organisation.
Ethics plays a major role while carrying out business activities. Using unfair practices to earn
profit by the organisations can lead to scandals which could impact the company by destroying
the reputation and brand name of the company. Ethics and value at the organisation also helps in
making healthy relations between the individuals working in an organisations.
This report will explain about the ethics and how business ethics are influenced by the
issues of environment and culture. An understanding will be demonstrated of the personal skills
which will help in ensuring that the people are treated with dignity. Lastly, an understanding of
working collaboratively will be demonstrated within range of work sector.
TASK 1
A) Explain the meaning of Ethics and also discuss various factors that influence ethics.
Principles and the values that an individual uses while governing own actions or
decisions is termed as “Ethics”. This code of ethics helps an organisation in taking fair decisions,
regulation of the policies, etc. Almost all the companies have ethical code which they practice
while making any decision or carrying out any activity of the organisation so that they can
maintain its reputation in the market and get effective productivity. There are various benefits of
practising ethics in an organisation like: it helps in promotion of the teamwork, helps in fostering
positive and good image in the eyes of public, etc. There are several factors that influence the
ethics like: their own personal code of ethics, rules and regulations of the government,
legislations, company's ethical code, social pressure, etc.
Unethical scandal: Boohoo Group Plc
Boohoo is an online fashion retailer which was founded in the year 2006 and is
headquartered in Manchester, United Kingdom (UK). The company found itself to be in a
scandal after an investigation on it was done by “Sunday Times” in the year 2020. The
investigation claimed that company Boohoo have links to the modern times slavery. The factory
which supply clothes to the company Boohoo was paying only £3.50 for an hour. But the

minimum wages to be paid is £8.72 for an hour. The condition of the factories were not suitable
for the workers to work and they were not given any protection from COVID-19. Soon after this,
the shares of the company dropped due to the unethical practices of it.
The company violated the human rights and also the rights of labours while carrying out
its business practices which were unethical in terms of workers. This scandal lead to formations
of many campaign groups that started revolution for the same. These type of corporations must
be held accountable for always prioritising profits and revenues over the rights of the humans
and their safety.
B) what are the importance of workplace ethics in an organisation.
Workplace ethics are the rules and the procedures that helps a company in carrying out its
activities while maintaining professional and healthy relationship between the employee and
employer. Workplace ethics plays a very crucial role in the growth and development of an
organisation. Workplace ethics have many importance in an organisation which are as follows:
 This helps in the protection of assets of the company as the ethical behaviour of
individuals in the company will know of their duties and responsibilities towards the
company.
 Ethics at workplace helps in increasing the productivity of the business as the employees
will value their work and achieve their targets on set deadlines.
 It will help the company in the development of teamwork as the employees will perform
their task in responsible way.
 This will increase the brand value of the company and also its public image as the
workers will be dedicated and the company will be continuously achieving their targets
or goals.
 While adopting ethics at workplace, company will easily be able to adopt changes or
strategies that will be beneficial for the growth and success of the company. This will also help company in making decisions easily as with the ethics in the company
decision will be respected and followed in systematic manner.
For example: Boohoo Group Plc
The company was a into retail industry who sells fashion online. The company was
getting its supply from an industry of its won where the practices were unethical. The company
was not providing minimum wages to the workers working in the industry and also they were not

provided with and health and safety measures during the rime of lock down or COVID-19. This
lead to the spread of corona virus among the workers. The company paid no attention to the fact
and was busy trying to earn more profits and generating revenues. This unethical practice of the
company lead to falling of its shares in the market.
C) Discuss two UK laws that helps in promoting good ethical practices in an organisation
Ethical practices are very important in an organisation as it helps in carrying out business
activities efficiently, legally and systematically. There are many laws that helps in the promotion
of the good and ethical practices in an organisation. The two of them are stated below: The human Rights Act, 1988: This act helps in guaranteeing people with all the
necessary means that will satisfy them with their basic needs like: food, shelter, clothes,
etc. This act also guarantees life, security, equality, etc. of individuals. This act also helps
in protecting people from the abuse of the powerful people.
 National Minimum Wage Act, 1998: This act provide individuals with the guidelines of
the minimum wages across whole of the UK. This law was introduced so as to protect the
workers from getting exploited by their employees and against the payment of low
wages. This law helps in ensuring that the workers are getting paid at least the minimum
amount of wages decided.
From both the above laws explained, the unethical behaviour of the companies or
organisations can be prevented. These laws will be very helpful in promoting the ethical
practices at the company as non compliance of it is punishable under the law.
TASK 2
A) Under which category does this initiation falls under. Choose an organisation and show
the obligations it performs to the society.
The initiative of making donations and providing work opportunities as part of some
social responsibility, commonly falls under the category of “Social Work”.
Social work mainly is to provide help people in relieving their sufferings, making
improvements in the lives and in the communities, alleviation of poverty, working for the
welfare of the children, etc. all this can be done by making donations or raising funds to helps
poor or people in need by providing them with basic necessities, etc.

The company Boohoo Group Plc is also indulge in various social works to benefit the
society. The company have held many charities of sample sale, bake sales, etc. The company
have also developed collections and later made donations for charity to various different causes
like Pride, Breast Cancer awareness Month, etc. Later donation made by the company was in the
year 2020 when they made donation over $300,000 to all those charities that were helping
Australia with tackling wildfires.
All these charities and donations helps company in clearing bad images of them in the
market or to increase the already created good image and reputation in the market. This ethical
practice of the company is very beneficial not only for their own reputation but also for the
society and its people.
B) Discuss issues faced by you and also mention 5 rules that are expected from you as an
employee of the organisation from the public and clients
There are many issues which can be faced by the employees when they become part of
any organisation. The issues faced are as follows: Unethical Leadership: This is the unethical behaviour of leader of the company when
they unethically or illegally carry out the activities of the company. This also refers to the
violation of the existing or current moral standards of the company. This type of
leadership creates problems not only for the employees but also for the company.
 Discrimination: This is the state when an individual in the company is treated differently
from that of others on the basis of various factors in a negative manner like: on the basis
of colour, sex, disability, religion, etc.
There are various rules which are expected to be followed by an employee of an
organisation from the public and the clients of the company. Few of them are mentioned below: Integrity: This means that an employee must possess honesty and also shall have moral
principles. This will help him in conducting ethical practices at the organisation. Objectivity: This is important rule as this helps employee in making decisions fairly,
ethically and in a balanced way. This attribute is very important for the employees who
are involved in the process of decision making as they have to exercise professional
judgement delivery. Professional Competence: This concerns mainly with the maintenance of professional
skills and knowledge which helps in achieving success at the work.

 Confidentiality: This helps in maintaining the secrecy of both the company and the
client. This way the critical informations are not leaked.
 Professional behaviour: This is the behaviour of the person which is expected to be
adopted by the employees as this requires universal compliance. There are various
principles which are made for the employees to be followed so that they maintain the
professional behaviour at workplace.
C) Discuss legal rights people have in relation to GDPR
The General Data Protection Regulation Act (GDPR) makes every individual responsible
to follow the principles provided while using any personal data and to make sure that such an
information is used legally, fairly and with transparency. There are 8 rights provided by GDPR
which are as follows: Right to be informed: In this the organisations are expected to inform and be transparent
on how the personal data is being used by them. Right of access: In this individual have right to know of the information which was
accessed and also how was that processed. Right to rectification: Individuals will have right to rectify their personal data which was
inaccurate or incomplete. Right to erasure: In this the individuals can ask for removal or deleting of the data
without asking any question by the company Right to restrict processing: The individuals under this have right to suppress the
processing or blocking of their personal data. Right to data portability: This rights allows an individual to access the data of their own
for their self purpose. Right to object: The individual have right to stop the usage of their personal data and
raise their objection if it is being used for marketing, research, etc.
 Rights that relates to automated decision making and profiling: This right is for the
protection of the interest of the individuals against those decision which were made
automatically.
TASK 3
What is collaborative working?
What strategies would you use?

What values would guide you?
What interpersonal skills are required?
What are the benefits of collaborative working?
How would you promote equality and diversity in the workplace?
How are British Values embedded into collaborative working?
What are the consequences poor collaborative working?
CONCLUSION

REFERENCES
Books and Journals