Final Project
Introduction
USA Gymnastics was formed in 1936 and is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. It is the responsibility of USAG to promote gymnastics at all levels including World Championships and Olympic Games. I started my career with USA Gymnastics in 2002 and have been an integral part of the success of gymnastics in the United States over the past sixteen seasons. Recently, USA Gymnastics has come under fire for sexual assault claims against former USA Gymnastics team doctor, Larry Nassar. This has put USAG in the national spotlight for the wrong reasons. Since it was first reported, over 300 women and girls have come out against Dr. Nassar stating that they had been violated while under his care and during USA Gymnastics training camps and events. Larry Nassar has since been convicted and will spend the rest of his life in prison. It is time for USAG to rebuild its image by putting checks and balances in place to combat sexual and physical abuse. They have a long road ahead, but I am convinced that USAG can come back from this and continue to highlight our incredible athletes.
Code of Ethics
The existing Code of Ethics was recently updated in July 2018 and it multifaceted. It consists of an introduction that states,
Members of USA Gymnastics have an ongoing, affirmative duty to promote a culture that empowers and supports athletes and focuses on USA Gymnastics’ highest priority: the safety and well-being of our athletes. Every member of USA Gymnastics is responsible for ensuring an environment that makes participation in the sport a positive and rewarding experience. The USA Gymnastics Code of Ethical Conduct (the “Code”) is intended to work in conjunction with the USA Gymnastics Safe Sport Policy, and as such sets forth USA Gymnastics and its members’ commitment to act ethically in all instances. Further, the Code is intended to provide guidance in situations that have potential or actual ethical implications. (USA Gymnastics, 2018)
It also consists of Ethical Obligations which has seven subheadings including Promotion of a Safe, Positive and Healthy Environment, Commitment to Integrity, Participation and Inclusion, Communication, Concern for the Welfare of Others, Professional Responsibility, and Alcohol and Drug Free Environment. To counteract the Ethical Obligations section, the next section is tilted Resolving Ethical Issues. This heading has three subheadings including Informal Resolution of Ethical Violations, Reporting Possible Reporting Violations, and Resolution of Complaints.
Guiding Principles
“Guiding Principles” are a broad philosophy that encompasses your personal beliefs and values and guide an organization throughout its life in all circumstances, irrespective of changes in its goals, strategies or type of work. They create a company culture where everyone understands what’s important. (Broudy, 2011) Without guiding principles, a company will have no basis on where to begin writing its Code of Ethics. Guiding principles are what allows you to answer the question as to if the company should do, act, believe, and what the future direction the business is headed.
Without a clear set of principles, this question is impossible to answer. Having a set of clear principles reflect your vision, mission, strategic interests, and core values. They are the law that serves as a basis for reasoning and action, a personal code of conduct that leads and shows the way forward. Guiding Principles are a broad philosophy that guides an organization throughout in all circumstances, irrespective of changes in its strategies, goals, type of work, or top-level management. In other words, by setting your organization’s guiding principles, you are ensuring that they will remain intact beyond your tenure. They become part of the brand, what it stands for, and is what helps attract top talent. Establishing these foundational elements in the early stages of the organization will set it up for the long term. (Warsinske, 2016)
USA Gymnastics guiding principles are not clearly listed on the USAG website. From my research, I can identify USA Gymnastics guiding principles as their subheadings listed on the Code of Ethics page. The underlying principle is to Promote a safe, positive, and healthy environment. USAG can make business decisions by asking themselves if whatever they are about to do fits with the guiding principle(s).
Purpose of a Code of Ethics
The purpose of having a Code of Ethics is to state the company or organization principles, organizational mission and its values. The Code of Ethics helps create and define the company culture. It sets standards and expectations for employees and how they should conduct themselves.
A well-written code of conduct clarifies an organization’s mission, values and principles, linking them with standards of professional conduct. The code articulates the values the organization wishes to foster in leaders and employees and, in doing so, defines desired behavior. As a result, written codes of conduct or ethics can become benchmarks against which individual and organizational performance can be measured. Additionally, a code is a central guide and reference for employees to support day-to-day decision making. A code encourages discussions of ethics and compliance, empowering employees to handle ethical dilemmas they encounter in everyday work. It can also serve as a valuable reference, helping employees locate relevant documents, services and other resources related to ethics within the organization. (“Why have a code of conduct – ethics & compliance initiative”, n.d.)
Core Values
Core Values are another very important part of the overall Code of Ethics of a company. Core values are the fundamental beliefs of a company or organization. Aa the name suggests; these values are what the company holds as its foundation and core. “Core values are what support the vision, shape the culture and reflect what the company values. They are the essence of the company’s identity – the principles, beliefs or philosophy of values” (Fong, 2013). USAG’s core values consist of Honesty, Integrity, Trustworthiness, and Growth of gymnastics in the United States.
Ethical Rules
1. Honesty- Be open and honest in all areas of communication. Strive to not mislead or deceive others intentionally, by omission, or misconstrue the facts. Be candid and truthful at all times.
2. Loyalty- Be loyal to the company and others that you work with. Loyalty must be within the structure of ethical principles and do not use loyalty as an excuse to be unethical. Loyalty must be shown even if one decides to move on from the company by giving proper notice and by not taking clients or inside trade secrets to another company.
3. Integrity- Integrity is displaying moral character at all times. Integrity requires self-moral reasoning even if it might lead to negative actions or even loss of employment. Integrity is doing what is right when no one else is watching or may never find out.
4. Respect- Everybody, no matter race, sex, or national origin must be treated with respect and dignity at all times. The Golden Rule “Treat others how you would want to be treated”.
5. Accountable- Be accountable to all members of leadership/management as well as fellow co-workers. All employees must be willing to accept and admit to their own actions and decisions to all fellow co-workers, managers, or executive staff. Being accountable is the willingness to answer for behaviors, actions, and choices no matter the consequence.
6. Conflict of Interest- Avoid conflict of interest all costs. If it is necessary to recuse yourself from decisions that you might appear to have a conflict of interest in. Shun even the appearance of conflict of interest.
7. Fairness- Be honorable and just in the way you show fairness to one another. Determine outcomes by facts and after careful consideration and counsel. Do not make decisions out of haste or show prejudice in any form.
8. Leadership- It is important to show leadership no matter what position you have. Leadership is not dictated by rank but more by influence. Everyone can influence others every day in a positive or negative way no matter what title they have.
9. Obey the Law- It is important that all employees be law abiding citizens. All regulations must be adhered to at all times whether on campus or not.
10. Confidentiality-Confidentiality must be complied with at all times. Disclosing confidential information with fellow colleagues that aren’t pertinent is prohibited.
11. Harassment- USA Gymnastics is committed to having a harassment and discrimination free environment. Harassment in any form is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated. Harassment includes inappropriate language, comments, conduct, action, or display based on another’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age or disability.
12. Company Property- Company property can be tangible or intangible and belongs solely to USA Gymnastics. All property should be treated with care and responsibility. Do not use company property for personal use unless given written permission from management. This also include Intellectual property which consist of patents, trademarks, copyrights, or business trade secrets that are vital to the success of USA Gymnastics as a whole. Upon exit from the company, all issued company equipment, including laptops with access to company database shall be returned.
13. Professionalism- All employees must adhere to the company dress code while at work or if traveling representing USA Gymnastics. Personal appearance should be neat and clean at all times.
14. Benefits- Working for USA Gymnastics enables you to certain employment benefits including paid time off, sick leave, insurance, company discounts, facility use, and outside vendor discount contracts. Any abuse of these benefits will result in losing some or all of the benefits determined by the Ethics Office.
15. Job Duty and Authority- All employees are expected to understand their job duty’s and to perform them without reservation. Executive and management positions should not misuse their authority. Executives and managers do have right to delegate tasks and other responsibilities while taking into consideration others current workload and competence.
Organization Training and Education
In today’s society, where time demands and pressure are ever increasing to reach performance quotas and goals, ethical behavior can go by the wayside. As leaders, we must understand and promote all current regulations and be aware of new revisions to be made. Because of this, it is imperative that employees go through intensive ethical training and become educated in the area of ethics. The company culture is at stake and it is a must that all employees feel equipped with the training and education to make the most ethical decisions possible when presented with a challenging scenario.
To achieve ethics training success, the ethical program must:
1. Help people understand ethical judgment philosophies and decision‐making heuristics;
2. Address areas of ethical concern within their industry/profession;
3. Teach the organization’s ethical expectations and rules;
4. Help people to understand their own ethical tendencies;
5. Take a realistic view, while also elaborating on difficulties in ethical decision‐making
6. Have people use the material in the workplace, then return to training for additional work to analyze their application.
Which Employees are coved by the Code of Ethics
All employees, whether executive, management, or subordinates, are covered by the Code of Ethics. No persons fall outside the scope of the Code of Ethics and its Guiding Principles, Ethical Rules, and the Core Values. It is the responsibility of ALL members to act according to the written Code of Ethics. When all employees commit to doing what is right, the company becomes a place that is safe from workplace violence, harassment, or any other violations.
Code of Ethics Implementation and Communication
The Code of Ethics is important to establish due to complying with legal requirements, improve the culture of the business and to protect the reputation of the company. All employees including executives, management, and subordinates shall be given a written Code of Ethics Handbook. The handbook must be read and signed. Once the written handbook has been read and signed, each employee must complete 5 hours of the Ethical Training Program within the first six months of employment. Materials such as signs, posters, charts, quotes, or other written material from the Ethical Training Program will be posted in the workplace. We will also offer at least 1-hour training class per month that is open to all employees after their initial 5 hours of the required Ethical Training Program. Once a year, we will host an Ethics Seminar that will consist of guest speakers, scenario training, and code of ethics reviews.
Code of Ethics Reporting and Enforcing
Discipline
Failure to comply with this Code or company guidance documents may result in disciplinary action or termination.2 Discipline decisions can vary depending on the severity of the misconduct and the employee’s disciplinary record, years of service, and job duties. Contact your Human Resources representative for help in determining appropriate discipline.
There are some serious violations of the Code that may result in termination including:
- Improper use of alcohol
- Acts or threats of violence
- Accessing or storing sexually suggestive or explicit materials using company
- assets, including computers, mobile phones or other electronic devices
- Falsification of company records
Reporting Ethics Violations
Report all ethics violations to the Ethics Office in the form of anonymous written complaint, face-to-face meeting, or by calling our ethics violation telephone line. The telephone line can be accessed 24-7. At no time will a complaint not be taken into serious consideration and be fully investigated. Before making a complaint, please have pertinent information and facts of the violation ready for a compliance officer. Once there is an investigation, it will be presented to an Ethics Panel that will hear the case and render a decision. There will be an appeals process if proper paperwork is filed within thirty days. The appeals process will be heard by two independent ethics compliance officers and a report will be issued within one week.
In an effort to reward ethical behavior, a reward system has been developed. Anyone can report ethical behavior that they have witnessed to the Ethics Office in the form of anonymous written documentation, face-to-face meeting, or by calling our ethics telephone line. The telephone line can be accessed 24-7. If after a Compliance Officer signs off on it a reward will be determined by the Ethics Office.
How the Code of Ethics Pertains to Mission Statement
The Mission Statement paints a clear picture of the organizations focus and purpose. It lays out its overall goal, the services they provide, and the customers that it serves. The Mission Statement of the company will not display the Code of Ethics. The Code of Ethics should however represent the mission of the company. Many companies will also have an introduction section to their Code of Ethics section listed under the Mission Statement. USA Gymnastics is as follows:
In order to assist all members to better serve the interests of those who participate in gymnastics, USA Gymnastics has adopted the Ethical Code which follows. This Code is not intended to establish a set of rules that will, by inclusion or exclusion, prescribe the appropriate behavior for USA Gymnastics members in every aspect of their participation in the sport. Rather, the Code offers general principles to guide conduct, and the judicious appraisal of conduct, in situations that have ethical implications. This Code cannot further ethical conduct in the sport of gymnastics; that can only come from the personal commitment of the participants in the sport to behave ethically. This Code is offered instead to guide and to affirm the will of all of USA Gymnastics members to safeguard the best interests of the sport by acting ethically at all times. (USAGymnastics,com)
The Mission Statement and Code of Ethics go hand in hand and work in conjunction with each other. The company’s success highly depends on its employees and their adherence to principles and ethical rules mentioned in the Code of Ethics. As the company succeeds there is more opportunity for all employees. Each employee, no matter what your title may be, should always come to work with the Mission of the company on your mind and let the Code of Ethics guide your path to success.