Introduction

In order for any meeting, or any organisation, to function well, it must function according to agreed standards and values. It is recognised that meetings are made effective by adherence to certain rules that comply with the values espoused by the organisation. For that reason, the attached code below provides a point of departure, which others may use to their advantage. It is not suggested that this is a totally inclusive code, or one that is universally accepted. It does, however, provide a frame of reference from which any new code can be developed. (See also Francis 1999, 2009; Francis and Mishra 2009.)

The primary advantages of ethics codes are that they can clarify our thoughts on what constitutes unethical behaviour; help professionals to think about ethical issues before they are confronted with the realities of the situation; provide employees with the opportunity to refuse to comply with unethical action; define the limits of what constitutes acceptable or unacceptable behaviour; and provide a mechanism for communicating professional ethics policy. Commitment to a code requires seven aspects, which are:

1. Having and knowing the ethics code;

2. Knowing the applicability of state and federal laws and regulations;

3. Knowing the rules and regulations of the institution where the employee works;

4. Engaging in continuing education in ethics;

5. Identifying when there is a potential ethical problem;

6. Learning a method of analysing ethical obligations in often complex situations; and

7. Consulting professionals knowledgeable about ethics.