4. Conclusion

"Ethics" tops the list of the words most frequently mentioned in the press and on television news. You only have to look at the extra-financial environmental performance declarations now published annually by many organizations to realize that ethical issues are one of their major concerns.

But isn't this a good illustration of the term "ethicwashing": everything is planned, but will it actually be carried out? The implementation of an ethics management system can supersede these gratuitous declarations of intent. Like quality management systems in the past, environmental management systems more recently, or social responsibility today, ethical management systems run the risk of being dismissed as a fad.

They are, however, effective tools for improvement and progress, and should be exploited in line with the organization's needs....