COMMUNICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY

A professional organisation communicates about integrity and accounts for it.

This helps to make it clear to employees what is expected of them. This also includes transparency about incidents: What does the organisation learn from the incident? What went well, and what would the Management Board like to be done differently next time? Openness about incidents, with due respect for confidentiality, strengthens the organisation’s integrity. It is a strong signal that the Management Board takes ethics seriously.

The Works Council has a special task and must approve the reporting procedure. The Works Council must also be informed annually. Good employee participation can encourage appropriate conduct and strengthen integrity.

Good communication and accountability create greater trust. In this way, the organisation builds an ethical reputation. Inform the employee participation body, supervisory bodies, shareholders and elected representatives, customers, clients and citizens. Do this through reports, the annual report and the media.

TIPS FOR SUPERVISORY DIRECTORS

  1. Discuss with the Management Board what information is provided to the ‘outside world’ about the integrity policy and its outcomes. For example, is the code of conduct accessible to external parties via the organisation’s website? And can external parties and former employees also use the reporting procedure?
  2. Some organisations are required to report on the integrity policy, or parts of it, and its results, including reports made. This obligation may arise from international legislation and regulations, such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), or from sectorspecific regulations or codes. Make sure you are aware of such requirements and how the organisation complies with them. Organisations to which this obligation does not apply may, of course, also mention this in their annual report. Discuss with the Management Board what information is made public.
  3. Significant integrity violations involving the Management Board often attract media attention. In that case, it is advisable to have a communication protocol. Also, consider whether you need to be assisted by a crisis communication adviser.