Madison Consultancy Group: Ethics and Conduct Program Report (Assessment)

Executive Summary

Madison consultancy group is a limited company that offers financial and management consultancy services to not for profit organizations. We provide recommendations, business, and financial plans to our clients as well as carrying out feasibility studies to their proposed ventures. Our aim is to provide the best services in terms of quality and precision. Our motto stands for the satisfaction of our clients.

Introduction

The Madison consultancy group is dedicated to a guiding principle of reasonable transactions and veracity in the conduct of its business. This pledge, which is sanctioned by the Madison consultancy Group Board of Directors, is based on the tenets that dealings should be conducted in an honest, just, and legal manner. The group expects its entire staff to commit and conform to its moral, ethical, and legal obligations. To facilitate this, an ethics and conduct program has been developed to provide the necessary guidelines for the implementation of the same.

Application

This ethics and conduct program applies:

• Equally to all management staff and employees, including temporary workers, representatives, and contractual employees who work in or for the Madison consultancy group.
• In all transactions and relations that transpires between all participants involved in the Madison Group business.
• When the managers and workers are representing or transacting business on its behalf to organizations, groups, and various committees.
• When interacting with clients for the group’s services, suppliers to the Group, the public, and the government.

Conformity With the Set Rules, Laws, and Regulations

All members of staff must are expected to abide by all laws and regulations which pertain to the endeavors they partake for and on behalf of the Group. The infringement of the law or unscrupulous business dealing by members of the staff will not go unpunished. Failure to comply may lead to termination of employment and or the initiation of civil or criminal proceedings in a court of law.

Code of Ethics

These are the code of ethics that must be adhered to by all members of the Madison consultancy group.

• Employees must, at all times, avoid any transaction that may be viewed to bring conflict between their personal interests and the interests of the group.
• Any external transactions pertaining to the group must conform to the set standards, and a report must, in the end, be submitted to the managers for review.
• Under no circumstances should the employees of the group gain any personal benefits from transactions initiated by close relatives, friends, or family with the group.
• Confidential information regarding the group, its clients, or employees should never be shared with outsiders under any circumstances. Employees are expected to maintain the discretion of private and privileged information.
• Madison consultancy group does not promote the acceptance of gifts and gratuities from clients because they may affect the employee’s objectivity in the dealings.
• All employees are expected to submit a certificate of good conduct issued by the proper authorities upon employment.
• Employees are prohibited from transacting any business deal while under the influence of alcohol or any other mind-altering drugs.
• As a general rule, employees must never accept hospitality offers from parties involved with the group as it may influence their business decisions.
• Financial statements and reports must be submitted to the managers and clients on a regular basis to provide accountability for the allocated funds.
• Receiving and giving out bribes together with other forms of enticements to and from employees is prohibited and punishable by the termination of employment.
• Employment of immediate family members, spouses, or close friends (peers) is not encouraged. The decision to do so is subjected to a unanimous decision by all managing directors and human resource managers.
• All employees who have access to the group’s property must at all times use the proper procedures to record, handle, and protect them. Such properties include vehicles, stationery, and office equipments and machinery.
• Employees responsible for accounting and bookkeeping should at all times ensure that such records are properly organized and maintained. In addition to this, they must ensure that the records reflect all business transactions in a legitimate, precise, and timely manner.
• If contacted by the media (e.g., newspapers, television, and radio channels), employees should answer only what they are certain of and ensure they get information about the inquirer and the media they represent. The incident must also be reported to the managers so that a course of action may be implemented.
• No employee shall seek the influence or aid of anyone to get a transfer, promotion, or other advantage within or outside the group.
• Members shall not hold entertainment and social events within the confinement of the company or during working hours without the previous permission of the manager or supervisor in charge.
• Every member shall conduct him / her self in a way that is in compliance with the good reputation, order, and discipline of the Madison consulting group. No employee, while at work or representing the group, shall use profane, depraved, and indecent language or gestures, which may be detrimental to the overall reputation, order, and discipline of the group.
• All employees are required to attend regular training and performance evaluation sessions, and those absent for three consecutive sessions shall be deemed to be non-compliant and be suspended. Upon return, the employee shall meet with the human resource manager to put forward an explanation as to their absence prior to the member being allowed to return to active duty.
• Every employee will be expected to have and maintain a working telephone and must notify the supervising managers within 24hrs of any changes to their physical address and telephone numbers.
• Any financial dealings and agreement should be concluded only by the designated manager. In case the manager is unavailable, there must be a witness present and a signed document by all present members during the transaction.

Implementation of the Code

It should be noted that it is a term and condition of employment that all prospective and current employees conform to this Code, and this must also be reflected in all employment contracts provided by the Madison consulting group.

Copies of the Code must be made available to all the departments of the Madison consulting group, and the managers of each department must take it upon themselves the task of implementing reasonable measures to ensure that all employees identify with its contents.

A copy of this Code must be given to all new employees, and a signature acknowledging the agreement of the policies, rules, and regulations herein must be obtained.

Any changes or amends made to the program must at all times be communicated to all employees using the available channels immediately so that the employees can review them and adjust to those changes. The channels available include internal memos, e-mails, and departmental meetings.

Reporting Procedure and Ramification of Contravention

Compliance with the ethical program by all staff members in their capacities is compulsory, and dishonoring the code or the set rules and regulations will be harshly handled. It should be noted that:

• If an employee discovers or suspects that another staff member is going against the Code, they should immediately report this to the management using the channels so that proper investigations can be initialized.
• If a client or any other interested third party insinuates a course of action that goes against the company’s code of conduct, it is the duty of the employee to report the matter to the supervising manager who shall advise and devise the most appropriate course of action including termination of the ongoing or future deals and transactions.
• If a breach of ethics is found to have transpired, disciplinary measures will be taken, which could lead to the suspension or termination of employment, as well as the opening of civil and/or criminal actions.
• In cases where an employee is suspected to be involved in any misdemeanor, then an investigation shall ensue, and only after the investigation should the appropriate leaders decide on the form of punishment that should be applied according to the intensity of the crime.
• Failure or delay in informing the management is also viewed as a contravention that can result in disciplinary measures.
• Employees who are not certain of a course of action should seek advice from their supervisors or managing director. This especially applies to situations where the transaction presents an opportunity for conflict of interest.

Ethics Training Program

The importance of ethics and good conduct cannot be understated, and as such, the Madison consulting group has devoted its resources to ensure that both the new and current employees get the necessary training to adapt and maintain the desired standards of conduct and ethics. To do so, all managers are expected to organize seminars that offer different lessons in employee behavior, their roles, and obligations, guidelines to how things ought to be done, and, most importantly, customer care.

In addition to this, the management has organized a schedule through which employees will, in turn, educate each other on the various ethical issues that affect them during their endeavors. This is in the hope that other employees may learn and apply the same etiquettes when approached with similar situations.

On the same note, various professionals in business ethics shall be invited on a monthly basis to offer advice and training concerning business ethics and conduct. All employees are expected to attend the lectures without fail. Also, assessments in the form of questionnaires shall be distributed to the employees at the end of each month in order to evaluate their knowledge and understanding of the designed code of ethics and conduct.

Evaluation and Review

The ethics program is subjected to change. In any business, there are new and differentiated opinions and developments that may affect a proposed course of action. It is, therefore, always important that each aspect of the business is designed with some level of flexibility and room for change in case of such circumstances.

Madison consulting group has to this effect established an ethical committee within its employees whose main purpose shall be to monitor, evaluate, and propose amendments to this ethics program. This is very crucial, considering that each employee reacts differently to similar situations. Through interviews and open discussions between the management and employees, the committee shall be able to identify areas of strength or weakness in the program. Additionally, the committee offers the employees an opportunity to air their opinion without fear or tension that is always present between employees and their superiors.

The committee shall, at any time, make amendments to the program in order to create a sense of fairness and balance in the organization. The decision to do so shall purely be based on the validity and applicability of the grievances or recommendations made by the employees and clients of the Madison consulting group.

Statement of Acknowledgement

I have read and understood the policies, rules, and regulations stated in this document and further comprehend that disobedience of any one or more of the stated rules and regulations may provide grounds for disciplinary action up to and including criminal or civil proceedings and permanent dismissal from the company. I further affirm that it is my duty and responsibility to review and update myself with the Madison consulting group Operational Policies and Guidelines as printed and posted from time to time within the organization.