Ethical Aspects of

Business Communication
By: Aasma Masood, Bibi Aisha and Mustafa Ali
Introduction

• Ethical communication is fundamental to responsible thinking,

decision making, and the development of relationships and
communities within and across contexts, cultures, channels, and
media. Moreover, ethical communication enhances human worth
and dignity by fostering truthfulness, fairness, responsibility,
personal integrity, and respect for self and others. We believe that
unethical communication threatens the quality of all
communication and consequently the well-being of individuals and
the society in which we live.
Aspects of Ethical Communication

• The comprehensive ethical code promoted by the International Association of Business

Communicators covers a number of topics that go beyond a narrow definition of
ethical business communication, such as cultural sensitivity and free speech issues.
• While these issues are more complex and subjective than the basic ethical goal of
accurate, non-deceptive and complete communication in business, they can
contribute to the same purpose.
• Ethical business communication builds trust between all stakeholders including the
company's employees, the owners, consumers or clients and the local community.
• Companies that demonstrate respect for human rights and the values of different
cultures in their corporate communications can build trust with a wide range of
stakeholders and improve their reputation for social responsibility.
Positive Aspects of Ethical Communication

• Socially responsible business practices aim to benefit not only the owners of the company but
the community and the natural environment in which the business operates.
• In theory, socially responsible business practices should be a market advantage, because many
consumers would prefer to do business with companies they consider ethical.
• However, consumers often do not have access to reliable information about the business
practices of different companies.
• This can lead customers to adopt a cynical mindset about all companies and give up on making
ethical purchasing decisions.
• By committing to full and ethical communication both within the company and without, an
organization cannot only set a good example of socially responsible business practice, but can
also benefit by letting customers know about the practices that set the company apart from
the competition.
Honest Communication

• To be considered ethical, communication must be factually accurate, non-

deceptive and complete.
• Some companies make advertising statements that are technically accurate but
are presented in ways that are designed to confuse or mislead the consumer or
leave out relevant information.
• This type of communication is not ethical even though it does not involve any
outright lies.
• If the consumer found out all of the facts behind an advertisement of this type,
he would have less trust in the product and the company. Ethical communication
builds trust, while unethical communication abuses or damages it.
Code of Ethics

• The International Association of Business Communicators has developed a code of ethics

for business communication.
• The IABC code of ethics requires business communicators to be truthful and accurate and
to personally correct any inaccuracies they have the opportunity to correct.
• They are also expected to support human rights, such as freedom of speech and to
respect and understand the values of different cultures and belief systems.
• They must refuse to participate in any unethical business communication practices, follow
all laws and regulations affecting their industry, avoid plagiarism in communication,
maintain confidentiality except when it would be legally or ethically inappropriate to do
so, avoid the appearance of bribery or conflict of interest, avoid promising unrealistic
results or benefits to clients or customers and practice honesty with both self and others.
Ethical Issues of Business Communication

• Rumors and opinions generated from social media.

• Plagiarism.
• Privacy
• Online consent and confidentiality
• Deception
• Issues of transparency
• Due to high competition the ethical standards are getting low
Vital Characteristics of Ethical Communication

• Communication ethics concerns the creation and evaluation of goodness in

all aspects and manifestations of communicative interaction.
• Because both communication and ethics are tacitly or explicitly inherent
in all human interactions, everyday life is fraught with intentional and
unintentional ethical questions—from reaching for a cup of coffee to
speaking critically in a public meeting.
• Thus ethical questions infuse all areas of the discipline, including rhetoric,
media studies, intercultural / international communication, relational and
organization communication, as well as other iterations of the field.
Conveying The Point Without Offending The
Audience
• While communicating with the audience, expressing the desired message to them in a
significant manner is of primary importance.
• Strong conversation skills can make a big difference in the workplace. Knowing how to
share an attentive, friendly discussion will give you more confidence and help you
build better relationships.
• As you improve your skills, you’ll become a more thoughtful listener, give sharper
responses, and learn how to handle common mistakes. For instance, the employees in
a company can be asked to increase their efficiency in a demanding manner whereas
managers and executives will feel offended if the same tone is used on them.
• There are different ways to explain the exact things to them in a much smoother
manner
Maintain A Relationship With The Audience

• Maintaining the same wavelength with the audience is very important

for a communicator to ensure the audiences feel at home.
• Experienced communicators immediately build a relationship based on
trust with the audience as soon as they start speaking.
• As the audience shares, ask relevant questions to give them further
chances to express themselves.
• Be curious about the audience! For instance, if they’re talking about a
tough presentation they just gave, ask how they felt when they finished
Avoid Withholding Crucial Information

• In the modern era, information is vital for all decision. Hence, it is

essential for any organization to be cautious when communicating
with titanic.
• The related information should be absolute, and all crucial
information must be passed on appropriately.
• Purposely withholding crucial information might result in the
public conceiving a bad image.
Well Organized Value System

• In order to ensure that this concept is successfully practiced and

understood in an organization, a well-organized value system must
be established throughout the organization by the top
management.
• If an organization functions on the base of value systems common
to both the top management and the employees, mutual respect
between them will be present.
• A sound and healthy value system can make way for ethical
communication
Accuracy Of Information Is Necessary

• Any information that is to be passed on must be true and accurate.

• Communicating without checking the truth of the information can
be highly dangerous for the organization.
• Identification of the source and testing the information is
necessary before communicating it
Conclusion

• The work of an organizational communication professional consists in developing communication

plans that seek to restore trust, not only in the organization but the leaders and in all the people
who work for it, in verbally promoting ethical behaviors and generating spaces of communication
that help support institutional values.
• In this way, both managers and employees will be "on the same page," employees will feel heard and
respected and will treat customers in the same way.
• Also, this will generate more loyalty on the part of the client and, therefore, more business.
• In addition, a business that communicates internally with ethics will most likely project that image
in the business community, will seek to maintain good relations with the government and its most
successful businesses.
• Without the distractions and negative effects that can have the legal implications of running a
business " ethically debatable," the organization will be able to concentrate its efforts on its
employees, its products, and its clients.