Exploring Corporate Codes of Conduct

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9-10

Exploring Corporate Codes of Conduct

Project type: Web Quest

Related topic:
Stranger than Fiction: The Bre-X Gold Scandal

Subjects

Business Studies
Political Science

Summary

Using a variety of Web-based resources, students will analyze and compare corporate codes of conduct of Canadian companies.

Duration

2 lessons

Purpose

To analyze elements of corporate codes of conduct

Before Exploring

If your school or school board has a student code of conduct, review it with the class. Discuss the purpose of a code of conduct, and have students generate reasons why an organization would want a code of conduct in place.

Outline the Opportunity

Direct students to the topic Stranger than Fiction: The Bre-X Gold Scandal on the CBC Radio and Television Archives Web site. Have students view Clips #8, and 9, including the The Story and Did You Know? sections. As a class, discuss what impact a code of conduct might have had on the actions of some of the Bre-X employees involved in the scandal. Explain that many (but not all) companies have codes of conduct in place to guide their employees’ behaviour.

As a class, develop a list of criteria that can be used to compare codes of conduct. Students will then have the opportunity to find, review, and compare three different codes of conduct that are available online.

Revisit and Reflect

Ask pairs of students to prepare a summary of what they found when they compared the codes of conduct. Discuss the summaries as a large group. To close the activity, ask students to identify steps they can take to address the issue of ethical conduct in corporations that they deal with as consumers and citizens.