Codes of ethics move into the “third generation”

Corporations have come to rely on codes of ethics more frequently as a tool to ensure that their employees are engaged in ethical behavior in the course of their job duties. Over time, these tools have evolved from a focus on ethics as strictly legal compliance to a more sophisticated understanding of ethics which addresses the complex nature of interpersonal relationships. The author addresses how this shift in focus has impacted employees and proposes the adoption of a fiduciary standard in ethics codes for employees of international corporations.