Ethics Policy
What are ethics?
At its most simple, ethics considers concepts of right and wrong conduct. As a branch of philosophy that has been discussed and debated for thousands of years, this is an area of study that is capable of becoming an all-consuming examination in itself.
In the context of www.socialmediacheck.com™ as a business, the purpose of this statement is to publicly set out what behaviour we think is right for ourselves individually as responsible managers of www.socialmediacheck.com™.
Personal Ethics
To suggest that a person’s conduct is ethical, would generally mean that it is right or desirable in a particular context. Such an observation would indicate that consideration has been given to the circumstances, the available options and expected, potential outcomes and that in light of such thoughts, the decision made demonstrates good conduct.
This good conduct is the values, standards and characteristics that we hold ourselves to. We think we should be honest, fair, respectful and dignified in all situations.
Business Ethics
www.socialmediacheck.com™ and its employees will at all times demonstrate the highest levels of integrity, truthfulness, and honesty in order to inspire confidence and trust as natural consequences of ethical behaviour.
The company will conduct its business in a competent, fair, impartial, and efficient manner at all times. In determining what is right and good for the business, we will consider the legal, financial and administrative circumstances of a situation alongside the standards we expect of ourselves personally; integrity, honesty and fairness.
We will treat other businesses with equally high standards at all times, whether they are clients, suppliers or contractors.
Employees
Our employees are treated with dignity, respect and equality. We have a separate Equality Statement that outlines these standards in further detail. Employees are offered a safe, healthy, professionally challenging and engaging workplace.
The company will not tolerate any form of harassment towards or from its staff. We strive to develop, challenge and build our staff individually and to ensure that the workplace balances the pressure of high, professional standards with the personal support to achieve these.
Customers
www.socialmediacheck.com™ will seek to build long term partnerships with its customers by being honest and straightforward in its dealings at all times. It will respect the confidentiality of its customers and abide by all applicable and governing legislation when working on behalf of other companies or individuals.
We recognise that technological and legal services can be difficult to understand and will at all times seek to make our language as simple as possible. Our literature will be designed with this in mind and we will endeavour to help anyone who needs assistance with our products or services.
Competitors
The company will build its reputation on the basis of its performance alone. It will compete vigorously and lawfully and will not compete unfairly with others. We will not seek to damage the reputation of our competitors either directly or by implication.
Technology
We have taken great care to act in accordance with all UK data handling legislation and other Acts and Statutes where they engage with our products and services, for example The Equality Act 2010.
We understand our legal obligations and responsibilities, towards our clients and the statutory bodies that oversee data handling such as the Information Commissioners Office. Primarily, all of our products, services and actions are legitimate and legal.
Beyond this position, which we see as our minimum level of operation, we further consider what is right and proper conduct for www.socialmediacheck.com™. In an area that is developing quickly and is highly complex, just because an action is possible and legal does not make it right and proper. By keeping our literature and language clear, concise and straightforward, we are making our products and services very clear to understand through their Terms and Conditions, giving customers and clients a clear understanding of what we do and how we do it.
We believe that making every step of our products and services easily understandable is key to our transparency and legitimacy as an ethical company.
“The great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap between one’s real and one’s declared aims, one turns as it were to long words or exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish squirting out ink.”
George Orwell
Challenge
We welcome different opinions on our products and services and encourage discussion about these ideas.
We recognise and embrace different views and value the perspective that such differences bring.
We may not agree with all other views but being open to challenge and genuinely reflecting on our own position is essential to being balanced.
We are happy to acknowledge that our position may change on issues as our understanding, knowledge and perspective changes over time. If we get things wrong, we will apologise.
We will learn from mistakes to ensure that they don’t happen again, taking immediate action to remedy issues whilst reflecting on the causes of such issues to ensure our business has a mature atmosphere of responsibility and learning, rather than blame and avoidance.