A code of conduct tells people what to do, and where to go when something looks wrong. If staff cannot find it, or cannot tell what it means on a Tuesday afternoon, it does not do either job. Here are 12 policy areas in three sets of four, each with an example line in plain English and a reason it earns a place, then a 30-minute session plan to train your team on it.
How people speak up matters as much as what the code says. In the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners' (ACFE) 2026 report, based on 2,402 cases from 143 countries and territories, web-based reporting was the most common way tips arrived at 46 percent, ahead of email at 34 percent and phone at 23 percent (ACFE, Occupational Fraud 2026: A Report to the Nations). So a code that names an easy, visible way to report helps.
Every example line below is written fresh for this post. They are starting points for your own wording, not a ready-made policy and not legal advice.
What a code of conduct covers
A good code answers four questions: why it exists, who it applies to, how to raise a concern and what happens next. Two public sources show what "good" looks like.
The US Department of Justice test. In its guide to how prosecutors judge a company's compliance programme, the Criminal Division says they should examine whether the company has a code of conduct that sets out its commitment to full compliance with relevant federal laws and is "accessible and applicable to all company employees". It also looks for a trusted way for employees to report concerns anonymously or confidentially, and for proactive measures to create a workplace without fear of retaliation (DOJ, Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs, updated September 2024). This is federal guidance for companies, not a rule that every employer must have a code.
The SEC's five purposes, for listed companies. US public companies must disclose whether they have adopted a code of ethics for their senior officers, and explain why if they have not. The rule defines a code of ethics as written standards reasonably designed to deter wrongdoing and promote five things: honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of conflicts of interest; full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure; compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations; prompt internal reporting of violations to a named person; and accountability for adherence to the code (CFR 17 229.406). It applies to public companies. A private business is free to borrow the five ideas.
Round 1: Integrity and money (4)
These four protect the organisation's money and its good name. Keep each line short enough to say out loud.
- Interešu konflikti. Piemēra rinda: "If a personal relationship or outside interest could affect a work decision, tell your manager before you act." Why it earns a place: the SEC definition of a code of ethics names the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest, so it is a core area (17 CFR 229.406(b)(1)).
- Gifts and entertainment. Piemēra rinda: "Do not accept or give a gift that could look like a payment for a decision. If you are unsure, ask first and write it down." Kāpēc: a vague gifts rule invites arguments, so say where your own limit sits.
- Anti-bribery. Piemēra rinda: "We never offer, pay or accept anything of value to win or keep business improperly, anywhere we work." Kāpēc: for a US business working abroad, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) makes it unlawful to make certain payments to foreign government officials to help obtain or retain business (DOJ, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act). Other laws cover bribery elsewhere, so ask a lawyer how your business is affected.
- Godīga konkurence. Piemēra rinda: "Do not agree prices, bids or territories with a competitor, and do not collect a rival's confidential information." Kāpēc: staff at trade events and in customer calls need a rule they can apply on the spot.
Our pick: gifts and entertainment. It is an area where good people often ask "is this okay?", so a clear threshold and a "write it down" habit settle questions before they become disputes.
Round 2: People and information (4)
These four set the tone for how colleagues treat each other and what they do with what they know.
- Harassment and respect. Piemēra rinda: "We treat everyone with dignity. Unwelcome comments, jokes or behaviour that make someone uncomfortable are not acceptable, whoever says them." Kāpēc: it sets the standard for behaviour; your separate harassment policy and local law set the detail, so point to them from here.
- Speaking up and non-retaliation. Piemēra rinda: "If you see something that looks wrong, tell your manager, HR or the confidential line. Nobody is punished for raising a concern in good faith." Kāpēc: the DOJ guide asks whether the company has an anti-retaliation policy and whether it trains staff on it (DOJ, Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs).
- Confidentiality and data. Piemēra rinda: "Customer, colleague and company information is shared only with people who need it for their job, and only through approved tools." Kāpēc: staff need to know which tools are approved before the first mistake, not after it.
- Use of company assets. Piemēra rinda: "Company equipment, accounts and time are for company work. Occasional personal use is fine if it is brief and does not cost the company or break a rule." Kāpēc: a line that admits occasional personal use will be followed more than a blanket ban.
Our pick: speaking up and non-retaliation. The DOJ guide asks whether employees can report without fear and whether the company protects them, and the code is the first place staff look. The ACFE figure above says web-based reporting is the most common way tips arrive, so name the form, not only the person.
Round 3: Law and public life (4)
These four reach outside the building. Some depend on your business, so mark each as "applies to everyone" or "applies to some roles".
- Insider trading. Piemēra rinda: "If you learn something about us or a partner that the public does not know yet and that could move a share price, do not trade on it and do not pass it on." Kāpēc: it matters most for listed companies and for staff who hold their partners' secrets; a private business with no listed partners may not need it.
- Drošība. Piemēra rinda: "Everyone can stop work that looks unsafe. Report injuries, near misses and hazards straight away." Kāpēc: a conduct code is also a promise about physical safety, and "stop work" is easier to say when the code says it first.
- Sociālie mēdiji. Piemēra rinda: "When you post about work, make clear you speak for yourself, and do not share confidential information." Kāpēc: people write posts in a hurry. Keep the rule short and check local employment law before you restrict what staff say about their own conditions.
- Politiskā aktivitāte. Piemēra rinda: "Take part in politics on your own time and in your own name. Do not use company money, time or equipment for it." Kāpēc: it separates a person's views from the organisation's.
Our pick: social media. It is an area where staff may be a step ahead of the policy, so a one-sentence rule plus a worked example is easier to remember than a long paragraph.
Training on the code: a 30-minute session
A code that is read once and filed does little. A short, repeated session is easier to keep up, and it gives you evidence of training, which programme guidance such as the DOJ's asks about. Here is a plan that fits in half an hour.
- Open (3 minutes). Say what the code is for, using the plain-English first paragraph of this post. Show the one way to report a concern.
- One scenario per round (15 minutes). Put a short scenario from each round on screen and let people vote: is this a conflict of interest? Is this gift acceptable? What would you do next? Show the split, then discuss the "our pick" line.
- Anonymous questions (7 minutes). Open a question slot where people ask what they would not ask aloud. The 46 percent web-based figure is a reason to make reporting easy and visible, and an anonymous question slot shows how it feels.
- Sign-off (5 minutes). Ask each person to confirm they have read the code and know where to report. Keep the record, then repeat the session each year, and when the code changes.
Ways to host a code of conduct session with AhaSlides
Build each slide from this post's own examples, so the session matches your policy.
- Izvēlieties atbildi: put a scenario on the screen, such as "A supplier sends a gift basket before a contract review. Is this a conflict of interest?" with four options, and show the split.
- Vārdu mākonis: "What does integrity look like on our team?" The biggest words become the opening line of the discussion.
- Vērtēšanas skala: "How confident are you in raising a concern?" Rate it 1 to 5 and track the average from one session to the next.
- Open Ended and Q&A: collect anonymous questions on the code, then answer the top-voted ones in the room. For more on collecting honest answers, see our anonīma aptaujas vadlīnija.
Tips for a code people use
Write it in plain language, because plain language is easier to apply than legal wording when a person has ten seconds to decide. Keep it short enough to read in one sitting. Say who to tell and how, with a way that does not need the manager: with web-based reporting the most common way fraud tips were reported in the ACFE report (46 percent, ahead of email and phone), a link or QR code on the page staff already use is worth adding (ACFE). Put the examples in the code itself, and review it every year. For more ideas on what else to train, read darbinieku apmācības tēmas, and for the session itself, plānojot treniņu sesiju.
FAQ
What should a code of conduct include?
Conflicts of interest, gifts, respect, speaking up without retaliation, confidentiality and use of company assets, among others. The 12 areas above are a good starting list, and you add or drop areas to suit your business.
Is a code of conduct legally required?
Not for every employer. Listed US companies must disclose whether they have adopted a code of ethics for their senior officers, and explain why if they have not (CFR 17 229.406). Other rules vary by industry and location, so check with a qualified lawyer or the regulator.
How long should a code of conduct be?
Long enough to be clear, short enough to read. Plain language is easier to apply than legal wording. If staff cannot say what it covers after a single read, trim it.
How do you train employees on a code of conduct?
With short scenarios, a speak-up channel and a sign-off, repeated each year. The 30-minute plan above fits one meeting.
Kur sākt
Pick one policy area from each round and write your own example line for it this week. Then run the session with your team and ask what they would add.
Šī ziņa ir vispārīga informācija, nevis juridiska konsultācija. Lai pieņemtu lēmumu par savu darba vietu, konsultējieties ar kvalificētu darba tiesību juristu vai regulatoru.
