In modern business, we constantly encounter terms such as: business ethics, violations, compliance, corporate social responsibility, and whistleblower protection.
All these terms share one common feature: their goal is to ensure that business activity – one of the most important areas of society’s functioning – takes place in a sustainable, stable manner, with compliance with rules established by society.
In other words, so that the free market competition, which is the foundation of our social system, takes place according to pre-established rules. So that it is free competition, but not arbitrary. Because otherwise, in a situation of such unrestrained market competition, the price for the economic success of some – achieved, as experience teaches, often through violations of either ethical or legal norms – and the failure of others, would ultimately be paid by states, individual social groups, and citizens.
As a result, without any exaggeration, it can be said that today, business ethics, long-term, sustainable, and responsible development are the foundation of the strategy of every larger company with global aspirations.
I am convinced, however, that in connection with this “trend” for business ethics, many managers of companies or offices have questions in their minds:
- What do these terms actually mean?
- What significance do they have for my company/institution?
- How to apply them in practice?
- And finally, are they essentially a burdensome ballast and invention, or an opportunity for development and strengthening?
I tried to address all these questions and doubts in the training on business ethics, prevention of violations and economic crime in the enterprise, and implementation of whistleblower protection regulations.
Training – a practical approach
The practical nature of the training means that its goal is that after its completion, participants not only have broader knowledge and theoretical foundations, but above all, acquire the ability to define where and when in their daily practice business ethics, violation prevention, or whistleblower protection apply or should apply.
Therefore, during the training, examples of violations, economic and financial crime that I have encountered in my legal practice will be discussed, including cases that went all the way to a court hearing ending with a verdict.
Thanks to this, the training gains value, as it is not based only on theoretical information, but shows how violations, conflicts of interest, and economic crimes occur in the realities of business operations, what their causes and consequences are, and how they can be prevented.
The training presentation is available at this link: Training presentation (PDF).
Implementation of whistleblower protection mechanisms in accordance with Directive 2019/1937
This Directive should be seen as a logical consequence of adopting the concept of basing business development on principles of ethics, social responsibility, and sustainable development. Whistleblower protection mechanisms are nothing more than actions to ensure that the rules of market competition are actually applied for the benefit of all.
Paweł Osiński
Attorney