Ethics are a set of values that serve to regulate behaviour to ensure harmony between people.
Ethics appeal to a person's sense of duty. A code of ethics is a group of rules adopted by an organization. They provide guidelines for the conduct of directors and employees and they draw the line between what is and isn't permitted. Violation of the
code may engender sanctions.
A code of ethics appeals to personal values rather than duty. In a given situation, a decision is made after reflecting on the positive or negative consequences of an action for yourself, for another person and for your environment. This is done in
consideration of the organizational values and is a matter of making the best choice under the circumstances. The objective is for people to develop their ability to make responsible decisions.
To find out more, see the Desjardins Code of Professional Conduct.