What an ethical culture looks like

Individuals influence an organization's moral climate even as they are influenced by it; our context influences our behavior. At SDUSD, our commitment to excellence implies a highly ethical culture—an environment that not only attends to compliance but is fundamentally aspirational. Our aim is to achieve significant positive good—in this case, to improve student performance and prepare students to lead productive, fulfilling lives.

An ethical culture includes the following characteristics:

  • Values employees and their contributions.
    Employees are supported with:
    • Information, knowledge, and skills needed to do the job;
    • Opportunities for growth and development;
    • Recognition for exemplary performance.
  • Fosters a work environment of respect and trust.
    • People trust that the spoken values are the organization’s real values.
    • Cooperation and teamwork are the norm.
    • Employees freely raise problems and concerns in a climate of candor, not fear.
  • Supports conversation about values and provides help for ethical decision making.
    • Everyone is familiar with the Ethics Code
    • Help is provided for navigating gray areas.
    • Tools and practice help people work through ethical dilemmas.
  • Has leaders at every level who model the behaviors they demand of others.
    • Starting at the top and throughout the system, leaders consciously role model.
    • Managers and supervisors communicate the importance of integrity when making tough decisions. They overtly talk about ethics and values, spread stories about exemplary actions and decisions by members of their teams, and reward ethical behavior.
  • Fosters personal responsibility.
    • Employees feel a sense of responsibility and accountability for their actions and the actions of others.
  • Supports teamwork and community.
    • A strong sense of common purpose prevails. In the case of SDUSD, everyone is focused on making a difference for kids.
    • People are highly motivated by the sense of community.
  • Earns essential public trust.
    • Each individual takes personal responsibility for his/her performance and for the district’s reputation.
    • All employees are good stewards of public resources.
    • People avoid even the appearance of wrongdoing.

Among its many benefits, an ethical culture:

  • Supports and empowers ethical actions.
    • People feel trusted to take initiative, confident about their ability to make ethical and sound decisions, and supported with formal and informal sources of help.
  • Helps prevent problems before they occur.
    • Clear expectations, a common sense of purpose, and a caring environment promote positive behavior norms.
    • Strong purpose and pride in accomplishment help deter fraud and abuse; no one wants problems that drain resources and energy from the central purpose; no one wants a negative news story that tarnishes all.
  • Helps resolve issues when they arise.
    • Norms of openness, cooperation, and teamwork help issues surface before they become problems.
    • In a climate of openness, people feel safe conveying problems and trust that action will be taken to resolve them.

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