A code of practice is an important statement for your business to complete whether engaging in business-to-business or business-to-customer relations. It outlines your business beliefs, standards and organizational structure to provide a basis for resolving disputes.
Depending on the focus of your business, an approved code of practice may include your business procedure for professional improvement, supplier relations, customer relations, and health or safety of individuals. Code of practice information provides the employees and customers with standards of practice for your business. Consider the following advice when developing your code of practice:
1. Ensuring quality and integrity of products and service may be a point of inclusion for your code of practice.
2. Treating everyone fairly and equally may be important for your code of practice.
3. Expecting employees to maintain professional conduct in all aspects of business may be stated in your code of practice.
Choose an approved code of practice for your business
Deciding what to include in your code of practice statements involves brainstorming. Consider what is important regarding your business practice and organizational standards, your position on issues relevant to those receiving service and expectations of all involved in upholding the code of practice.
Write a code of practice for your business
Code of practice statements are most effective when they are concise and specific. To narrow the scope of your code of practice, consider a consultant for code of practice advice. A consultant can be an employee with a firm understanding of company standards, the target group affected by your code of practice statement or a code of practice expert.
Illinois Institute of Technology provides standards-of-practice examples from many professions, and Businessballs.com has a code of practice template for business use.
Implement your code of practice in the workplace
A code of practice that is upheld and utilized develops a deeper level of integrity through accountability. Everyone is responsible for adhering to the code of practice, so it is important to gain cooperation from all involved.
- Periodically re-evaluate your code of practice to ensure all subjects continue to be relevant, review those involved in upholding the code of practice, seek feedback from those affected by the code of practice and make recommendations for maintaining or adjusting the current code of practice.
