Personal responsibility and ethical leadership
In November 2015, ICAS launched its business ethics initiative: The Power of One. The Power of One highlights the role of the individual.
This paper - Personal responsibility and ethical leadership - the first in The Power of One series of publications explores further the ICAS view that every individual Chartered Accountant (CA) must take “personal responsibility” for living the ethical principles of their professional Institute throughout their career.
CAs can be found in all walks of life, business and society, and need to take personal responsibility for the important role they have to play. Corporate values often have ethical connotations, but, it is the individuals working within organisations who ultimately determine whether or not the ethical values which an organisation seeks to emulate are actually realised – it is the behaviour of the individuals within organisations which is of fundamental importance.
CAs need to be their own leaders in ethical behaviour in order to meet their professional obligations.
Individuals, and particularly CAs, must have the confidence to speak out and influence the culture of organisations in which they work, to ensure that organisations interact with all their stakeholder groups in an ethical manner.
In 2020, to mark the fifth anniversary since the launch of The Power of One, ICAS issued a second edition of this paper.
