Code of Conduct: Examples, Rules, and Violation Outcomes

Anyone who has skimmed an employee handbook has met a code of conduct — the pages that explain how people are expected to behave, and what happens when they don’t. The concept sounds simple until you search for it: some sources list five codes, others seven principles, and almost none explain why the numbers differ.

Codes highlighted by Ethisphere: 5 ·
Principles of public life often linked to codes: 7 ·
People Also Ask questions for “Code Conduct”: 8 ·
Institutional sources in current top 5: 4 (IoD, SIPO, Ethisphere, Corporate Governance Institute)

Eight rows, one pattern: a code of conduct is defined by what it covers and what happens when people ignore it.

What is a code of conduct?

A code of conduct is the written standard of behavior an organization expects from its people. The Institute of Directors (UK governance body) calls it “an articulation of the standards that govern an organisation’s conduct,” and career platform Indeed puts it more plainly: a defined set of rules, principles, values, employee expectations, and behaviors.

That framing moves the code from HR paperwork to governance. A code that only says “be professional” gives a manager nothing to enforce; a code that names expectations gives everyone something to test decisions against.

• It translates values into testable rules — “respect” becomes a rule about language and behavior, not a slogan.
• It can sit inside an employee handbook or stand alone as its own document (Trainual (employee training platform)).
• It signals to employees, partners, and the public that responsible practice is the baseline — the promise baked into the IoD’s definition.

What does a code of conduct do for an organization?

• Turns values into testable behavior — what “respect” means when a customer is abusive, what “integrity” means when a gift arrives.
• Sets a baseline for discipline: a written standard makes a violation assessable instead of arguable.
• Forces a decision on consequences — a code that never says what happens after a breach is a suggestion, not a policy.

None of that works if the code is invisible. Organizations that get results treat it as a training document, not a compliance artifact.

The implication: a code of conduct only governs behavior when someone has actually read it.

Who is covered by a code of conduct?

• Employees — the default audience; employer handbooks apply the code to all staff.
• Civil servants — SIPO, Ireland’s standards-in-public-office body, sets a code that requires delivering services to a high standard, behaving appropriately at work, and maintaining the highest standards.
• Contractors, volunteers, and board members — only when the policy explicitly extends scope to them.

Scope isn’t decorative. A hand book that binds “all employees” gives no handle on a contractor who behaves badly; one drafted for “everyone representing the organization” does.

The catch: scope disputes are where violations get waved away. Define who is covered before you need to enforce it.

What are the 5 codes of conduct?

The honest answer is that there is no universal list of five codes of conduct. The number traces to Ethisphere, an ethics-and-compliance research firm, whose review “5 Codes of Conduct We Love & Why” highlights five model codes. It’s a curated reading list, not a governance standard.

• “5 codes of conduct” — Ethisphere’s curated review of five model codes.
• “6 codes of conduct” — shows up in People Also Ask flows; no institutional source defines a six-code framework.
• “7 codes of ethics” — usually traces to the seven principles of public life, not to seven code documents.

None of the governance sources — the Institute of Directors, Workable, or the Joint Commission — publishes a list of five codes. The number is an example, not a rule.

Why do sources also mention 6 codes of conduct?

• The “6 codes” query appears in People Also Ask, but no institutional source defines it.
• A floating number like this is query shorthand: one source uses it, search algorithms repeat it, and the next searcher assumes it’s official.
• Search data around “7 principles of Code of conduct” shows the same concept linked to multiple numeric frameworks.

Treat numbers in search results as labels, not laws. If someone asks for “the 6 codes,” ask which framework they mean — they usually mean five examples, seven principles, or just a decent employer’s code.

What does Ethisphere’s five-code review cover?

• Five model codes chosen to demonstrate strong ethics-and-compliance design.
• Five actual organizational codes — though the public snippet doesn’t name which companies.
• A demonstration of structure, tone, and coverage, not a template to copy wholesale.

For a compliance team hunting for a starting point, that’s the value: five examples show how different companies solve the same problems — what to put up front, how to phrase the rules, when to reference law and procedure.

What are examples of code of conduct?

Real codes come in different flavors. Three examples show the range: a public-service code, a healthcare safety code, and an employer handbook.

• SIPO’s civil service code: deliver services to a high standard, behave appropriately at work, and maintain the highest standards.
• The Joint Commission’s sample behavioral policy: all individuals conduct themselves in a manner consistent with acceptable behavior (The Joint Commission (healthcare accreditation body)).
• Goodwill South Texas’s employee handbook: a working code with a named list of violations.

Can you give me an example of a code of conduct?

• Goodwill South Texas’s employee handbook is a concrete, downloadable example.
• It names violations in plain language instead of vague values.
• It covers both safety rules and workplace behavior, which is what a sample policy should do.

Here is the actual violation list from that handbook (Goodwill South Texas (nonprofit employer)):

• Willful violation or disregard of health, fire, security, or safety regulations.
• Unauthorized use of agency equipment.
• Failure to report accidents involving employees, participants, or customers.
• Willful damage, destruction, or theft of property.
• Insubordination, misconduct, or refusal to follow supervisor instructions.
• Dangerous, indecent, lewd, threatening, abusive, profane, or belligerent language or behavior toward others.

Notice what this list does well: every item is specific enough to investigate. “Treat people with respect” is a value; “dangerous, indecent, lewd, threatening, abusive, profane, or belligerent language or behavior toward others” is a testable rule.

How do you write a code of conduct?

• Start with scope: who must follow this code?
• Anchor it in values, then translate each value into testable rules.
• Decide placement: employee handbook, standalone policy, or both.

The full build sequence — what to include, how to enforce, how to train — is laid out in the steps section below.

What happens if a code of conduct is violated?

The code’s real test is the violation. A policy that only describes good behavior stops working the moment someone behaves badly.

• Violations can damage organizational reputation and may result in disciplinary action or termination (Institute of Directors (UK governance body)).
• In healthcare settings, the expectation is investigation: allegations are investigated and appropriate actions are taken (The Joint Commission (healthcare accreditation body)).
• Employers can set the ceiling explicitly: violations “may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination” (Goodwill South Texas (nonprofit employer)).

Notice the pattern behind those three statements: the institution, the investigation, and the consequence are all named before they’re needed.

What does the disciplinary process look like?

1. Report. When an employee files a report, it should name the people involved, the dates, the events, and why the incident looks like a violation (Institute of Directors (UK governance body)).
2. Investigate. A written report lets investigators check facts, interview witnesses, and compare behavior against the policy’s language.
3. Decide. Outcomes scale with severity — from retraining and written warnings to suspension, termination, and legal action for criminal conduct.
4. Communicate and record. The policy should have explained the possible consequences up front; organizations should clearly explain what happens when the code is broken (Trainual (employee training platform)).

Why this matters: a disciplinary process is only as fair as the policy that feeds it.

How do organizations report violations?

• Most policies build in a reporting mechanism as a standard section (ComplyJet (compliance software provider)).
• The IoD advises employees to report suspected violations internally through the organization’s established procedure.
• Some policies include anonymous reporting channels or dedicated ethics hotlines.

What are the 7 codes of ethics?

The “7 codes of ethics” phrase typically refers to the seven principles of public life, a framework developed by the UK’s Committee on Standards in Public Life. These principles often form the ethical foundation for codes of conduct in public-sector and governance contexts.

• Selflessness: Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.
• Integrity: Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organizations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work.
• Objectivity: Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.
• Accountability: Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.
• Openness: Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.
• Honesty: Holders of public office should be truthful.
• Leadership: Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and be willing to challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.

These seven principles are not a code of conduct themselves, but a values framework that many organizations use to anchor their specific behavioral rules.

What is the difference between a code of conduct and a code of ethics?

• A code of ethics states principles — broad values that guide decision-making.
• A code of conduct states expected behaviors — specific, testable rules for day-to-day actions.
• The seven principles of public life are an ethics framework that can form the basis of a code of conduct.

The catch: an organization that publishes only a code of ethics leaves managers guessing what “integrity” looks like in a specific situation. A code of conduct removes the guesswork.

How do the 7 principles of public life apply to codes of conduct?

The seven principles translate into conduct rules. For example, the principle of “openness” becomes a rule requiring employees to document decisions and disclose conflicts of interest. The principle of “accountability” becomes a rule requiring employees to take responsibility for their actions and participate in performance reviews.

What this means: the principles are the “why”; the code of conduct is the “how.”

Steps to build and enforce a code of conduct

1. Define scope. Decide who the code covers — employees only, or also contractors, volunteers, and board members.
2. Anchor in values. Identify the organization’s core ethical values (e.g., integrity, respect, accountability).
3. Translate values into rules. For each value, write 2-3 specific, testable behavioral rules. “Respect” becomes a rule about language, harassment, and professional communication.
4. Name consequences. State the range of disciplinary outcomes for violations, from warnings to termination.
5. Establish reporting mechanisms. Provide clear instructions for reporting violations, including anonymous channels if possible.
6. Assign enforcement ownership. Designate who investigates violations and who decides outcomes.
7. Train and communicate. Ensure every covered person reads and acknowledges the code during onboarding and periodically thereafter.
8. Review and update. Schedule annual reviews to keep the code current with legal changes and organizational needs.

The implication: a code that is written but never trained is a document, not a policy. Enforcement starts with education.

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