Code of Ethics

NM3236: Ethics in Communication Management

Date: 16 November 2015
Cho Yuen Ping Angie

A0126389U

Felicia Yeo Chun Li

A0112889U

Joey Ng Zhi Yu

A0131601B

Liu Jianle

A0112769Y

R Sarasvathiy

A0126183J

Tan Hui Zhen

A0114486A

Section 1: Business China Singapore

Business China (BC) Singapore is committed to the preservation of Singapores culturallydiverse history as an essential way for Singapore to become the unique cultural and economic
bridge with China and foster deeper connections with the rest of the world.

BC has a high regard for honouring relationships forged with our stakeholders and are dedicated
towards expanding our network of relations with members of the public and the media. As we
promote the interests of our organization, we strive to do so in a manner that is diplomatic,
respectful and culturally sensitive. Furthermore, operating an ethical business is also a top
priority of ours. Thus, drawing inspiration from existing codes and employee contributions, we
have designed this comprehensive code of ethics to formalize BCs vow of ethicality.

Business China Singapore Code of Ethics: Preamble

This code of ethics applies to all staff members who are employed under the Corporate
Communications department of Business China Singapore. This code of ethics aims to guide
employees day-to-day decision-making processes and remind them of their ethical
responsibilities when building and maintaining relations with the organizations various
stakeholders. This code is also useful in helping new employees understand the departments
values and equips them with the knowledge on how to tackle potential ethical issues.

In any circumstance, BC Corporate Communications employees are required to:

1) Prioritize the interests of stakeholders: Management (Patron, Board of Advisers, Chairman,
Directors), Media and BC Members.
2) Always act in ways that fulfill the organizations mission and vision

3) Dedicate themselves to forging and maintaining favourable relations with external agencies as
well as regard every member of our humble organization with respect.

It is expected for all BC Corporate Communication employees to know and adhere to this code
of ethics. While this code of ethics is not designed to be punitive, Business China Singapore still
holds an extremely high regard towards the ethical behaviour of its employees. Therefore, any
employee found to have violated the prescribed guidelines have to be answerable to the
department Director. In circumstances where there has been a severe breach of ethicality will
render termination of employment and further legal action.

Code Validity
The code of ethics will be reviewed and updated every three years by the Corporate
Communications Department to ensure that it accurately reflects evolving issues and challenges.

Section 2: Professional Values

HONESTY
We strive to communicate with the highest degree of accuracy and truthfulness within the
compound of legality to advance the interests of the management, members and employees.

LOYALTY
We are faithful and committed to those we represent and network with, while honouring our
obligations to serve the interests of our organisation, members, and society.

FAIRNESS
We are committed to treating all our stakeholders equally and with respect, offering fair
opportunities for employees, management, media, and our members.

Our Principles
1. BC is committed to honesty in all communication practices
2. BC ensures that all public relations activities are aligned with the interests of all BCs
stakeholders, including management, media and members are faithfully served
3. BC engages in fair dealing and committed to fair opportunities when interacting with the
management, media, members and employees

Section 3: Code of Ethical Standards

A.

Responsibilities towards Management

As public relations professionals of BC, we owe responsibilities in serving the management of

the organization, which includes the Patron, Chairman, Board of Directors and Directors.
Management of BC set strategic directions and goals to achieve organization mission and vision,
ensuring effectiveness and sustainability. As BCs public relations professionals, we have
responsibilities to carry out these strategic plans and be supportive, synergic partners with
management towards realizing organizational mission, vision and goals.

Honesty
Our Professionals shall:
Be honest and accurate in all communications with the management and act immediately to
correct erroneous communications that were committed when they are discovered
Not intentionally disseminate false or misleading information and take reasonable steps to ensure
information presented to BC are truthful and accurate
Avoid providing BC with information from unverified and uncredible sources
Shall always acknowledge and give credit for all sources used in the creation of content on all
communication platforms and pass off uncredited work as own
Always report any acts that constitute to breach in honesty and confidentiality to the Director
immediately upon noticing the act
Example of Improper Conduct
Breach of Honesty and Professional Integrity

A staff member fails to disclose to Director on materials such as images and copy taken from
external sources, are not created by himself but pass it off as his original creative work to gain
professional recognition and approval from the management.

Fairness
Our Professionals shall:
Not represent conflicting interests without the consent of the parties concerned (management and
members), and never represent competing interests for BC to promote a fair dealing environment
Keep management informed of work progress by updating them regularly. This is to ensure
fairness for management so that they are not caught unaware of situations. They are also able to
make informed decision promptly with adequate information so that they can make strategic
communication tasks for Corporate Communications team to carry out
Example of Improper Conduct
Withholding Critical Information from Management
Corporate Communication team has decided to not inform and report to the upper management
regarding the declining membership renewals. This is unfair to BC management as BC adopts a
top-down approach in organizational management. Without furnishing the management with
updates and critical information, the team is displacing authority and disallow management to
make strategic decisions to handle the crisis.

Loyalty
Our Professionals shall:

 Safeguard all confidences of management and BC to protect their privacy rights and not reveal
any private and confidential information without granted permission that may jeopardize BCs
reputation and image
Shall always act in the best interest of the management and BC, placing BCs strategic
communication and public relations goals ahead of any personal and/or professional interests
Shall hold high regard in ensuring that all consequential effects of disseminated media relating to
BC does not discredit the management and the organization
Shall inform the management if circumstances arise in which their judgment may be questioned
by reason of personal relationships, professional or financial interests
Example of Improper Conduct
Failure to act in the Best Interest of Management and BC
External employment is allowed for all BC staff members. However, a staff member freelancing
for an NGO may submit a piece of original and quality work intended for BC to the other NGO
because they pay better for the project and employee subsequently redevelop another piece of
design work for BC that is not as well-executed as the original work.

B.

Responsibilities towards Media

The Media, both Singapore and Chinese media, are a very important body of people to BC. They
give BC the needed publicity for our initiative, events and developments. Thus, it is important
that employees maintain good relationship with the relevant media bodies, as long as it does not
compromise BCs interests, by adhering to the following guidelines.

Honesty
Our Professionals shall:
Uphold the integrity and accuracy of all information presented in press releases and media
invites
Respond to media queries with available information, established facts and avoid personal
opinions or judgements when dealing with the media
Never intentionally influence the media and their decision by presenting gifts, providing gestures
of goodwill or any other considerations unless such acts has attained prior consent by the
Director and officially budgeted in the Departments Media Engagement Fund
Never accept gifts, gestures of goodwill or any other considerations valued above S$50 from the
media unless acceptance of the gift has received prior consent by the Director and has been
officially documented
Example of Improper Conduct
Failure to present Accurate Information
A staff member does not thoroughly check and amend outdated information presented in a press
release before disseminating it to local and international media bodies

Fairness

Our Professionals shall:

Liaise with all media agencies equally and shall have no preferential treatment towards any
media body
Carefully manage media expectations by establishing the clear boundaries of our relationship
such as, but not limited to, provision of coverage, interview opportunities, work space, meals
and/or accommodation provision, travel options and post-event follow-up
Treat all media members in a diplomatic manner and extend the same amount of assistance to
every individual with no additional favours for any particular media body representative(s)
Not accommodate off-the-record conversations and interactions with media practitioners on
private and confidential matters of BC and all its stakeholders
Example of Improper Conduct
Unequal Opportunity and Unfair Access to BC information
A staff member does not give media bodies the same embargo for a particular piece of BC news
story

Loyalty
Our Professionals shall:
Maintain mutually beneficial relationships with the media as long as it does not compromise
organizational interests
Place a strong emphasis on relationships with all media bodies and take efforts to maintain
relations with media representatives even during BCs off-peak news season
Be equally faithful to media bodies and furnish them with sufficient information
Invite the relevant media outlets to BC events that correspond to their needs and interests
Example of Improper Conduct
Failure to Maintaining Consistent Relations

Staff members do not maintain consistent contact with the relevant media representatives even
during off-peak BC news season and only contact them when they have an event or story it
would like to have covered in the media. As an organization that prides itself on upholding media
relations, this is a violation of organization values.

C.

Responsibilities towards Members

The members of BC are vital in helping to drive BCs mission of creating an inclusive bilingual
and bicultural Singapore. It is important that all PR activities supports the ethical coordination of
membership enrolment, engagement and retention throughout its three main member segments:
General member, Student member and Corporate member. This serves to ensure the highest
standard in the co-creation of tangible value for both BC and its members.

Honesty
Our Professionals shall:
Never reveal members confidential information such as members work title, address and
contact number encountered during the course of work to seek personal gains
Diligently keep members updated on the directions, news, events and happenings of the
organization, ensuring relationship transparency
Only use established and approved means of communicative channels to contact members such
as from company email or phone
Be clear, transparent and defined on the criteria for the attainment of membership status in BCs
disseminated recruitment forms
Example of Improper Conduct
Unauthorized communication for personal gain
A staff member contacts a corporate member on their own accord in order to solicit for help and
personal gain.

Fairness
Our Professionals shall:

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 Always seek all participants consent if they appear in official event photos that may be used in
the promotion of BC events. In the event that it is impossible to attain all participants consent,
employees shall put up visible and prominent signs at the start of the event to inform all
participants
Take action to rectify misrepresentation of membership status such as the claims of non-members
usage of BCs logo on their name cards so as to honor the privilege of being a BC member
Serve the interest of General members equally regardless of their company or position title
Treat all members concerns, feedbacks or criticism in all communicative channels, including
social media platforms, with equal respect and consideration
Example of Improper Conduct
Failure for Fair Consideration of Feedbacks
A staff member simply acknowledges the feedback of a student member but does not take a
proactive stance in discussion and follow-up.

Loyalty
Our Professionals shall:
Take effort to reach out to all members in all of BCs communicative platforms including, but not
limited to, newsletter and electronic direct mailer
Establish a consistent point-of-contact to members to respond to members queries and conduct a
follow up whenever possible
Safeguard every piece of private and confidential information about our members and only limit
the access of such information on a need-to-know basis for the authorized few who need them to
fulfill their contractual terms and/or duties
Example of Improper Conduct
Failure to Safeguard Members Confidential Information

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A staff member readily gives confidential business information about Corporate members to the
external parties without their consent or approval from the Director.

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Section 4: Day-to-Day General Guidelines for Employees

This day-to-day guideline is an extension of the above code to provide further assistance to BC
Corporate Communications employees in upholding BCs professional values in everyday
situations.

Maintaining BC Reputation
Our Professionals shall:
Identify and present the name of members/media/employees on whose behalf the public
communication is made
Maintain professional image and work standards when meeting with clients and uphold a neutral
front towards the media
Always reply comments by the public in a cordial and objective manner and avoid engaging in
online disputes
Attend media events punctually, appropriately dressed for different occasions when interacting
with media

Safeguarding Confidences
Our Professionals shall:
Ensure sensitivity in framing of event details that may result in any forms of misrepresentation
Always verify and seek permission with the Director when in doubt on any inclusion of
information that could be private and confidential when working on publications
Limit discussions containing private and confidential information in a nonpublic, secured
environment and/or BC premises

Autonomy

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Our Professionals shall:

Have the autonomy to choose tasks that best utilises each others strengths and complement each
other in the Corporate Communications team
Avoid PR projects or tasks that could potentially be in conflict with their personal values and
beliefs
Undertake projects or tasks that reflect their personal and/or professional values and beliefs
through negotiation and compromise with co-workers in the team

Behaviour Discretion
Our Professionals shall:
Ensure that all nuances such as the content and context of information are well presented
Ensure that the Director has vetted all publication content before dissemination
Not create or attempt to take on controversial or culturally sensitive content unless under express
consent and guidance from the Director
Never render assistance or promise specific acts, work, and outcomes beyond the employees
capacity of attainment
Never compete unfairly for high profile job opportunities within the department. Opportunities
should be offered openly based on merits

Section 5: Pledge of Undertaking of Code of Ethics

I pledge:

To abide to the articles of the Corporate Communications Code of Ethics 2015 established and
endorsed by the Management of the Corporate Communications department and in doing so, I
will exemplify the values of honesty, fairness and loyalty in my conduct at all times.

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To uphold the highest standard of professionalism and strive to improve individual competency
by taking a proactive approach for personal development so as to enhance the proficiency of my
profession.

I understand and accept that there is a consequence should I fail to abide by the articles, up to
and including employment termination.

_____________________________
Signature

_____________________________
Date

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