CODES OF CONDUCT FOR SECURITY

GUARDS AND SUPERVISORS

What are Codes of Conduct?
Codes of conduct in the security sectors build on the specific
corporate culture of the military and other security establishments.
They consist of a series of directives, rules, and regulations describing
what is considered as ethical behaviour of personnel, what to do when
faced with a delicate situation that may result in corruption, and how
to report corrupt actions of others. Codes of conduct, usually, consist
of a list of articles. Although they can vary from country to country,
the most common topics are:

 General principles
 Lawful Duties of the public officials/civil and military
personnel/members
 Ethical use of their powers
 Conflicts of interest
 Disclosure of assets and transparency
 Acceptance of Gifts
 Bribery
 Accountability
 Confidential Information
 Conflicting professional/business/political activities
 Reporting
 Activities/employment after leaving public service
Codes of conduct can be adopted at an organisational, national and/or
international level. Corruption often bypasses national borders.
Therefore, channels for international cooperation on these matters
should be established. Codes of conduct, along with other regulations,
represent a perfect opportunity for that. They can insist on the
importance of transparency, reporting and international legal
cooperation.
 Codes of Conduct are a set of rules and
recommendations that can be adopted by companies, national and
international organisations, private groups, etc. They seek to guide
the behaviour of members by establishing ideals and values,
describing what is considered moral, ethical, and honourable,
offering recommendations and support in face of sensitive
situations, and providing channels for communicating. Their aim is
to deter corruption and contribute to a more ethical environment.

Why are they important?

Codes of Conduct and other voluntary guidelines make a real
difference because the majority of military and other serving
personnel take great pride in serving their nation and the security
sector establishment.
In order to avoid confusion and omission, there should be a clear
statement on what is expected from personnel, what is and is not
acceptable, and how to avoid and deal with conflicting situations.

How do they work?

The ideal guidance framework is comprised of three core
components: a legal framework with its ethical guidance, the code of
conduct, and a statement of values. The legal framework is composed
of an array of legal statutes, civil service acts, and disciplinary and
penal codes. Since these documents are often written in a technical
language, they should be accompanied by guidance notes for better
understanding. The code of conduct is a set of behavioural norms and
common values. It should be clear, brief and accessible to all
members of the establishment. The statement of values is an
independent, distinct declaration which articulates organisation’s
overarching ethical principles and compliments code of conduct. It
should be widely distributed and promoted.
Effectiveness of these documents depends on their visibility and user-
friendliness. It is absolutely crucial that they are introduced and
studied at earliest stages of security sector career with regular
refreshment and integrity training sessions provided to all personnel.
Some of the key components of the Code of Conduct are listed below:

BRIBERY: Clear explanation of what is considered bribery and

instructions for how to act and who to contact if offered a bribe;
procedures for official reports on bribery to be investigated and
procedures for notifying external prosecutors.
GIFTS AND HOSPITALITY: Clear definition of acceptable gifts
and rules for their acceptance; practical guidance with real-life
examples; clear procedures for officials when confronted with an
ethical dilemma; readily identifiable chain of command; procedures
for proper disposal of gifts.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: Clear guidance for officials to judge
whether a conflict exists; procedures to disclose potential conflicts;
procedures to resolve conflicts of interest.
POST-SEPARATION REQUIREMENTS: Obligation to request a
formal permission from previous employer to accept offers of
employment elsewhere; exclusion of gifts not related to official
employment received from prohibited sources after leaving; reporting
of such gifts.
The success of the Codes of Conduct also depends on the mechanisms
for reporting and consulting that are in place, the general approach to
the importance of ethical behaviour within the establishment, and the
importance of flagging improper behaviour. Effective internal
controls, ethics, and compliance programmes should be in place, as
well as a clearly articulated and visible policy prohibiting unethical
behaviour. This must be accompanied by a strong, explicit, and
visible support and commitment from senior managements.