Ethical Aspects of Corporate Culture

The article is focused on the need of development of company culture from the axiological and ethical viewpoint. Theoretical solutions of ethics with regards to limitations of requirements for company code of conduct are studied here. The generally accepted approach of multilevel ethical analysis is made use of. The first level relates to global, universal context of company´s activities. Here apply very well the theoretical and methodological solutions formulated by Hans Jonas in his work “Das Prinzip Verantwortung“. Versuch einer Ethik für technologische Zivilisation. The second level of ethical analysis deals with essential signs of socio-cultural changes. The issues of varied world are worked out, the paradigm of communication (also information and communication technologies) and transversal reason. The third level of ethical analysis looks for some connecting lines between personal morals, morals of institutions, organizations, companies, countries and global ethics. We meet these issues in connection with professional ethics or as professional code of conduct. Significant development in theoretical solutions of professional ethics can be followed since 60s and 70s. Creation of professional codes of conduct is connected with traditional ethical topics and is modified by current discussions in ethics. All solutions of social ethics affect individual ethics. The second part of the article discusses some concrete approaches to creation of codes of conduct e.g. operationalistic, intentionalistic, socioeconomic, pragmatic and neoaristoteles ones. Further on we examine principles promoted in particular areas of ethics which are applied in sphere of economics (i.e. in the ethics of marketing, management and economic decision-making). Codes of conduct fulfil the function of the empowering document, they express professional socialisation, they can function as prevention, they improve company´s image, they can boost public trust and can serve as grounds for possible error resolution. Experienced companies regard the ethical component of their output as substantial and implement ethical education into their educational programmes.