This exercise aims to familiarize you with corporate codes of business ethics. Go to Starbucks’ Standards of Business Conduct found at their www.starbucks.com Web site and more particularly
at the http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/SoBC_FY09_eng.pdf Web page. Then see the Code of Business Ethics for McDonald’s Corporation or lack of one thereof. (At the time of this writing, the author could only find a social responsibility statement for McDonald’s, and it was at the http://www.mcdonalds.com/usa/work/socialresp.html Web page.)

Instructions

Step 1 Go to the two Web sites just listed and print the Standards of Business Conduct information for

(1) Starbucks Corp. 

(2) McDonald’s Corp. Read the two statements.

Step 2 On a separate sheet of paper, list three aspects that you like most and three aspects that you like least about

(1) The Starbucks statement 

(2) The McDonald’s statement. In other words, compare the two statements. 

Conclude by indicating which statement of conduct you like best. Why do you think it is best?

Step 3 Explain why having a code of business ethics is not sufficient for ensuring ethical behavior in an organization. What other means are necessary to help ensure ethical behavior? Give the class an example of a breach of ethical conduct that you recall in your work experience.