Nordic Business Ethics Pulse 2020

PREVIEW OF THE NORDIC BUSINESS ETHICS SURVEY 2020

NORDIC BUSINESS ETHICS PULSE #3

ARE MANDATORY WHISTLEBLOWING SYSTEMS NECESSARY ?

48 % of the respondents do believe in that whistleblowing systems are mandatory. Over 30%, however, did not have an option and only 8% felt that they are unnecessary. What we find most interesting – and worrying – is that the respondents in managerial positions considered whistleblowing systems unnecessary twice as often as employees in non-managerial positions: 17% of top management and 11% of line management considered whistleblowing systems unnecessary whereas only 7% of the employees felt the same way.

Managers considered whistleblowing systems unnecessary twice as often as employees in non-managerial positions.

NORDIC BUSINESS ETHICS PULSE #2

DO YOU BELIEVE it to be financially rewarding to do ethical business?

A majority of the Nordic employees do believe in that ethical business is or will be, within five years, financially rewarding. Less than 10 % believe that it never will be financially rewarding to conduct ethical business. Employees in a top management level, or that had been in the working life for more than 25 years are most positive. Which gives an indication of the belief in that ethical business and financial rewards are not mutually exclusive.

Ethical business and financial rewards are not mutually exclusive.

NORDIC BUSINESS ETHICS PULSE #1

Will ethical business conduct decrease or increase?

In general, we do believe that ethical business will increase, with some notable differences between the countries. The Danes have the most positive outlook regarding ethical business development, whereas the Swedes are most sceptical. In Denmark and Finland some 30 % believe that ethical business conduct will increase during the coming year, compared to 24 % in Norway and 16 % in Sweden. The most common response was that it at least would remain unchanged with Denmark 47%, Finland 36%, Norway 46 % and Sweden 44 %. Over a five-year horizon the outlook was not much different, apart from a slight shift from the remain unchanged category to the increase category.

The Danes have the most positive outlook regarding ethical business development, whereas the Swedes are most sceptical.

Survey sponsor

We thank Forensic Risk Alliance (FRA) for the financial support to conduct Nordic Business Ethics Survey.

FRA provide multi-jurisdictional expertise in financial and electronic forensics to help companies manage risks in an increasingly regulated business climate.