Louder than words. A multi-institutional system sets ethical standards for corporate action

After establishing its Resource Center for Ethical concerns, Wheaton Franciscan Services, Inc. (WFSI), Wheaton, IL, set out to develop corporate ethics standards. The standards were to manifest a vision that acknowledged the mutuality of relationships among providers and those they serve, and among local and global communities. To establish "ownership" of the standards, WFSI wanted to involve as many people as possible in the planning process. Center staff established a 25-member working task force with broad representation of disciplines and system institutions, then prepared a position paper to serve as a basis for the formulation of the standards. The paper examined current issues in corporate ethics, the theoretical basis of corporate ethics, the appropriateness of corporate ethics for Catholic-sponsored institutions, and the role ethics standards play in an institutional setting. Staff then prepared the first draft of corporate standards. At the first workshop in October 1988, task force members critiqued the draft and modified the proposed corporate standards. Staff sent the draft for critique to a total of 157 persons throughout the system and encouraged them to pass it around to get the advice of others. From the feedback, staff compiled a third draft, which was ultimately approved. WFSI's Corporate Ethics Standards addresses provision of services, relationship with employees, social responsibility, confidentiality, and conflict of interest.