In the Eastern world and before Socrates’ time there was Kõng Qiū (551 – 479 BC), a Chinese philosopher and politician of the Spring and Autumn period (first half of the Zhou Dynasty). Kõng Qiū, better known as Confucius, had a philosophy (aka Confucianism) that emphasised personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice, kindness, and sincerity. He espoused the well-known principle, referred to as the Golden Rule, “Do not do unto others what you do not want done to yourself”.
About half a millennium later, Jesus is quoted in the Bible espousing the same rule, which has been translated in most religions in one way or another with the common English phrasing of ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’. The Golden Rule maxim in some religions is considered as an ethic of reciprocity. It would certainly seem that this ideology has stood the test of time.
It is one example of what may constitute moral or ethical behaviour. There are numerous definitions of ethics. One definition purports that ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that ‘involves systematising, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behaviour.’
The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concerns matters of value, and thus comprises the branch of philosophy called axiology. Some branches of ethics seek to resolve questions of human morality by defining concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, whilst other branches of ethics contend that it is about making a judgement where there is no right or wrong.
The Ethics Centre of Australia refers to ethics as the best option that best achieves what is good, right and consistent with the nature of things in question. Ethics is the process of questioning, discovering and defending our values, principles and purpose. The Ethics Centre expands on this in the following way:
- Values tell us what’s good – they’re the things we strive for, desire and seek to protect.
- Principles tell us what’s right – outlining how we may or may not achieve our values.
- Purpose is your reason for being – it gives life to your values and principles.
Ultimately, I think it is about doing the right thing by others and yourself. Accountants live this every day in serving the best interests of clients. Ethics goes hand in hand with professionalism. For the accounting profession at large, ethics and professionalism form the core fabric that holds the profession together. For example, the Institute of Public Accountants advocates in the best interests of its members, but it must do so with due consideration of what is in the best interests of the public.
This is congruent with the IPA’s membership of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and the Accounting Professional and Ethical Standards Board (APESB) and the APES110 Code of Ethics.
It also carries weight for the rationale for the IPA quality assurance and compliance programs in pursuit of excellence within its membership base. Maintaining such high professional and ethical standards is not only a requirement of IFAC, APESB and the Professional Standards Councils, it is critical to retaining our standing in the Corporations Act 2001. All of this forms the essential ingredients for accountants to continue to hold recognition as trusted advisers.
I believe we all want to live up to our values and principles, or at least I do, but I don’t think I can match that of the Father of Ethics, Socrates. In 399 BC, Socrates had a clear ethical dilemma. He had the choice of fleeing Greece or being executed. He stood by his principles and chose the latter and died of hemlock poisoning.
Wayne Debernardi general manager, media and strategic communications, IPA
