Thursday, November 04, 2004

GuideStar - News - Articles - How Ethical Is Your Nonprofit Organization?

GuideStar - News - Articles - How Ethical Is Your Nonprofit Organization?: "How Ethical Is Your Nonprofit Organization?
Almost every day, it seems, newspaper headlines shout out the details of another corporate scandal. Those of us in the nonprofit sector are tempted to think that we are above such shenanigans�and the accompanying headlines. We are, after all, do-gooders who are uncorrupted by the desire for profit. Our motives are so noble, how could anyone question our actions?
Unfortunately, nonprofits are run by people with the same range of ethical standards as the rest of society, and we have our share of bad apples. In recent years, the Nature Conservancy, the Red Cross, a handful of United Way chapters, and local foundations in several communities have found themselves the target of negative headlines. Such ethical lapses�or perceived ethical lapses�undermine the trust the public holds in the entire sector.
Procedural Responses
Most of the responses to these scandals have been procedural. The common reaction is to encourage nonprofits to develop a code of ethics and perhaps become certified as ethical "

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