(CNS): One of Cayman’s big four accounting firms has partnered with Junior Achievement to establish a new business ethics programme for high school students, which will be available in schools during the next academic year. JA said the inaugural programme aims to address what it described as a troubling contradiction regarding what behaviour is appropriate in order to succeed in business. Many teens driven by the pursuit of success resort to cheating, while others feel that physical violence is acceptable — a disturbing picture for their future employers. JA Business Ethics, an in-classroom ethics programme will be offered in high schools in the upcoming school year, 2010-2011.
The aim is to provide teens with ethics education and decision-making tools. Junior Achievement and Deloitte LLP in the US collaborated to create the initiative and the Cayman office is now sponsoring the programme locally to provide teens with a practical tool to assist their personal success.
“It is more common now than ever that teenagers who think they are fully equipped to make ethical decisions display a troubling contradiction regarding what behaviour is appropriate in order to succeed,” JA organisers said in a release. “Many teens driven by the pursuit of success resort to cheating and plagiarising. Others feel that physical violence is sometimes, often or always acceptable. This paints a disturbing picture for employers who will be relying on this age group to fill the pipeline in their future workforces.”
The programme was developed in response to the needs of high school students and uses hands-on classroom activities and real-life applications designed to foster ethical decision-making in students as they prepare to enter the workforce.
Students will learn to recognize, analyse, and apply basic terminology, theories, and concepts common to the study of ethics. They will explore their own ethical values and philosophy, establish ethical priorities, recognize key ethical issues, and learn to evaluate their decision-making process.
Business ethics have been in the spotlight over the past decade, especially as examples of wrongdoing are regularly announced by the media. As new technologies, international competitive opportunities, and competitive pressures continue, the vital question is, Is it possible today to be successful in business and still grow in an honest and ethical manner?
“Junior Achievement and Deloitte believe that with training, practical tools and role models teens will better understand how to make the right choices and that their choices impact them and the organisations they join,” the programme organisers said.
To learn more about the Business Ethics programme contact Tara McField at the Junior Achievement office, 949-4306 or
jacayman@candw.ky.
