Last Tuesday, 12 November, Católica Porto Business School hosted the Annual Conference of its Ethics Forum, where the national results of the study "Ethics at Work 2024", conducted by the Institute of Business Ethics (IBE) in collaboration with CPBS, were debated. The event, which started at 5 p.m., was attended by the deputy director of the IBE, Rachael Saunders, who spoke about "The employees voice: ethics at work 2024".
The study revealed that one in four employees in Portugal (25%) are aware of behaviour that violates the law or the ethical standards of their organisations, an increase on the 18% recorded in 2021. Among the most prominent issues are abuse of authority, reported by 35 per cent of respondents, and bullying and harassment, mentioned by 32 per cent. Despite the increase in awareness, a third of employees who witnessed misconduct chose not to report it, due to fear of reprisals or disbelief in the actions of organisations.
The conference also included a round table moderated by Sofia Salgado, Assistant Professor at CPBS, and the participation of experts from various Portuguese companies: João Mouta, head of Ethics and Compliance at Ageas Portugal Group, Raquel Carvalho, head of Legal and Compliance at Altri, and Rita Sousa, head of Ethics and Compliance of EDP and EDP R Group.
Helena Gonçalves, coordinator of the Ethics Forum at Católica Porto Business School, also highlighted a generational divide in attitudes towards reporting bad practices: 70 per cent of young people between the ages of 18 and 34 are more likely to report ethical concerns, compared to only 54 per cent of employees over the age of 55. This analysis reinforces the essential role of organisational ethics and Católica Porto Business School's commitment to promoting a work environment with integrity and transparency.
The initiative underlines the importance of whistleblowing platforms and the promotion of a solid ethical culture in companies, recognising that a transparent and committed approach is vital for the future of organisations.
About the CPBS Ethics Forum
The Ethics Forum is a meeting place that aims to promote business ethics through the exchange of experiences, joint reflection and the creation and sharing of knowledge. It meets three times a year for joint reflection and debate, sharing information with the community by promoting articles and other resources. Each year, it promotes a study on a topic of particular relevance to the national context, which is presented at a public conference with an international speaker. The national studies are interspersed with the triennial international Ehics at Work study by the Institute of Business Ethics (IBE), of which it is a national partner. Ethics Forum
About Católica Porto Business School (CPBS)
Católica Porto Business School is among the best business schools in the world and is part of a very restricted group of 1% of schools worldwide with EQUIS, AMBA and AACSB accreditation distinctions. This recognition attests to the excellence of all its activities, including teaching, research and impact on society. Católica Porto Business School is a faculty of the Portuguese Catholic University recognised internationally for the comprehensive development of professionals for a sustainable and global society, as well as for the production of knowledge in the areas of Management and Economics. https://catolicabs.porto.ucp.pt
