You always read, and we write about training. This training includes topics on best practices, processes, and technology. Salesforce training, business intelligence (BI), Social Media, analytics, dashboards, customer service, etc. training will make your business more efficient and profitable.

There is one type of critical training often ignored. That is ethics training. Employees and companies may not always do the ethical thing. Simply they may not understand the full implications of their actions or choose to ignore them altogether. In fact, following an unethical path may be financially advantageous to all concerned. This is for both employer and employee.

In most recent news, the HSBC fine is $1.9 Billion for money laundering. “HSBC is being held accountable for stunning failures of oversight — and worse — that led the bank to permit narcotics traffickers and others to launder hundreds of millions of dollars through HSBC subsidiaries, and to facilitate hundreds of millions more in transactions with sanctioned countries,” Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer said at a news conference in New York. Luckily, for the banking giant they have not faced criminal indictments, so far.

Training and managing an ethical organization has several advantages. First, organizations can help ensure that they comply with legal requirements. Second, your company’s ethical behavior is part of your brand. Doing the right thing has value to your team members, vendors, partners, and of course customers. Do you have legal and ethics policies in place? What are your training programs for same?