Business Ethics Comparison (Microsoft vs. Apple)
Similarities
Both have anti-corruption initiatives as a priority. They use internal checks to prevent corruption within the company.
Both companies have general codes of conduct that are upheld through more specialized programs and policies.
Apple
Accountability
Apple conduct internal checks and independent third-party assessments of the programs within Apple to ensure their effectivity.
Compliance at Apple
This holds a number of deeply integrated policies and compliance functions Apple's business conduct and Global Compliance team focuses on.
Business Conduct/Employee Code of Conduct
Employees go under mandatory training and any violation to the business conduct policy will result in disciplinary action up to termination of contract.
Differences
Microsoft is focused on an internal culture of trust and compliance with it's employees and representatives to nip ethical issues in the bud. Apple is focused on reliability and accountability.
Microsoft is much more transparent and specific with their policies, and much more information is available to the public as for their policies and how they are applied. Apple, in comparison, is very vague and unspecific.
Microsoft:
3. Anti Corruption Compliance
This program is an example of one of the smaller subprograms within the grand scheme of Microsoft's Code of Conduct. This program tackles corruption in the company through promoting a culture of open trust, digital tools, and training.
Digital analytic tools are also used to identify corruption risks as early as possible and circumvent them.
A company-wide trust campaign is Microsoft's way of promoting accountability between it's employees
2. SBC
The SBC stands for "Standards of Business Conduct" and essentially a set of standards to which the company holds itself and it's employees
The SBC promotes trust through it's standards, they are as following; trust with governments and communities; trust with each other; trust with investors and the public; and trust with the representatives
1. Microsoft Code of Conduct
The ethics and compliance program at Microsoft is made up of smaller programs designed to tackle different ethical issues that may potentially arise within the company. Examples of sub-programs included in this are the Environmental and Anti Corruption Compliance programs.
It functions with three main principles: prevention, detection, and remediation. Through SBC and policies/training, Microsoft ensures that ethics are a priority internally to prevent ethical issues from arising in the first place
