Ethics (redirected from Ethical standard)

Ethics

Standards of conduct or moral judgment.

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Ethics

The study and practice of appropriate behavior, regardless of the behavior's legality. Certain industries have professional organizations setting and promoting certain ethical standards. For example, an accountant may be required to refrain from engaging in aggressive accounting, even when a particular type of aggressive accounting is not illegal. Professional organizations may censure or revoke the licenses of those professionals who are found to have violated the ethical standards of their fields.

In investing, ethics helps inform the investment decisions of some individuals and companies. For example, an individual may have a moral objection to smoking and therefore refrain from investing in tobacco companies. Ethics may be both positive and negative in investing; that is, it may inform where an individual makes investments (e.g. in environmentally friendly companies) and where he/she does not (e.g. in arms manufacturers). Some mutual funds and even whole subdivisions are dedicated to promoting ethical investing. See also: Green fund, Islamic finance.