Marching in Again As

MARCHING IN AGAIN IS

ETHICS AWARENESS MONTH

It’s time for the annual reminder to your company or agency that March is Ethics Awareness Month in the insurance industry.

The CPCU Society (Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters) initially dubbed this deliberate focus on ethics in the insurance industry during the month of March, Ethics Awareness Month. The CPCU website says, “Founded in 1944, the CPCU Society’s mission is to "meet the career development needs of a diverse membership of professionals who have earned the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters (CPCU) designation, so that they may serve others in a competent and ethical manner." Among the Society’s many activities, this March focus is one that can be used effectively by any insurer or agency selling any product.

Ethical practices, as you are aware, must be infused into the company’s structure from the top management down. Continuing emphasis on ethical decision-making and ethical choices is necessary to maintain the high standards, once they are determined. Top management has to make not only the commitment personally, but re-state this commitment on every occasion before the company’s employees.

That being said, the special events committee (or person) in your organization can use the month of March to put some fun into the ethics. Similar functions to a United Way month or week (e.g., special lunchtime activities, management functioning in fun and unusual ways, and featured speakers in employee meetings) can be used to put ethics in the spotlight, the difference being that United Way seeks to raise money for a good cause, ethics activities seek to raise awareness of employees. An agency or company known in the community and among its employees will attract and retain more customers and better employees.

At a minimum, use newsletters or other regular communications with employees and agents to note the March designation. Reminding “shareholders” like these of the company’s stand is another way to encourage the desired actions and behavior of those shareholders.