Code of Conduct Template
What is expected of everyone, the rules that follow from it, and how to raise a concern.
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| Applies to | [who it applies to] |
| Owner | [owner] |
| Effective from | October 14, 2026 |
| Next review | [date] |
1. What we expect of each other
[add one expectation per line]
2. The rules
| Area | The rule |
|---|---|
| [add one rule per line] |
3. Raising a concern
[who to tell, and what happens next]
4. Acknowledgement
| Name | |
| Signature | |
| Date |
I have read this code, I understand it, and I agree to work within it.
What is a Code of Conduct?
A code of conduct sets out the standards expected of everyone in or acting for an organisation, the specific rules that follow from them, and how someone raises a concern when the standards are not met. It matters at the point of enforcement: an organisation that has never written down what is unacceptable finds it hard to act consistently when something happens, and harder still to show afterwards that it acted fairly.
Employers issue one to staff and often a parallel version to suppliers and contractors. Charities and membership bodies adopt one for trustees, staff and volunteers, frequently because a funder or regulator asks for it. Clubs, schools, professional associations, open-source projects and conferences use them to cover participants who are not employees at all. The document tends to be written just after an incident, which is the worst moment. The useful version is written while nobody is currently in dispute.
A code sits on top of law that differs sharply. Harassment and discrimination obligations are set by statute — the Equality Act in Great Britain, federal and state law enforced through the EEOC in the US, the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act in India, which requires a specific internal committee, and equivalents in Canada, Australia and across the EU. Whistleblowing protections and required reporting channels vary the same way, including the EU directive as implemented in each member state. Check what your jurisdiction mandates before adopting a generic code, because some of it is not optional.
A code is not a disciplinary procedure. It says what is expected; a separate procedure says how an allegation is investigated, what the person accused is told, and what rights they have — and in most places fairness of process is judged against that procedure, not the code. It is also not automatically contractual, and whether it forms part of the employment contract matters, so say which it is. And it is not a defence in itself: a code that is published and never applied tends to make things worse rather than better.
What to put in a Code of Conduct
These are the details this template asks for. Anything left blank is marked in red on the preview so you can see what is still missing.
| Field | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Issuing organisation | For example: Maple Grove Homeowners Association |
| Organisation address | For example: 1420 Kinnear Road, Columbus, OH 43212 |
| Policy owner | For example: Head of People |
| Who this applies to | For example: All employees, contractors and anyone posting on a company account |
| Next review | Free text |
| What we expect of each other | One per line |
| The rules | One per line: Area | The rule |
| How to raise something | For example: Tell your line manager. If it involves your line manager, tell the Managing Director. If… |
| If the policy is not followed optional | For example: Unapproved absence may be treated as unauthorised and dealt with under the disciplinary… |
How to write a Code of Conduct
Say who it binds and where it applies
Name the groups covered — employees, contractors, agency workers, volunteers, trustees, suppliers — and be explicit about where conduct is covered: the workplace, client sites, work-related travel, social events organised by the organisation, and work-related conduct online. Most disputes about scope concern the last three. A code that is silent on the annual party and on social media is silent exactly where it is most often needed.
Write behaviours, not values
'Act with integrity' cannot be breached or enforced, because nobody agrees what it means. 'Do not accept gifts or hospitality from a supplier worth more than the stated limit without recording it in the gifts register' can be followed and can be tested. Keep a short values section for tone if you want one, but make sure every expectation you might one day act on also appears as a concrete, checkable rule.
Set thresholds and name the register
Where a rule involves a limit, write the number and the currency, and say what happens at it: declare, record, or seek approval. Gifts, hospitality, outside employment, personal trading, expenses and political donations all work this way. Then name where the record lives and who keeps it. A rule with no threshold gets ignored, and a threshold with no register produces disclosures that go nowhere.
Give more than one route to report
Set out the normal route — the line manager — and at least one alternative for when that is the problem: a named person, a committee, or an external line. Say what happens after a report, roughly how long it takes, and what confidentiality can and cannot be promised, which is never absolute. State plainly that retaliation against someone who reports in good faith is itself a breach of the code.
State consequences, approval and review date
Say what a breach can lead to, cross-referring to the disciplinary procedure, and note that serious breaches may be reported to a regulator or the police. Record who approved the code, on what date, and when it will be reviewed. Then do the part everyone skips: collect an acknowledgement from each person covered and keep it, because at the point of enforcement you will need to show they had it.
Common mistakes
- Adopting a code downloaded from another organisation without checking the statutory requirements where you operate, leaving out a mandatory committee or reporting channel.
- Writing only aspirational values, so when a specific behaviour has to be challenged there is no rule to point to and the process looks arbitrary.
- Failing to say whether the code is contractual, which creates an argument about the person's obligations at exactly the wrong moment.
- Naming a single reporting route that runs through the line manager, so concerns about that manager never get raised at all.
- Publishing the code and never collecting acknowledgements, leaving the organisation unable to show that the person accused of a breach was ever given it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a code of conduct and a code of ethics?
A code of ethics states principles — honesty, fairness, respect. A code of conduct converts those into rules about behaviour that can be followed and enforced. Many organisations publish one document containing both, with principles at the front and rules behind them. What matters is that anything you might act on appears as a specific expectation, not only as a value.
Is a code of conduct legally binding?
It depends on how it is issued and where. It may be incorporated into contracts of employment, or expressly stated to be non-contractual policy the organisation can change. Either way, a breach can support disciplinary action if the procedure is followed properly. Whether a particular clause is enforceable is a question for an employment adviser in your jurisdiction, so state clearly which status you intend.
How long should a code of conduct be?
Most workable codes run from four to twelve pages. Anything longer is generally a set of policies bolted together, and it will not be read. Keep the code short and cross-refer to the standalone policies — disciplinary, grievance, anti-harassment, data protection, expenses — that carry the detail. A one-page summary alongside the full document is a common and effective pattern.
Does a small business need a code of conduct?
It helps as soon as there are more than a handful of people, because informal norms stop transmitting reliably. Some obligations arrive at particular headcounts or in particular sectors regardless of size, and some jurisdictions require specific policies from the first employee. Check what applies to you, then write something short rather than adopting a corporate document you will never enforce.
How often should a code of conduct be reviewed?
Annually is a common cycle, with an out-of-cycle review whenever the law changes, the organisation enters a new jurisdiction, or an incident exposes a gap. Record the review date and version on the document. Reissuing it with a fresh acknowledgement is also a natural moment to remind people of the reporting routes, which is usually the part they cannot remember.
This page explains general practice and is not legal advice. Requirements differ between countries and, in some cases, between states — check what applies where the document will be used.