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Post By: Adam Turteltaub
Codes of conduct are ubiquitous these days, and they are often digital. It’s a way to make them more accessible, and more in line with how people work.
But what if you took that virtual approach up a bit? That’s what TAQA and its Head of Ethics & Compliance Abdul Rahman Al-Ja’abari (LinkedIn) did. They created a Code of Ethics & Business Conduct that is experienced as a virtual reality walk through of representations of the some of the company’s facilities, in addition to a more conventional PDF.
TAQA had recently undergone a large merger that created one of the largest listed entities by market cap in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The newly-formed company needed an ethics and compliance program that would both help it meet regulatory requirements and unify the culture.
Because the company operates around the globe, the code of conduct had to be put in a format that would be accessible to everyone. But, they also realized there was an opportunity to use it as a unifying tool. So, they created a version of it that employees could literally explore. They navigate room to room, as Abdul Rahman explains, where they see what different locations of the company look like and are able to explore different elements of the code.
This creative approach has received very positive feedback. It was also a way for the compliance team to deliver on the company’s core value of innovation.
For anyone inspired by this approach, Abdul Rahman recommends beginning by building alignment with management on the approach, objectives, budgets and resources required. The communications team needs to be brought on board to help ensure you stay in line with their communications plan.
Of course, the IT group is also a crucial partner, helping ensure that the solution is compatible with the organizations systems and is readily accessible to the employee base.
Finally, be prepared for a positive reaction. People tend to see compliance as a staid, boring group. Developing something creative, he explains, can help change minds very dramatically and for the better.
Listen in to learn more, and then spend some time exploring the TAQA Group Code of Ethics & Business Conduct.