Corruption and fraud are becoming a norm in business and political environments, to such an extent that many people no longer find reports of these criminal activities alarming. We are now witnessing how corporates who were meant to lead the way are also falling short and being unethical in business and operations.

Ethics does not necessarily come naturally to everyone and it is crucial that ethics should be taught to individuals in every aspect of their life. Raising ethical humans starts at home and extends to communities, schools and cultures.

“Auditors can all fall into the trap of unethical behaviour as well as corrupt actions. However, while the automatic reaction to these situations may understandably be to question why the businesses involved weren’t being adequately policed, the real question is why these organisations lacked an internal culture of ethics to negate the need for external policing in the first place. The only effective form of prevention is having truly ethical leaders, managers and workers; and appropriate education is key to the creation of much-needed ethical business culture,” says course facilitator, Humphrey Gowar, Adjunct Faculty at Monash South Africa, specialising in Corporate Governance.

Monash South Africa offers a Short Learning Programme ‘Solving the Ethical Dilemma in Business and Society’ that can be registered for online. Completion of the programme will provide students with ethical awareness of moral behaviour in them and society at large.  Students will also be educated in ethics consciousness and the resolution of ethical dilemmas in the workplace.

The duration of the programme runs over two Saturday mornings and will be held at the MSA campus in Ruimsig. The cost of the programme is R4500. To qualify for entry into the programme, you will need your National Senior Certificate or equivalent NQF level 4 qualification with appropriate experience.

This course addresses the importance of ethical behaviour in three categories:

  • Personal and family ethics (including ethnic and religious influences)
  • Business ethics
  • Professional ethics

“Ethics will always be of utmost importance. A focus on good corporate governance may get businesses some of the way there, but only a workforce guided by a strong moral code and a sincere desire to do the right thing will deliver the sustainable results business and society need,” explains Gowar.

We also offer a Postgraduate Diploma in Corporate Governance, which is suitable for working professionals looking to boost their careers.