In all aspects of business, research, health care, and government, ethical standards must be established and regulated. People who work in ethics positions try to ensure that employees follow established laws and ethical standards. Professionals conduct research into the philosophical and legal aspects of ethics, train others in ethical principles, and ensure that employees follow standard operating procedures. Ethics positions can be found in a variety of places, including government regulatory agencies, hospitals, scientific and clinical research institutions, and private businesses.
Agricultural, environmental, and industrial supervisory bodies are frequently staffed professionals with government ethics jobs. An ethics specialist might oversee city planning commissions, fishing companies, or foresters to ensure that they adhere to legal environmental ethical standards. Farmers and ranchers are also closely regulated experts in order to enforce laws regarding the use of pesticides, chemicals, and growth hormones. Furthermore, many government ethics jobs entail investigating corporations and manufacturing plants to ensure that they are operating legally and that employees are treated fairly.
In hospitals and other health-care settings, ethics jobs entail assessing the actions of doctors, nurses, and other staff. Medical professionals ensure that patients receive the best possible care while remaining within their legal rights and boundaries. Ethics workers create detailed reports to present to hospital governing boards or other authorities if violations of hospital policy are discovered. The boards can then take appropriate action to discipline employees or assist in the return of workers and facilities to compliance.
Ethics experts frequently oversee the work of scientific and clinical researchers. For example, a group of ethics workers might oversee clinical trials to test new pharmaceuticals to ensure that participants are treated fairly and that studies are not skewed in any way. They keep a close eye on the safety of the people or animals involved and guard against statistical misrepresentation. Ethics workers can confirm that findings are reliable and that a medication is ready to be mass produced and marketed to the general public carefully monitoring trials.
Some ethics positions are available at large corporations that value ethical business practices. A specialist may be involved in the investigation of allegations of unethical behavior or the implementation of new company-wide ethical policies. Many professionals offer advice and training to employees and managers on how to make the most rational and just business decisions. They could give talks on the subject, send out written information via newsletters or email, or meet with employees one-on-one to discuss their actions.