Stephen Karpathakis

Technical writing
6/22/2015
WTE 3

To: George
From: Stephen Karpathakis
Date: 5/25/2015
Message:
This report outlines and compares the different code of ethics with both Microsoft
and Apple. After comparing the two, I have learned how companies write up code of
ethic statements and mission statements. By highlighting company goals, ethics,
conducts, etc.; People can view what the company values and how they respond to
certain issues. Issues like: race, honesty, showing business documents, company
values, treatment of coworkers, and more. Not only does this help the company with
its overall image, it also helps people genuinely interested in becoming potential
employees.
What are the similarities and differences in the two codes of conduct?
Both company similarities are that their committed to:
- Ensuring that the companies working conditions are safe.
- Workers are treated with respect and dignity.
- Operate in full compliance with the laws, rules, and regulations of the
countries in which they operate.
- Fair treatment
- Business Integrity
- Disclosure of Information
- Protection of Intellectual Property
- And Worker feedback
Company differences are:
-

That Microsoft doesnt state on their ethics statement that they have :
o Have Community Engagement
o Whistleblower Protection and Anonymous Complaints

Vs Apple having
o Community Engagement
o Whistleblower Protection and Anonymous Complaints

Microsoft has
o A page about making ethical decisions
o A Page about posting information on dos and donts on positing
information to social media.

While apple doesnt have

o A page about making ethical decisions
o A Page about posting information on dos and donts on positing
information to social media.

What are the values the each employer espouses?

-

Both employers expects:

o Operate in full compliance with the laws, rules, and regulations of
the countries in which they operate.
o Fair treatment, respect, and honesty.
o Disclosure of Information.
o Protection of Intellectual Property.
o To give worker feedback.
o Environmentally safe and pollution prevention in the manufactures

What does each employer expect from its employees?

-

Microsoft expects
o Worker feedback
o Fair treatment, respect, and honesty
o Protection of Intellectual Property
o Disclosure of Information
o Equal employment opportunity
o Finical integrity

Apple expects
o Worker feedback
o Fair treatment, respect, and honesty
o Protection of Intellectual Property
o Disclosure of Information
o Equal employment opportunity:

From it Executives?
-

Microsoft expects:
o To give Worker feedback
o To use fair treatment, respect, and honesty
o Protection of Intellectual Property
o Have disclosure of Information

Apple expects:
o To give Worker feedback

o
o
o
o

Fair treatment, respect, and honesty

Protection of Intellectual Property
Disclosure of Information
Whistleblower Protection and Anonymous Complaints

What additional ethics resources does each employer make available to

employees?
-

That each employer talks about their different training programs, supplier
code of conducts, and their environmental impacts in addition to their
general code of conducts guidelines.

What can you tell about each employer from the code of conduct?
-

I can tell by looking at both of them that they both of them care about
displaying their code of conducts.

Based on your review of the two codes of conduct, which employer would
you prefer to work for? Why?
-

If I would have to choose a one employer vs over the other one I would
probably have to say Microsoft. Mainly because they took the time to
really display the information in a special brochure that was very
organized and easy to read. This shows that they really care about their
code of ethics and way of conduct.

Sources
Microsoft code of ethics - https://www.microsoft.com/enus/legal/compliance/buscond/default.aspx
Apple code of ethics
https://www.apple.com/jp/supplierresponsibility/pdf/Apple_Supplier_Code_of_Conduct.pdf
https://sites.google.com/a/email.vccs.edu/bus100mlmuseappleinc/home/ap
ple-inc-code-of-conduct