LRN Report Reveals 2 In 5 Codes of Conduct for the World’s Top Publicly Traded Companies Fall Short
The 2023 Code of Conduct Report released today by LRN Corporation, the leader in ethics and compliance solutions that enable organizations to inspire principled performance, reveals that a significant proportion (two in five) of the world’s top publicly traded companies have work to do to meet basic expectations for more effective codes of conduct.
Further, "speak up" culture appears deficient in most organizations, as less than two-thirds of all codes include a section on reporting misconduct and fewer than three in five have strong non-retaliation policies stated for those who do so.
The report reviewed the codes of conduct of nearly 200 of the top publicly traded companies in Asia, Europe, and North America—focusing on those listed on the major indices in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the United States and, for the first time, Japan and Singapore.
Among the other key findings of the report include:
- Only 43% of their codes of conduct for some the world’s largest publicly traded companies were scored "effective", meaning they meet the minimum expectations, and 40% were rated as less effective, meaning they fell below the expectations of an effective code. Only 17% were found to be more effective, meaning that their codes exceeded the minimum expectations
- The codes of companies on the U.S. S&P 100 outperform those in other indexes overall, while companies listed on Singapore’s STI 30 generally have the lowest code effectiveness scores
- 64% of codes analyzed have a section on speaking up, but only 57% of codes have a strong non-retaliation policy for employees who speak up about misconduct and just 17% explain the procedure for investigation of misconduct
- Companies with more effective codes are 10x more likely to include hotline/helpline details
- Only 48% of codes extend applicability to contractors, agents, and other third parties working on behalf of the company
About LRN
LRN's mission and purpose is to inspire principled performance and help people around the world do the right thing. Since 1994, LRN has worked to propel organizations forward with the partnership, knowledge, and tools to build ethical culture. Learn more at https://lrn.com and follow on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230725088236/en/
Contact information
Scott Addison
LRN@infiniteglobal.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
FIA, Formula 1 Group and All 11 Race Teams Officially Sign the Ninth Concorde Agreement, Securing Strength and Stability for the Sport in Pivotal Five-Year Agreement12.12.2025 18:10:00 EET | Press release
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the global governing body for motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations worldwide, and Formula 1 Group, the Commercial Rights Holder, have today announced the signing of the Concorde Governance Agreement, a crucial contract defining the regulatory framework and governance terms of the FIA Formula One World Championship until 2030. This follows the announcement in March that the 2026 Commercial Concorde Agreement had been signed by all the teams and Formula 1 Group. Together, these agreements constitute the ninth Concorde Agreement, representing a major step forward in the professionalisation and global development of the sport. First introduced in 1981, the Concorde Agreements are designed to promote sporting fairness, technological innovation and operational excellence, and align all key stakeholders around a shared vision for structured governance and continued growth of the sport. Each iteration of the Concorde Agr
Anabranch Capital Management, LP supports relisting of SmartCraft ASA to Nasdaq Stockholm12.12.2025 17:26:00 EET | Press release
Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement by SmartCraft ASA ("SmartCraft" or the "Company") on 1 December 2025 regarding the contemplated relisting of SmartCraft from Euronext Oslo Børs to Nasdaq Stockholm (the "Relisting") and the announcement of a cross-border merger to effect the Relisting. Funds managed by Anabranch Capital Management, LP (“Anabranch”) intend to vote in favour of the merger plan resolved by the boards of SmartCraft and its Swedish wholly owned subsidiary, SmartCraft Group AB (publ), to effect the Relisting at the Company's extraordinary general meeting planned for January 2025 (the "EGM"). Anabranch intends to vote with all Anabranch shares held at the Record Date for the EGM in favour of the relisting effected by the merger plan. Funds managed by Anabranch currently hold approximately 15.9 million shares in SmartCraft. Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the authors and Anabranch Capital Management, LP as of the date referenced and are subject
Mohammed Ben Sulayem Re-Elected as President of the FIA12.12.2025 16:49:00 EET | Press release
The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the global governing body for motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations worldwide, today confirms that Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been re-elected as President of the FIA, following the election of his Presidential List by the General Assembly in Tashkent, Republic of Uzbekistan. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251212213181/en/ President Mohammed Ben Sulayem now begins his second four-year term, having overseen a period of significant renewal and stabilisation for the organisation since his initial election in 2021. Over the past four years, the FIA has undergone a wide-ranging transformation, improving governance, operations and restoring the financial health of the federation. These changes have strengthened the FIA’s position as the world’s governing body for motorsport and the leading authority on safe, sustainable, and affordable mobility.
Capcom’s All-new IP PRAGMATA to Launch on April 24, 2026!12.12.2025 16:00:00 EET | Press release
Capcom Co., Ltd. (TOKYO:9697) today announced that sci-fi action-adventure game PRAGMATA, a completely new IP, is scheduled for release on April 24, 2026. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251212791950/en/ PRAGMATA Key Art PRAGMATA is a new type of sci-fi action-adventure game mixing puzzle and action elements. In the game, which takes place on the moon in a near-future world, the spacesuit-clad Hugh and android girl Diana cooperate while fighting their way back to Earth. By bringing the title to Nintendo Switch™ 2 in addition to PlayStation®5 system, Xbox Series X|S and PC, Capcom looks to further advance its multi-platform strategy and expand its user base. Moreover, a playable demo of the game will be released first on PC starting today, December 12, to further convey the appeal of the title. The company hopes that players look forward to PRAGMATA, which has already garnered acclaim for its playable demos at
Perma-Pipe International Holdings, Inc. Announces Third Quarter 2025 Financial Results12.12.2025 16:00:00 EET | Press release
Perma-Pipe International Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: PPIH) announced today financial results for the third quarter ended October 31, 2025. “For the three months ended October 31, 2025, net sales were $61.1 million, an increase of $19.5 million, or 46.9%, compared to $41.6 million in the same quarter of the prior year. Growth was driven by higher sales volumes in both the Middle East and North America. Gross profit was $21.0 million, up $6.9 million from $14.1 million last year, reflecting higher activity levels. Selling, general and administrative expenses increased to $8.3 million from $7.3 million, primarily due to higher payroll and professional fees, including approximately $0.5 million relating to Sarbanes-Oxley 404 compliance in connection with our transition from a small reporting company to an accelerated filer. The Company’s effective tax rate (“ETR”) was 27%, compared to 32% in the prior-year quarter, reflecting the impact of product mix in various tax jurisdictions. As a result,
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom