According to integrated social contracts theory, the ethical standards a company should
try to uphold:

A. Are governed by the school of ethical universalism

B. Are governed both by (1) a limited number of universal ethical principles that are widely
recognized as putting legitimate ethical boundaries on actions and behavior in all situations and (2)
the circumstances of local cultures, traditions and shared values that further prescribe what
constitutes ethically permissible behavior and what does not—but universal norms always take
precedence over local ethical norms

C. Are governed by each country's Code of Required Ethical Conduct—which sets forth that each
individual/group/business/organizat ion has a "social contract" to observe the ethical and moral
standards that the country has adopted

D. Should be determined by the company's moral managers

E. Should never be absolute but rather always provide some wiggle room according to the
circumstances of the situation