Ethical Decision-Making Models

Field: Ethics | Delivery Method: Self Study | CPE Hours: 1.0

  Enroll in Course

In this course we discuss models and tools for making ethical decisions. We are often told to be ethical, and make ethical decisions, but are not provided with the tools to help us make ethical decisions.
Ethical decisions usually mean make a choice between two rights and includes balancing various needs in order to make what is considered an ethical decision. This is what makes ethical decision making so hard, because there doesn’t seem to be one correct answer.

Most ethical decisions can be described as being making a choice between:
  • Truth or Loyalty
  • Short-Term or Long-Term
  • Individual or Group
  • Justice or Mercy

Objectives, values, and a defined process for considering the best decision help us make good decisions that we can feel are ethical. We will discuss universal human values that should be included in any decision making process, how to consider and incorporate organizational or situation-specific objectives and values into the decision making process, and common ethical decision making models prevalent in the world. By understanding how these ethical decision making models work, we can determine a model that is best for us to use in making these difficult “right versus right” decisions. Once we understand these concepts then we can also help others.
Learning Objectives
  • Identify the core human values upon which any ethical decision should be made.
  • Define the types of ethical decisions and which are applicable to the decision you need to make: truth vs. loyalty, long-term vs. short-term, individual vs. group, or short-term vs. long-term.
  • Familiarize yourself with commonly accepted ethical decision making models and recognize the common elements necessary for developing an ethical decision making model. Consider classical ethics philosophies and determine how to apply them into your own ethical decision making model.
  • Provide others with the resources and examples of ethical decision making models they can use in everyday life.

Field: Ethics
Delivery Method: Group
CPE Hours: 1.0
Format: Video


Your Instructor


Jason Mefford
Jason Mefford

Jason Mefford is a rock star in internal audit, risk management and compliance. He typically works with Chief Audit Executives (CAE), Audit Committee (AC) members, and professionals in audit, risk and compliance with the technical and soft-skills needed to navigate the land mines of organizations. He takes complicated, confusing and hard things, makes them practical, proactive and simple to improve learning and transformation.


He's been a Chief Audit Executive, Chief Risk Officer, Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, Chief Information Security Officer, Board Member, and has trained and consulted organizations all over the world. He is a thought leader in all things governance, risk and compliance (GRC) and internal audit, and is the recipient of multiple awards including:


  • Rising Star in Corporate Governance from Yale University
  • Rising Star in Corporate Governance Award (Finalist) from Corporate Secretary Magazine
  • Thought Leader of the Year (Finalist) from The National Association of Experts, Writers & Speakers
  • Fellow from the Open Compliance & Ethics Group (OCEG) Think Tank


You can learn more about him at: https://www.jasonmefford.com and join him in the Audit Leader Forum™ at: https://bit.ly/AuditLeader


Course Curriculum


  Training Video
Available in days
days after you enroll

Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
We would never want you to be unhappy! If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact us in the first 7 days and we will give you a full refund.

Get started now!