General Overview

he Catholic Charities USA Code is based on a fundamental ethical assumption that each member organization is a moral agent and carries out its moral obligations as a corporate entity which is, essentially, to carry out its role in the social mission of the Church and to assure that all of its policies and activities are conducted in an ethically responsible manner.

Although professional codes of ethics generally focus on the behavior of the individual practitioner, the Catholic Charities USA Code is formulated in an organizational context. The original Code was adopted in 1983 and was nationally accepted as a systematic body of principles, a normative guide for the organization and for staff behaviors. It was conceived as a living document, which would require ongoing review to meet the changing needs of the times. The only revision was made in 1986, when survey data indicated that there was no need for substantive changes and, thus, only minor clarifications and editorial modifications were made.

In undertaking a revision of the Catholic Charities USA Code of Ethics and in light of the new and complex issues emerging today, with the current emphasis on ethical leadership in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors, a membership survey was conducted as a starting point. The findings showed not only an increase in the ethical challenges facing agencies today, but also a need for a revised Code of Ethics that would move beyond broad moral principles to more concrete ethical standards to provide more specific guidance to behaviors at all levels of agency activity.

The Code of Ethics serves as a broad guide to the organizational behavior of the staff and the agency in carrying out the Mission of Catholic Charities USA and its member agencies. This Code of Ethics is to be adhered to by all staff, board members and volunteers of Catholic Charities. It is our further hope that this Code of Ethics, based in the Judeo-Christian experience and in the Teaching and Tradition of the Catholic Church, will add to the wisdom and knowledge of other human service providers in this country, in terms of how universal principles and values apply to ethical reflection by organizations, institutions and agencies.

The Code serves several purposes:

1. To identify the core principles and values on which the agency’s mission is based.

2. To provide ethical standards to guide organizational and practitioner/staff behaviors.

3. To serve as a tool in the education of staff and other stakeholders to their ethical obligations in carrying out the mission of the agency.

4. To orient Catholic Charities leadership, staff, volunteers and recipients of service to the basic values, rooted in the Teaching Tradition of the Catholic Church, that guide, motivate and inform Catholic Charities activities and services.

5. To assist staff in identifying areas of ethical concern and in resolving issues where ethical obligations conflict.

6. To provide standards against which the community can hold the agency accountable.

The Catholic Charities USA Code of Ethics, like codes of ethics in general, has limitations. The Code provides a set of principles, values and standards to guide decision-making and conduct. It does not, however, provide a set of rules that prescribe how one should act in all situations. More specific applications of the Code of Ethics must take into account the uniqueness of each situation in which ethical issues are embedded.

Ethical decision-making is a process that requires informed ethical judgments. It requires a careful identification of the ethical issues at stake, the underlying moral values and all relevant considerations related to the issue. In such cases, supplementary resources may be needed. There are a number of resources available for ethical thinking and problem-solving.

These include:

• Ethical principles and theory

• Research in specific areas of ethics, such as social ethics, bioethics, organizational ethics, client-centered ethics

• Workshops and seminars on ethics

• Ethical consultation with knowledgeable colleagues and supervisors

• Agency-based Ethics Committees

• Relevant ethics literature

• Laws, regulations and agency policies

• Relevant teachings from the Magisterium of the Catholic Church, such as those on Catholic Social Teaching

• Reflection on experiences similar to the dilemma(s) in question

An important aspect of ethical decision-making, often overlooked, is reflection on the impact of one’s own culture, values and religious beliefs on the ethical decision-making process.

In keeping with organizational “best practice,” Catholic Charities USA should develop an Ethics Consultation Committee at the national level; each member agency should consider utilizing a local Ethics Committee as well

Catholic Charities USA and its member agencies recognize that many of the employees,
board members and volunteers at our agencies are professionally trained and may recognize
and adhere to various professional codes of ethics. These may include, but are not limited to,
codes of ethics for social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, attorneys, physicians,
accountants and fund-raisers/development professionals. In addition, such organizations as
the Independent Sector work to encourage the development and implementation of codes of
ethics in the myriad of types of organizations they represent. Catholic Charities USA and its
member agencies recognize and respect the contributions of all of these entities in the development of codes of ethics.

When personal values of staff or ethical obligations to clients conflict with agency policies or
procedures or laws or regulations, responsible efforts should be taken to resolve the conflict
in a manner consistent with this organizational Code of Ethics. To their best ability, Catholic
Charities USA and its member agencies will honor and respect our staff, board members and
volunteers’ adherence to such professional codes of ethics, but will reserve the right to require
that each staff person, board member or volunteer respect and adhere to the Catholic Charities
USA Code of Ethics as agents of our member agencies.

This Code of Ethics is divided into the following sections:

1. Scriptural/Theological Foundations

2. Principles of Catholic Social Teaching

3. Fundamental Values

4. Ethical Standards

The Scriptural/Theological Foundations section addresses the mission of Catholic Charities.
The following two sections explicitly articulate the Principles and Values operative in Catholic
Charities, as articulated in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church .

This Code of Ethics then provides general Ethical Standards for use by Catholic Charities.
The Ethical Standards, rooted in the Scripture and Tradition of the Church, are based on
the Principles and Values. Each of the Ethical Standards is based on an application of such a
Principle and/or Value for differing stakeholders in Catholic Charities.

The stakeholders that have been identified for specific ethical reflection include: the client,
staff/volunteers, the Board, the executive leadership/management group, funders/contracting
agents and our social responsibility to the general community.