Good Governance: Oath of office versus code of conduct
Both are valuable tools to promote ethical conduct and responsible governance.
I recently joined the board of my local retail cooperative and at the annual general meeting, I not only returned a signed copy of the director oath of office but also recited it in front of the members in attendance, both in person and virtually. I was the only newly elected director, but all the directors recited the oath. Should this practice be adopted by all cooperatives, and how is this practice any different from signing a code of conduct?
An oath of office and a board code of conduct serve different purposes and have distinct advantages. While it’s not a matter of one being inherently better than the other, their effectiveness depends on the specific context and requirements of an organization. Here’s a breakdown of some of their advantages.
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