–Make values and expected standards of behavior clear. Work with the CEO and management to design and publish operating principles that reflect the company’s values and provide specific expectations for acting in an ethical manner at all times.

–Strive for consistency between stated principles and action. When dealing with possible unethical behavior, assume that both the ethical breach and company response to it will be widely known and rapidly spread. Consider congruence with, or departure from the company’s stated values, and how that will reinforce or tear down the fabric of trust.

–Lead with your ears. Monitor the corporate buzz and see and hear what employees, customers, vendors, shareholders and other stakeholders are saying about the company’s culture in person and on social media.

–Reward principled performance: develop a framework for recognizing and rewarding ethical performance, especially in ambiguous or difficult circumstances. Find examples from high to low in the company and spotlight them.

–Manage upward path carefully. Do not promote anyone who has blemishes on their ethics or compliance track record. Examine the matter carefully to avoid later surprises in such difficult areas as sexual impropriety or harassment or use of racially charged language, for example.

–Engage with people as a person. Tone at the top demands that the CEO and the board connect with people inside and outside the organization. Leaders must openly communicate their values on an ongoing and transparent basis, using different platforms and distribution systems. People are suspicious of leaders who are closed about their values or standards. Stakeholders assume if you value nothing, you’ll value anything.

–Communicate, and communicate again, in words and action. While the behavior of all members of the community has an impact, remember that it is the CEO’s behavior that tells employees what counts, and what’s rewarded and punished. The CEO is the face of the company, the one to whom employees ultimately look for vision, guidance, and leadership. The board has a direct responsibility to see and understand how the CEO’s character and behavior are perceived.

–Recruiting process. Explicitly include screening for people’s character as well as competence. Everyone in the hiring process should understand that character comes first.

–Orientation and training. Create constant reinforcement regarding the importance of trustworthy, ethical behavior consistent with the values and purpose of the company. Ensure that further training and mentoring continue to offer and reinforce consistent messages about what’s valued.

–Evaluation Metrics. Performance evaluation should measure not only what is done, but how it is done, in accordance not only with ethical standards but in a consistent style that reinforces corporate values and personal trust.

–Reporting Mechanism. Whatever the method employed, employees must know where to go if they see something that troubles them. It is not always prudent to report concerns to one’s supervisor, so it may be valuable to create a hotline or a designated person. Such communications must be kept confidential unless the employee is willing to be named.

–Employee Departures. People leaving the company must be treated with the same respect accorded to those remaining. It may be valuable to conduct an exit interview to collect insights perhaps not otherwise available.

–Mergers, Acquisitions, and Divestitures. Additional measures beyond completing transactional details must be addressed in any transaction. CEO, board and leaders throughout the company need to pay particular attention to the people involved. There will be fear, excitement, and uncertainty. Be sure that the plan to bring new people and processes into the organization or to say an appreciative farewell are developed with care and executed seamlessly top to bottom.

–Providing Time and Space for People to be People. This will go a long way toward building a successful combined operation. Leaders must focus on the fact that the new employees have choices and do their best to be sure they do not feel plundered or exploited. Appreciate them, which will help to reduce the pain of inevitable road bumps and mitigate potentially unforeseen risks. Be sure they know where to go with concerns.

–Decentralized Operations. Companies are increasingly likely not only to have far flung operations but to have a remote or flex time workforce. The board should ensure that the methods of communicating values and encouraging ethical behavior are effective across all employee cultures. This may take extra time and effort, as understanding the context in which employees operate is not simple when they work autonomously or are drawn from a different culture, for example. Command and control approaches may work, but approaches based on listening, respecting, and adapting will pay dividends.

–Malcontents. Be sure that such people are not left alone to fester and allow their germs to spread. Identify them, try to understand and if possible address their concerns, and if not possible, remove them, respectfully. Nothing will undercut the desired tone faster than not addressing and dealing with individuals whose actions are contrary to the organization’s beliefs.

–Be Mindful of Institutionalization. We have all seen the value statements stuck on the wall, sometimes covered with impromptu employee remarks. Beware of value statements that become stuck and meaningless, which will only underline that they longer apply. Encourage leaders throughout the corporation to keep the expected behavior fresh and vivid by living it. Stories about values in action are often helpful.