Running head: ETHICS AND THE UNITED WAY 1

Ethics and the United Way

Andréa D. Cox

Wilmington University
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Ethics and the United Way

Ethics Defined for Human Services

As humans we are tasked with making decisions and living our lives. We have different

beliefs and values that guide our decision making process. Some will live by the golden rule,

“do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. Others are led by their religious beliefs.

For most of us, the foundation comes from how we were raised. This foundation is our ethical

belief system. Ethics is the moral code of right and wrong that we choose to live by. We may

have personal ethical standards, but there are also ethical standards for various fields of

employment. The standards for Human Services workers is based on “respecting the dignity and

welfare of all people, promoting self-determination, honoring cultural diversity, advocating for

social justice, and acting with integrity, honesty, genuineness and objectivity”

(nationalhumanservices.org, 2019). Because human service workers are there to help people

with their basic needs, they must be ethical people that are willing to follow the ethical

guidelines established for those in the human services field.

The National Organization of Human Services developed a code of ethics for the field in

1996. This code was updated in 2015. Like the Hippocratic Oath medical professionals are

sworn to, members of the National Organization of Human Services agree to the three purposes

of the ethical code which include the education of professionals and the public about

responsibilities, being professionally accountable through the ethical codes and self-monitoring

and improvement (Winfield, Sparkman-Key, & Vajda, 2017).

What is an Ethical Dilemma?

An ethical dilemma is a conflict of ethical standards. This “occurs when two or more

ethical standards apply to a situation, but are in conflict with each other” (The New Social
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Worker, 2019). When this happens, a human services professional is tasked with choosing which

ethical standard to uphold, and which standard will be compromised. An example of an ethical

dilemma could be breaking client confidentiality policy to report child abuse. Ethical dilemmas

are constant challenges for human service workers. They must choose to do what is best for the

client, while putting personal feelings aside. A worker’s personal mood can also have an effect

on the choices they make. It has been proven that people that feel good are more likely to do

good (Gaudine & Thorne, 2001). Workers that enjoy the work that they do are more likely to

make the right decisions when helping their clients.

Ethical Challenges of the United Way

As an organization with a large presence in the community, the United Way of Delaware

has to be ethical to uphold its reputation in the community. The United Way is a major

fundraiser for many smaller organizations. If the United Way does not maintain a proper code of

ethics, it risks losing the support of the thousands of citizens that make contributions to its

campaigns. The United Way also recruits volunteers for its programs and the programs of its

partners. If anyone at the United Way, staff or volunteer, acts unethically, he or she will put the

reputation of the United Way at risk. Nonprofit organizations also need to abide by certain

standards to maintain their nonprofit status. Acting unethically can jeopardize the nonprofit

status.

To maintain its philanthropic standards, the United Way’s fundraising efforts go directly

to support programs, not organizations. This ensures the funds raised are touching the people in

need, not paying administrative cost for other organizations. The United Way is also committed

to keeping its own administrative cost low. Only 12.5¢ of funds raised for United Way are used

for administrative and fundraising cost (UWDE.org, 2019). The United Way assures
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Delawareans that their donations will go where requested. These records must be accurately

tracked to maintain the integrity of the United Way.

Ethical considerations of staff and administrators

It is critical that the United Way has an ethical framework within which to work. They

must carefully consider which programs to support and which agencies to partner with. It is

important for the United Way to work with the agencies that reflect the mission of the United

Way. The Board of Directors and the leadership team work closely with community leaders to

identify community needs (UWDE, 2019). When working in the communities, the staff must

fairly spread the resources and not show favoritism to any organization or community. They

must ensure that the right opportunities are being pursued for the right reasons, the benefit of the

communities, not for the benefit of the United Way.

Conclusion

To be an ethical Human Services organization, the United Way needs to employ ethical

people, work with ethical community members and have an ethical Board of Directors. One way

to be ethical is to have “an appreciation of human beings in all their diversity” (Woodside &

McClam, 2004). The United Way should continue to work within their mission for the

betterment of all Delawareans. By continuing to honor the diversity and the people of Delaware,

the United Way will be able to continue to make a difference in the lives of the people who need

it most.
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References

Ethical Standards for Human Service Professionals. Retrieved February 17, 2019, from
www.nationalhumanservices.org

Gaudine, A., & Thorne, L. (2001). Emotional and Ethical Decision-Making In

Organizations. Journal of Business Ethics,31, 175-187. Retrieved February 17, 2019.

National Organization for Human Services. Retrieved February 17, 2019, from
nationalhumanservices.org

The New Social Worker. Retrieved February 17, 2019, from www.socialworker.com

Winfield, C., Sparkman-Key, N., & Vajda, A. (2017). Professional Standards: Embracing
Preventive Ethics in Human Services. Journal of Human Services, Fall, 37(1), 55-62.
Retrieved February 17, 2019, from http://search.ebscohost.com.mylibrary.wilmu.edu/
login.aspx?direct=true&db=eue&AN=125932155&site=ehost-live

Woodside, M., & McClam, T. (2004). Developing Cultural Competence: A Case Study
Approach. Human Service Education, 24(1), 87–91. Retrieved from
http://search.ebscohost.com.mylibrary.wilmu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db
=eue&AN=44505130&site=ehost-live