In an effort to nurture a new generation of “ethical leaders” in the global built environment sector, the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Academy is launching a “massive open online course”, or MOOC, on ethics and compliance.
Free, and open to anyone working in the built environment sector globally, the five-week course starts on 30 January 2017.
“It has been designed to empower people to make better decisions in their daily construction work: improving relationships, identifying conflicts of interest and taking steps to minimise risk,” the CIOB said in announcing the MOOC on 16 January.
“CIOB Academy wants to nurture a new generation of ethical leaders, to show why it is sometimes necessary to go beyond legal compliance and to give people the confidence to speak out when something is wrong,” the CIOB added.
By providing a safe place to explore and discuss ethical issues, and by opening this course up to anyone in the industry, we hope to facilitate positive change on a large scale– Maria Coulter, course leader
Devised in collaboration with experts, including Jay Blithe of the Barrett Values Centre, sustainable construction consultancy Responsible Solutions, and Ethical Leadership author Andrew Leigh, the online programme also includes contributions from construction clients and contractors.
Each week participants will explore dilemmas relating to bribery and corruption to company policy and interactions in the workplace.
The topics are brought to life through social learning, questionnaires, videos, articles and quizzes. Participants will also have the opportunity to interact with each other and the course leader. Throughout the course, tutors and contributors will be available online to answer questions and join discussions.
The course is suitable for all levels of seniority and across all disciplines and departments, particularly those in construction management, site management, design, HR, procurement, surveying, and more, the CIOB said.
Course leader and owner of Construction Coach, Maria Coulter said: “Construction is a fast paced industry and people are working under tremendous pressure to deliver for clients and employers within complex frameworks. Unfortunately, conflicting requirements can sometimes force people to compromise their personal values. This can lead to disillusionment which not only erodes trust, but also damages morale and wellbeing, negatively impacting the performance of individuals and teams.
“By providing a safe place to explore and discuss ethical issues, and by opening this course up to anyone in the industry, we hope to facilitate positive change on a large scale.”
More information about the course is available here.
Find out more about the CIOB Academy here.
Image by Julianrocks/Dreamstime
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