Business Ethics for HR Professionals

This program explores how ethical principles shape responsible business conduct and positions Human Resources as the organization’s ethical gatekeeper. Participants examine how values, corporate credos, and leadership behavior influence workplace culture and decision-making across all levels of the enterprise.

The program introduces proven frameworks for ethical decision-making, helping HR leaders and managers navigate complex dilemmas with clarity, consistency, and integrity. Participants will learn how to translate organizational values and corporate credos into everyday policies, behaviors, and accountability systems.

By the end of the program, attendees will be equipped with practical tools to build and sustain an ethical HR practice that fosters trust, transparency, fairness, and compliance—strengthening both organizational culture and long-term business performance.

SHRM/HRCI Learning Objective: 

• Define business ethics and why it matters in today’s workplace
• Understand HR’s role as the organization’s ethical gatekeeper
• Explore how values and corporate credos shape culture and behavior
• Identify early warning signs of unethical practices in the workplace
• Apply ethical decision-making frameworks to common HR dilemmas
• Learn how to translate values into policies, procedures, and daily practices
• Build strategies to create and sustain an ethical HR practice

Speaker: Linda Ficht

Speaker Bio: 

Linda Sue Ficht is a Clinical Associate Professor of Business Law and Ethics in the Mitch Daniels School of Business at Purdue University. Since beginning her academic career in 2005, she has earned multiple teaching awards for her student‑centered, story‑driven approach to instruction.

Her scholarly work focuses on employment law, with recent publications on DEI in higher education (International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 2023) and proposed amendments to Title VII (Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy, 2024).

A highlight of her career is her authorship of Virginia Senate Bill 480, the state’s first statute regulating noncompete agreements. Introduced in 2019 and enacted in 2020, the law prohibits noncompetes for low‑wage workers, interns, apprentices, and certain contractors, expanding job mobility protections across the Commonwealth.

Linda is also engaged in public service. She currently serves on the Tippecanoe Human Relations Commission and the Community Investment Committee of the Lafayette United Way. Previously, she held mayor‑appointed roles on the Newport News Human Rights Commission and the Newport News Human Services Advisory Board.

Before entering academia, Linda practiced law in Illinois working in both private practice and government roles, including the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. She was recognized as a 40 Leaders Under 40 honoree in 2003 for her professional contributions in Peoria.

She holds a JD cum laude from Southern Illinois University School of Law, an MBA in Management from Bradley University (Beta Gamma Sigma), and a BA in English from Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

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Meeting Agenda:
11:30am - Webcast Opens
11:40am - Chapter Announcements
11:50am - Sponsor Announcement
12:00pm - Speaker Presentation 
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