Professional ethics of socially oriented non-profit organizations in the social services market: on the issue of intra- and inter-organizational cooperation

Abstract

Background. Ethical values, norms, principles that form the basis of the professional ethics of socially oriented non-profit organizations (SO NPOs) operating in the market of social services for the population are one of the little-studied topics that receive attention in the scientific literature. At the same time, the relevance of this topic is beyond doubt, since in the context of interaction of SO NPOs with partners (with government organizations, business structures, etc.), competing organizations, the need to use all the resources available in the organization to carry out effective activities (including through the creation of a favorable working environment, leveling the prerequisites for the emergence employees have a feeling of insecurity about their stay in this status, which has a significant impact on motivation), information openness is considered already as a necessary and obligatory attribute of the organization’s activities. The article provides an overview of the concepts of foreign and Russian authors exploring the ethical aspects of professional activity. Materials and methods. Based on the analysis of the results of sociological research carried out by the authors of this article (using methods: content analysis of documents on the websites of SO NPOs and expert interviews with the heads of these organizations), not only the possibility, but also the need to use the leaders of SO NPOs as fundamental imperatives is substantiated ethical standards and principles enshrined in professional ethical codes. Results. The functional features of the ethical documents of SO NPOs operating in the market of social services of the population of the Volgograd region, their information openness are investigated, the practices of building relations with NPOs with partner organizations, competitor organizations, and employees are revealed. Russian sociological and Western concepts of professional ethics are analyzed. Conclusions. The presence of ethical codes that disclose the principles of relationships between organizations with their employees and other external subjects of social interaction, open access to them will contribute to the development of trust in SO NPOs on the part of society and organization employees, including pre-retirees – representatives of the risk group (for example, in the article substantiates this statement).

Keywords

• socially oriented non-profit organizations
• pre-retirees
• regional social service market
• code of ethics
• ethical standards
• information transparency