EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients.
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Ethics and integrity are more than principles; they are the foundation of EY culture and the compass that guides the EY network. Doing the right thing, even when it’s difficult, is essential to help build trust with clients, employees and society. This is reflected in the EY values, leadership behaviors and systems built to uphold very high standards of professional conduct.
EY has three foundational elements that drive a culture of quality, which includes integrity and ethical conduct: our purpose and values, the EY Global Code of Conduct and the EY System of Quality Management.
Leaders set the tone at the top by cultivating a strong culture, with a focus on quality and doing the right thing.
Purpose and values
The EY Assurance practice plays a critical role in promoting the public’s trust and confidence in capital markets, which in turn drives investment and economic growth. Providing high-quality audit and assurance services is a core objective and an important way of fulfilling the EY purpose of building a better working world.
Quality isn’t just about technical skills — it’s also about actions and behaviors. We seek to uphold a culture of integrity and accountability, where everyone takes responsibility for meeting high standards. This culture is built on our shared values, which define who we are:
- People who demonstrate integrity, respect, teaming and inclusiveness.
- People with energy, enthusiasm and the courage to lead.
- People who build relationships based on doing the right thing.
This starts with a strong tone at the top, with leaders being responsible for upholding EY values and demonstrating the EY purpose of building a better working world through behavior and actions.
EY Global Code of Conduct
The EY Global Code of Conduct is also foundational to our ethical, quality-driven culture. It reinforces the importance of acting with integrity and encourages a strong culture of consultation.
The code sets out clear principles to guide the actions and business conduct of everyone at EY. It is organized into five categories:
- Working with one another
- Working with clients and others
- Acting with professional integrity
- Maintaining our objectivity and independence
- Protecting data, information and intellectual capital
Through policies and procedures designed to support compliance with the EY Global Code of Conduct — and through frequent communication — we strive to create an environment where everyone acts responsibly, including reporting misconduct without fear of retaliation.
System of Quality Management
The EY System of Quality Management reflects our commitment to transparency, continuous improvement, and consistent delivery of high-quality audits. It reinforces a strong tone at the top, clearly defining leadership responsibilities and accountability, and embeds a culture of quality throughout the network by identifying and addressing areas of improvement and deficiencies that require corrective actions.
We embed quality-focused accountability through four key areas of the System of Quality Management:
Governance and leadership
The System of Quality Management drives quality across the EY network. It sets a strong tone at the top on ethics and quality, defines clear responsibilities and accountability, and strengthens adherence to these standards.
Information and communication
Communicating relevant and reliable information internally and externally is fundamental to fostering transparency. We use targeted activities to understand how EY people perceive and report on culture, and we act on those insights. The System of Quality Management also helps ensure ongoing communication of risks, findings, and deficiencies between global leadership and Member Firms so issues can be addressed promptly and collaboratively.
Engagement performance
A focus on engagement performance helps ensure EY people have access to the resources, support, and capacity to deliver sustained high-quality audits. Strategic workforce planning — a System of Quality Management baseline response — remains a central focus for EY leadership, and we continually look for ways to strengthen this essential process.
Monitoring and remediation
We monitor the System of Quality Management and make changes as needed to maintain effectiveness. This supports a culture and mindset of continuous improvement that prioritizes identifying issues early, implementing timely and appropriate corrective actions, and applying lessons learned.