Effects of ethics management on ethical climate and behavior in oil refineries

Keywords: Compliance, ethics management, ethical climate, ethical behavior.

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study is to analyze the influence of ethics management (formal and informal) on the ethical work climate and individual ethical behavior of employees of oil refineries that have compliance programs.

Method: The study is characterized as a survey, made possible from the perception of oil refinery employees with compliance programs, through the technique of structural equation modeling with partial least squares estimation (PLS-SEM).

Originality/relevance: Oil refineries have considerable participation in the economic growth of the country, even after corporate scandals that have shaken their structures and image. The literature points to the growing concern of these organizations with ethical issues in recent years. Thus, to recover their prestige, many of these organizations have resorted to the creation of compliance programs as a resource to regain their prestige. However, the effectiveness of these programs for the orchestration of ethics management and the respective ethical outcomes still presents little evidence.

Results: The findings indicate that ethics management (formal and informal) directly influences the ethical work climate and indirectly influences individual ethical behavior. It means that formal and informal ethics management contributes directly and indirectly (via the ethical work climate) to the achievement of individual ethical behavior by employees, and can be used as a resource for refineries to be engaged in having ethics present in their actions, generating greater credibility for the organizations.

Theoretical/methodological/practical contributions: The findings contribute to the organizational literature and practice by pointing out managerial means (formal and informal ethics controls) to orchestrate ethical intentions and behaviors in employees, especially in the context of compliance programs in oil refineries.

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Author Biographies

Monique Couto Accadrolli, Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG)

Graduada em Ciências Contábeis - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG)

Anderson Betti Frare, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG)

Doutor em Contabilidade pela Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC)

Professor da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM) Programa de Pós-Graduação em Administração e Ciências Contábeis (UFSM)

Vagner Horz, Regional University of Blumenau (FURB)

Doutorando em Contabilidade - Universidade Regional de Blumenau (FURB). Mestre em Contabilidade - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG).

Ana Paula Capuano da Cruz, Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG)

Doutora em Controladoria e Contabilidade Universidade de São Paulo (USP)

Professora - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG) Programa de Pós-Graduação em Contabilidade (FURG) e Programa de Pós-Graduação em Administração (FURG)

Marco Aurélio Gomes Barbosa, Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG)

Doutor em Ciências Contábeis Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS) Professor - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG). Programa de Pós-Graduação em Contabilidade (FURG)

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Published
2025-09-11
How to Cite
Accadrolli, M. C., Frare, A. B., Horz, V., Cruz, A. P. C. da, & Barbosa, M. A. G. (2025). Effects of ethics management on ethical climate and behavior in oil refineries. Enfoque: Reflexão Contábil, 44(3), 85-100. https://doi.org/10.4025/enfoque.v44i3.67700
Section
Original Articles