In smaller, independent operations, who is responsible for developing codes of purchasing ethics?

• A. Managers
• B. Purchasing Clerks
• C. Vendors
• D. Accountants

Answer: (A)

Setting the ethical tone for purchasing comes from those who steer the operation. In smaller, independent businesses, the manager (often the owner) is responsible for developing codes of purchasing ethics because they shape the company’s values and the standards by which every buying decision is judged. This role includes defining expectations for fair dealing, avoiding conflicts of interest, ensuring transparent supplier selection, and outlining how gifts or favors should be handled. The manager also leads the process of communicating the code, training staff, and enforcing it, since they have direct oversight of the procurement function and the authority to implement policy.

Purchasing clerks handle day-to-day purchasing within the established policy and can contribute to refining it, but they don’t typically author the code. Vendors operate under their own ethics policies and don’t develop a company’s internal code. Accountants focus on financial controls and compliance, and while they may provide input on risk and alignment with controls, they aren’t the ones who create the purchasing ethics policy.