Spain

Spanish employees’ views of ethics at work have improved in some important ways compared to 2021. For example, in Spain, employees are more likely than in 2021 to be aware of each of the four building blocks of an ethics programme considered in this survey. Employees in Spain were also more likely to report misconduct in 2024 compared to 2021. Of the 16 surveyed countries, employees in Spain are amongst the most likely to be satisfied with the outcome after reporting misconduct, and the least likely to experience retaliation after speaking up.

However, the percentage of employees in Spain who are aware of misconduct and do not raise their concern is still relatively high. Respondents are still as likely as in 2021 to say that they have felt pressured to compromise their organisation’s standards of behaviour. Awareness of the provision of the formal elements of an ethics programme, despite the improvements in the past three years, is still lower in Spain than in other countries. Improving awareness might help to address some of these issues.

Organisational culture

Employees in Spain are among the least likely of the 16 surveyed countries to find each of the eight ethically questionable practices outlined to be acceptable. They are less likely than the global average to find each of the eight ethically questionable practices acceptable (16% vs 20% global average).
Around nine in ten employees in Spain say that honesty is practised always or frequently in their organisation (85%), remaining consistent with findings in 2021(84%) and with the percentage of employees who say so globally (84% global average). Only employees in India (91%), Brazil (89%), Germany (89%), and France (87%) have a higher rating on this question.
Around one in six employees in Spain feel pressured to compromise on ethical standards of behaviour (17%) – a slight increase on 2021 when around one in seven employees said so (15%). In 2024, 15% of employees globally said that they felt pressured. Around one in three employees in Spain who have felt pressured to compromise on ethical standards say that following their boss’s orders (35%) is the main source of pressure. Notably, around one in four employees in Spain point to time pressure / unrealistic deadlines (28%) and being asked to take shortcuts (28%) as other main sources.
Around three in ten employees in Spain reported being aware of conduct that they thought violated either the law or their organisation’s ethical standards in the last year (28%). Employees in Spain are among the most likely to say this, alongside those in Brazil (31%), South Africa (34%), and India (44%). The figure in 2024 (28%) is statistically higher than in 2021 (23%), but not significantly higher than the 2024 global average (25%).

Speaking up

Around six in ten employees in Spain who were aware of misconduct spoke up about it with management, another appropriate person, or through any other mechanism (58%). This figure is higher than in 2021 (49%), but lower than the percentage of employees who say so globally (64% global average).
Of all those who did not report a concern, around one in three of them cited not wanting to be seen as a troublemaker by management (35%) and a fear of jeopardising their job (33%) as the key deterrents to speaking up.
Of those reporting a concern, nearly a third (31%) say that they experienced a form of personal disadvantage or retaliation as a result. This figure is similar to 2021 (32%), but well below the 2024 global average - where nearly half said so (46%). Employees in Spain are among the least likely to say that they experienced retaliation after speaking up, alongside those in Brazil and Japan (31%), and the UK (29%).
Around eight in ten employees in Spain say they were satisfied with the outcome after raising concerns about misconduct (77%). This figure is higher than in 2021 (73%), and the percentage of employees who say so globally in 2024 (71% global average). Employees in Spain are among the most likely to be satisfied, along with those in Brazil (79%), South Africa (81%), and India (93%).

The ethics programme

Compared to 2021, employees in Spain are more likely to say that they are aware of each of the four building blocks of an ethics programme, but awareness is still low compared to other countries in the survey. Employees in Spain are slightly more aware of their organisations providing training on standards of ethical conduct (56% vs 51% in 2021), and means of reporting misconduct confidentially (58% vs 53% in 2021). 58% of Spanish employees say that they are aware of a means to report misconduct confidentially within their organisation, compared to 76% in India and 81% in South Africa.

Embedding ethics through a supportive environment

In Spain, 70% (vs 72% global average) of employees say that their line manager sets a good example of ethical business behaviour, 63% (vs 68% global average) say that their line manager explains the importance of honesty and ethics in the work they do, and 67% (vs 72% globally) say that their line manager supports them in following their organisation’s standards of ethical behaviour. While 68% (vs 72% globally) say that senior management takes ethics seriously in their organisation, 36% (vs 38% globally) also say that their line manager rewards employees who get good results, even if they use practices that are ethically questionable.
72% (vs 76% global average) of employees in Spain say that their organisation acts responsibly in all its business dealings and 72% (vs 72% globally) that it lives up to its stated policy of social responsibility.
Employees in Spain are also likely to have mixed views about how their organisation engages with employees on ethics. 63% (vs 62% global average) of Spanish employees say that issues of right and wrong are discussed in staff meetings, 66% (vs 67% globally) say that decisions about people are made fairly in their organisation and 76% (vs 78% globally) say that people in their organisation know what is expected of them in terms of ethical behaviour.
62% of employees in Spain say that their organisation disciplines employees who violate its ethical standards. A similar percentage of employees say so globally (65% global average).

National partner

Universidad Pontificia de Comillas

For almost two decades, the Iberdrola Chair of Economic and Business Ethics at Comillas Pontifical University has been promoting multiple academic initiatives, always related to the ethical dimension of business and management: Business Ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility, Good Corporate Governance, and Sustainability, including the Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals, and lately the moral dimension of AI towards a Digital Humanism.

Beyond the academic focus, the Chair has always sought to broaden its horizons and allow professionals from all management areas to participate in its activities, gathering corporations, public institutions, and all sized companies to debate and explore their social and economic impact.

The Chair continuously seeks to strengthen its relationship with other prestigious international partners. On this occasion, the collaboration with IBE is directly linked to the mission and purpose of the Chair. The collaboration on this longitudinal survey will undoubtedly provide a valuable and practical perspective on ethics in organisations.