Code of Conduct Template in Australia

A clear, well-written Code of Conduct sets the tone for how people behave at work. It helps your team understand what “doing the right thing” looks like in your business, and it gives you a practical framework for handling issues fairly and consistently.

If you’re growing a team in Australia, having a Code of Conduct isn’t just best practice - it can be central to meeting your obligations under workplace laws and preventing costly disputes.

In this guide, we’ll walk through what a workplace Code of Conduct is, what to include in an Australian code of conduct template, how to roll it out, and how it fits with your other policies and contracts so your business stays compliant and protected.

What Is A Workplace Code Of Conduct?

A Code of Conduct is a short, accessible policy that sets out the standards of behaviour expected from everyone who represents your business - employees, contractors, temps and (where relevant) volunteers.

Think of it as your “house rules”. It explains your business’ values in practical terms and makes it clear what is and isn’t acceptable at work, online and in any situation where someone is representing your brand.

Importantly, a Code of Conduct is not a legal contract on its own. However, when you reference it in your Employment Contract and onboarding materials, it becomes part of the standards your staff need to follow as a condition of their employment.

Why Your Small Business Needs A Code Of Conduct In Australia

As an employer, you have legal duties to provide a safe workplace and to take reasonable steps to prevent unlawful conduct (like discrimination, bullying and sexual harassment). A Code of Conduct helps you meet these obligations in a practical way.

Here’s why it matters:

• Sets clear expectations: People perform better when they know exactly what’s expected of them. The Code removes guesswork.
• Supports compliance: It points staff to key legal standards that apply in Australia (for example, safety, anti-discrimination and privacy) and shows what compliance looks like day-to-day.
• Prevents disputes: Clear, consistent standards reduce the risk of misunderstandings, complaints and unfair treatment claims.
• Backs up disciplinary action: If an issue arises, you’ll have a documented standard to refer to when taking steps under your policies and contracts.
• Reinforces your brand: The way your team behaves with customers, suppliers and online affects your reputation. Your Code protects the brand you’re building.

What To Include In A Code Of Conduct Template

Every business is different, but most Australian Codes of Conduct cover the sections below. Keep the language plain, practical and tailored to your operations.

1) Purpose, Scope And Values

Explain why the Code exists, who it applies to (employees, contractors, volunteers, interns), and the values that guide how you do business. Reference any related policies and your Staff Handbook if you use one.

2) Legal Compliance (Australia)

State that everyone must follow applicable Australian laws, including work health and safety (WHS), anti-discrimination and harassment laws, privacy, and any industry-specific rules. A Code doesn’t replace the law - it helps people follow it.

3) Respectful Behaviour, Bullying, Harassment And Discrimination

Set a zero-tolerance stance on unlawful conduct and outline expected standards of respect and inclusion. Call out sexual harassment and bullying specifically, and give examples so expectations are clear.

4) Health, Safety And Psychosocial Risks

Confirm that safety is everyone’s responsibility, including reporting hazards and following procedures. Acknowledge psychosocial hazards (like aggression, overwork or bullying) and encourage early reporting so you can act quickly.

5) Conflicts Of Interest

Explain what a conflict is (personal interests that could improperly influence work decisions), require disclosure to management, and outline how conflicts will be managed.

6) Use Of Company Property, IT And Communications

Cover appropriate use of equipment, vehicles, email, messaging tools and devices. If you have more detailed IT rules, point to your Acceptable Use Policy.

7) Confidentiality And Privacy

Require staff to protect confidential information (yours and your clients’) and comply with your Privacy Policy. Make it clear how information should be accessed, shared and stored.

8) Social Media And Public Statements

Set boundaries around public comments about your business, clients and colleagues. Distinguish between personal use and representing the company, and require approval for media statements.

9) Gifts, Benefits And Hospitality

Explain what’s acceptable, what must be declared, and when gifts should be declined to avoid conflicts or perceptions of influence.

10) Drugs, Alcohol And Fitness For Work

State expectations around being fit for duty, any testing policies, and how prescription medication should be managed if it may affect safety-sensitive roles.

11) Attendance, Timekeeping And Outside Work

Set expectations on punctuality, breaks, overtime approvals and how external employment or business interests should be disclosed if relevant to your work.

12) Reporting Concerns, Whistleblowing And Support

Explain how people can report concerns informally and formally, when anonymous reporting is available, and what protections apply. If you operate in a sector where it’s appropriate, link or refer to your dedicated Whistleblower Policy.

13) Breaches And Consequences

Outline how alleged breaches are handled (fair process), potential outcomes (education, warnings, termination for serious or repeated breaches), and that consequences will be proportionate and lawful.

14) Training, Review And Acknowledgement

Confirm that training will be provided, the Code will be reviewed regularly, and that staff must sign an acknowledgement confirming they’ve read and will comply with the Code.

Step-By-Step: How To Create And Roll Out Your Code Of Conduct

Ready to put this into action? Here’s a straightforward approach that works for most small businesses.

Step 1: Map Your Risks And Culture

Start by listing the real-world risks in your business. Do your staff travel, drive, operate machinery or handle sensitive data? Do they work with children or vulnerable people? Do you run a high-traffic retail site or manage customer complaints?

Your Code should address the situations your team actually faces. The more practical it feels, the more likely people will follow it.

Step 2: Draft A Simple, Tailored Template

Use the sections above as a scaffold, then tailor each one to your operations and tone of voice. Avoid legal jargon - your goal is clarity.

It’s a good idea to align the Code with your core documents from day one, including your Employment Contract, any Workplace Policy suite, and confidentiality arrangements such as an NDA.

Step 3: Check It Against Australian Laws

Make sure the Code supports - and doesn’t accidentally contradict - your legal obligations under Australian workplace laws, including fair process requirements and safety duties. If you’re unsure, get a quick review before rollout.

Step 4: Consult, Train And Launch

Share a draft with managers and a few team members for feedback. Brief leaders first so they can model the standards. Then launch with short, practical training that focuses on day-to-day scenarios relevant to your people.

Step 5: Embed It In Onboarding And HR

Reference the Code in your contracts and onboarding pack, and include it in your Staff Handbook. Ask new starters to sign an acknowledgement. Keep signed copies on file.

Step 6: Refresh Annually (Or When Laws Change)

Set a reminder to review the Code every year, and sooner if there are legal updates or you change how you operate (for example, moving to remote-first work or launching a new service line).

How A Code Of Conduct Connects With Other Workplace Documents

Your Code sits at the top of your culture stack - it’s the “what” and “why” of behaviour. It should then be supported by more detailed policies and contracts that provide the “how”. Common examples include:

• Employment Contract: Sets the formal terms of employment and ties staff to following your policies, including the Code.
• Workplace Policies: Expand on specific topics (e.g. equal opportunity, bullying and harassment, complaints handling, social media, leave and flexibility).
• Privacy Policy: Explains how your business collects and handles personal information and what staff must do to protect it.
• Acceptable Use Policy: Sets rules for using IT systems, devices, email and messaging platforms securely and appropriately.
• Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA): Protects confidential information in dealings with third parties, contractors or candidates.
• Whistleblower Policy: Provides a protected, often anonymous, pathway for reporting serious wrongdoing in larger or regulated organisations.

The key is consistency. If your Code promises a fair and timely process for handling complaints, your underlying policies and procedures should reflect that promise.

Keeping Your Code Current: Australian Legal Considerations

Your Code of Conduct should help you meet - and demonstrate that you’re meeting - your Australian legal obligations as an employer. Keep these areas in mind when drafting and reviewing:

Work Health And Safety (WHS)

As a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), you must provide a safe workplace. Your Code should support safe work practices, reporting of hazards and incidents, and cooperation with risk control measures. Call out safety responsibilities for managers and workers separately if it helps clarity.

Anti-Discrimination, Bullying And Harassment

Australian laws prohibit discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment. Your Code should make it clear that unlawful conduct won’t be tolerated and should include simple reporting pathways. Linking your Code with a clear complaints process under your Workplace Policy suite helps you respond consistently and fairly.

Respect At Work Reforms And Psychosocial Risks

Recent reforms emphasise positive duties to prevent workplace sexual harassment and to manage psychosocial risks. Build proactive steps into your Code: training, manager responsibilities, early intervention and accessible reporting options.

Privacy And Confidentiality

If your team handles personal information, your Code should direct staff to comply with your Privacy Policy and any data handling procedures. This is particularly important for remote or hybrid work where information can be more exposed.

Technology, Social Media And AI Use

Spell out how staff should use email, devices, messaging apps and AI tools at work. For detailed rules, point to your Acceptable Use Policy and any AI-specific policy your business adopts.

Fair Process And Discipline

Your Code should outline how concerns are raised and handled in a way that aligns with fair work principles. Make sure it doesn’t promise processes that are impractical or inconsistent with your contracts and policies.

Contractors And Third Parties

If contractors represent your brand, make sure your agreements require them to follow your Code (or equivalent standards). An NDA and clear contractor terms can help you extend your standards beyond employees.

Practical Tips For Writing A Code People Will Actually Use

• Keep it short: Aim for 4-8 pages. Link to detailed policies rather than repeating content.
• Write for your team: Use plain English, everyday examples and your business’ tone of voice.
• Be specific where it counts: General values are great, but add a few “do and don’t” examples for tricky areas like social media or gifts.
• Make reporting easy: Offer multiple reporting channels (line manager, HR/contact person, anonymous if available) and explain what happens next.
• Train managers first: Leaders set the standard. Give them simple scripts and checklists for common scenarios.
• Collect acknowledgements: Include a one-page acknowledgement form and keep records with the rest of your onboarding documents.
• Review regularly: Put a review date in the footer and check the Code when you update your Workplace Policies or handbook.

Sample Structure: Your Code Of Conduct Template (Australia)

To help you get started, here’s a simple structure you can adapt to your business:

1. Purpose And Scope
2. Our Values And Principles
3. Legal Compliance (Australia)
4. Respectful Behaviour, Bullying And Harassment
5. Health, Safety And Wellbeing
6. Conflicts Of Interest
7. Use Of Property, IT And Communications
8. Confidentiality And Privacy
9. Social Media And Public Statements
10. Gifts, Benefits And Hospitality
11. Drugs, Alcohol And Fitness For Work
12. Attendance, Timekeeping And Outside Work
13. Reporting Concerns And Whistleblowing
14. Breaches, Investigations And Consequences
15. Training, Review And Acknowledgement

Remember, a template is only useful if it reflects your reality. Tailor the sections and examples to the way your people work - in-store, on job sites, in the field or online.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• Too generic: Copy-paste policies feel irrelevant and are rarely followed. Use your scenarios and language.
• Too long: If it reads like a legal textbook, people won’t read it. Keep detail in your policy suite instead.
• Inconsistent documents: Make sure your Code and policies say the same thing about process and standards.
• “Set and forget”: Laws and ways of working evolve. Schedule regular reviews and refreshers.
• No paper trail: Always collect and store signed acknowledgements alongside contracts and onboarding records.

Key Takeaways

• A Code of Conduct sets clear behaviour standards, supports compliance and protects your brand - it’s a cornerstone document for Australian employers.
• Keep your code practical and tailored, covering respect, safety, conflicts, technology use, privacy, social media, gifts, reporting and consequences.
• Roll it out with manager training, onboarding acknowledgements and regular refreshers so it lives beyond a PDF.
• Align your Code with supporting documents like your Employment Contract, Workplace Policies, Privacy Policy and Acceptable Use Policy for consistent, enforceable standards.
• Review your Code regularly to stay aligned with Australian workplace laws, including WHS, anti-discrimination and privacy requirements.
• Getting legal input up front helps you avoid contradictions, ensure fair process and set your team up for success.

If you’d like help drafting or reviewing a Code of Conduct template for your Australian small business, you can reach us at 1800 730 617 or team@sprintlaw.com.au for a free, no-obligations chat.