This paper presents the results of a study conducted in 2002 in the Swedish private sector. The aim of the study was to examine the commitment to business ethics of the top 100 companies operating in Sweden. Primary data was obtained via a self-administered mail questionnaire distributed to a census of the top 100 Swedish companies. This paper examines the means by which organisations attempt to communicate the ethos of their codes to employees. The study identified a range of methods used by organisations to integrate the ethos of codes into corporate culture. These methods were classified into nine key actions: (1) display and communication of the code, (2) company induction of new staff, (3) consequences for a breach of the code, (4) ethical performance as a criterion for employee appraisal, (5) the use of an ethics ombudsman, (6) formal guidelines for the support of whistleblowers, (7) a standing ethics committee, (8) ethics education, and (9) ethics education committee. Whilst many companies have instituted ethical behaviour initiatives, activities specifically targeted at exposure, education and support for staff to perform ethically were found to be underdeveloped. © 2015, Academy of Marketing Science.