In strategic communication management, an ethical culture is built and sustained primarily through clarity, consistency, and shared understanding of organizational values. Option A is correct because consistent, clear messages about values form the foundation of ethical behavior across the organization. Ethics programs are most effective when they help employees understand not just what rules exist, butwhyethical behavior matters and how it aligns with the organization’s purpose and identity.

Values-based communication provides guidance in situations where rules alone may be insufficient or ambiguous. Employees frequently face complex decisions that cannot be resolved simply by referring to laws or policies. Strategic communication management emphasizes that values act as decision-making anchors, helping employees apply judgment in real-world situations. Clear and repeated messaging ensures these values are understood, internalized, and reinforced over time.

The other options are incomplete or misdirected. While awareness of laws is important, linking ethics programs primarily to criminal statutes promotes a compliance mindset rather than an ethical one. Compliance focuses on avoiding punishment; ethics focuses on doing the right thing. Punishments and rewards can support accountability, but on their own they do not create an ethical culture and may encourage behavior driven by fear or incentives rather than integrity. Referencing consultants is irrelevant to employee behavior and ethical reinforcement.

Strategic communication management recognizes that culture is shaped by what leaders say, what they repeat, and what they model. Ethics programs that consistently communicate values—through leadership messaging, training, storytelling, and daily practices—embed ethics into the organization’s fabric rather than treating it as a checklist.

By prioritizing clear, consistent messaging about values, organizations foster trust, accountability, and ethical decision-making, creating a culture where employees are empowered to act responsibly even in the absence of formal rules.