2026 Code of Conduct Report - North America Edition

The culture behind the code: Turning standards into everyday cisions

The North America Edition reveals a region with comparatively mature code design and a strong employee experience—but also a gap between code quality and everyday use. Employees across Canada, Mexico, and the United States report strong access, clarity, and ease of use, while North American codes include practical decision aids, speak-up infrastructure, and broad risk coverage more often than the global benchmark.

Drawing on survey responses from 410 full-time employees in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, along with an analysis of 334 corporate codes in the North America region, this supplement explores the strengths organizations can build on, the opportunities that remain, and how code engagement varies across the three markets.

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Key findings from this year’s report include:

North America has a strong foundation: 87% of employees know how to access their code, 77% say access is straightforward and convenient, and 83% say the code is easy to understand—all above the global benchmarks.
Practical design and speak-up features stand out: Real-life scenarios appear in 46% of North American codes, decision-making models in 50%, and investigation procedures in 64%, each exceeding the global benchmark.
Strong usability has not yet translated into frequent use: 61% of North American employees have used their code as a resource, and only 21% use it often or very often outside formal training, compared with 63% and 24% globally.
Manager-led reinforcement remains an opportunity: 80% of employees say their manager follows the code, but only 56% say their manager talks about it, compared with 61% globally.
Emerging risks and market differences require tailored attention: Only 14% of analyzed North American codes explicitly address AI or technology ethics. The findings also show distinct patterns of code use, access, usability, and manager communication across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

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LRN 2026 Code of Coduct Report tablet NA

Explore the global findings

The North America Edition supplements LRN’s global 2026 Code of Conduct Report. Explore the full research for global benchmarks and practical recommendations for making the code easier to find, understand, and use throughout the year.

Read the global report