Who is the arbiter or who decides what is…
Who is the arbiter or who decides what is ethical and what is not? As a general rule, what is right and what is wrong is decided by society that determines what is ethical for that culture or community. Can be decided by legal authorities such as governments and regulatory institutions that create laws and regulations that set ethical standards. Is that ethical or is that legal? Religion or religious authorities can set or decide ethical questions or what is right or and what is wrong. Professional organizations can also do that for their members. At the end of the day though, ethical decisions are decided by the individual based on their own values and beliefs. If an individual chooses to join a culture or a community or a professional organization or a religion, then this person, in order to be a part of this culture or community will need to, at least on the surface, comply with the ethical norms of that particular group. It is important to note, that an individual always has the choice to leave that particular society or culture or community or religion. So therefore the individual is the person that ultimately decides what is ethical and what is not.
— from True North (Ethics, Integrity, Truth, Values)
In the book
Not society, not the law, not even your community or religion — you can join or leave any of those. In the end, you decide, which means you own every choice. The highest aim is simply this: to become the kind of person whose word and judgment can be trusted — and, in the older language, to resemble the divine, who is kind and compassionate, by being kind and compassionate ourselves, because a person resembles his Maker through his actions. […] And learn to see the true worth in things and people that the crowd has overlooked, because the value was always there whether or not anyone was clapping. Remember that you are the final judge of your own conduct — you can walk into or out of any group, which means every ethical choice you make is finally yours to own. So don't aim at being right in the eyes of the room. — True North (Ethics, Integrity, Truth, Values)