The ethical principles can be divided into three categories: personal, professional and global.

Principles of Personal Ethics include:

• Concern for the well-being of others
  
• Respect for the autonomy of others
  
• Trustworthiness and honesty
  
• Willing compliance with the law
  
• Basic justice; being fare
  
• Refusing to take unfair advantage
  
• Benevolence: doing good
  
• Preventing harm
  

Principles of Professional Ethics:

• Impartiality; objectivity
  
• Openness; full disclosure
  
• Confidentiality
  
• Due diligence
  
• Fidelity to professional responsibilities
  
• Avoiding potential or apparent conflict of interest
  

Principles of Global Ethics:

• Global justice (as reflected in international laws)
  
• Social responsibility
  
• Environmental responsibility
  
• Interdependence and responsibility for the "whole"
  

Principles can only provide guidance. There are a number of situations that will never lend themselves to an easy formula.
Then things become complicated by the cultural element. For example all cultures value trustworthiness; but they may have different views on truthtelling. This is illustrated by Eastern vs. Western preferred values for harmony vs. forthrightness. An Asian being polite to maintain friendly relations may be perceived by an American as deceitful, although that is not the case.
Many of us apply these principles only within set boundaries, such as next-of- kin, countrymen, race, gender, etc.
These interpretative variations cause many people to conclude that there are no universal standards for ethics. This is a dangerous conclusion that relieves us of any responsibility other than what we choose in our own interests.