International Cricket Council chief executive Malcolm Speed has admitted that umpires and referees were inconsistent in applying the new Code of Conduct for players.
In the ICC's annual report, Speed said the ICC had sought to make the Code of Conduct clearer, tougher and fairer, and had explained it in detail to the players, coaches and other officials.
"In the course of the year, I have not been entirely happy with its implementation by the umpires and referees," he said.
"This is an area where we are continuing to work with them as a consistent approach is essential to earning respect for both the Code and the officials.
"It is important that cricket fans throughout the world know that the highest standards of player behaviour will be applied and that these will be enforced by the umpires in the first instance and by the referees who will act as the adjudicators."
Speed said the ICC is also continuously working with its elite panel of umpires to improve the general standards of umpiring.
"Again, this is an area where there is no short-term solution. It requires further work and refinement and new assessment and feedback processes will help identify areas for improvement," he said.
Speed also announced the setting up of an Audit Committee to replace the previous Finance and Marketing Committee.
"This is in accordance with best practice in corporate governance and it is a very important committee for ICC. The functions previously performed by the Finance and Marketing Committee will now be performed by senior managers in the ICC team.
"The appointment of Alan Gillett as Internal Auditor adds further strength to the ICC in this area," he said.
Speed expressed the hope that in the next one year, the ICC would become a unified organisation in charge of both men's and women's cricket.
"In the course of the year, we have had a number of meetings with the International Women's Cricket Council with a view to a merged structure being put in place in the near future.
"Over the next 12 months, this issue will be resolved and I am very hopeful that we will see ICC being representative of both male and female cricketers at all levels in all countries."
Speed also thanked outgoing ICC president Malcolm Gray "for his wise counsel, leadership and dedication to the great game of cricket in a career as an honorary administrator that has spanned 30 years".
