Have you ever wondered how many of the successful businesses get caught in the public spotlight and are criticised for the lack of integrity in the organization.
Culture counts and it starts at the top with senior management or the board of directors. Organizations need to understand that ethics drive compliance and the leadership is responsible for setting the tone.
Checks and balances require care in how the organization structure is designed, how human resource decisions are made, and how overall business is conducted. Organization integrity is paramount; when difficult decisions are faced the instinct must be to default to core values.
Larger organizations often pressure smaller business for concessions they can ill afford but if they don’t concede an entire contract may be lost. This happens even if the original pricing were agreed between the parties. Where is the pride in living up to one’s word? What values are at the core of that behaviour?
Ethics are derived from values and they make integrity a way of life in the organization. Honesty, respect, and responsibility can be pillars on which to build. It is essential that these values are shared throughout the organization through practice in decision making.
The vast majority of businesses are ethical and at least have informal standards expressed through the behaviour of the CEO and senior managers. Anyone working in an organization that seems to behave in an overtly unethical way and chooses to stay or ignore the behaviour is part of the problem.
Corporate governance is used to promote business ethics and social responsibility. It also creates the framework for guidelines used by all individuals who are part of the organization.
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