The Springfield Business Journal has an interesting opinion piece about cheating that is worth a peek. Titled, “Cheating in Business Starts in Classrooms,” the op-ed attempts to address the question of whether “business ethics education is succeeding.” Take the time to read it through and then ask yourself the following questions:

1. What role do organized sports have in teaching ethics?
2. What about parents — do they have a role to play in teaching their children about ethics and accordingly holding them accountable?

While I think the author makes some great points, I think it is a mistake to not mention the role parents must play in guiding their children through the ethical framework process. In a similar manner, I have noticed that individuals that choose to cheat in sports will typically cheat off the field as well. Athletes unwilling to compromise their integrity by cheating in a game are far less likely to cheat in life and business. The opposite is likely the case for their teammates whom are willing to cut a few corners.

If during their most impressionable years kids are bombarded with substandard role models at home, and certainly in professional sports, how can we expect them to suddenly become pillars of ethical conviction when they enter business school? Indeed, “it is difficult to teach someone to be ethical,” especially when you are attempting to do so after years of contrary instruction and guidance.

TAGS: ethics | cheating | role model | conviction | integrity | honesty | business school

It looks as though the authors have been posting for several months though I just learned of the blog through a recent press release. The content is excellent and should be a daily or weekly must-read for anyone interested in sustainability or CSR issues: The Triple Bottom Line Blog. From the release:

“TBL Blog will keep CSR managers and sustainability professionals up-to-date on current issues, provide analysis and advice, highlight practical resources, and encourage a dynamic conversation about the challenges and opportunities of sustainability.”

TAGS: TBL | triple bottom line | sustainability | social responsibility | CSR

As consumers, how we exercise our choice through spending money has a significant impact on the future decisions made by the companies we support. If we choose to give money to Company A for Product X, we are essentially communicating that Product X and Company A are filling a need for us, and in a manner that we find acceptable given the cost of Product X. In other words, you are not just buying that T-shirt for $15, you are casting a vote, supporting a company, and supporting an industry. This, of course, should not be news to anyone, nor is it a complex or unique perspective.

I tend to forget the above, and I imagine most other consumers do as well, any time I am just a bit too caught up in the weekly hem and haw of life. Sometimes, after a long day, I forget to scrutinize the label of a food package — I really just want to fork over some money, get home, and take my shoes off for a minute. So if it is quite easy for me as a consumer to slip every once in a while – was that coffee organic and Fair Trade, or just organic? – I imagine the rest of the consuming public is just as susceptible to wavering in their product scrutiny, if they are even inclined to dig deeper in the first place.

…On to some good news…

I found an interesting release via CSRWire this morning, which gave me a little bit of comfort that I might not have to be so fastidious when I shop someday. Wouldn’t it be nice if the majority of products (or all, if we can really dream) were produced in the most ethical, humane, and responsible manner and the only thought you have to give one product vs. another is whether you like its color?

The release, from REI – a company I wish I had more opportunity to support (…just how much camping and recreational gear can I reasonably fit in our house?) – notes that the company will be using a new label to identify products it sells that are “eco-sensitive.” What exactly does the label signify? Here’s a clip from REI’s site:

“As a company, industry and society, we are recognizing the need to tackle the challenges of ’sustainable’ products. From materials to production processes to transportation, there is a lot to do, but we believe that through innovation and creativity it is possible to design affordable outdoor gear and apparel that delivers quality, functionality, great style and better environmental performance.

“REI’s eco-sensitive program is a first step. By identifying better materials and offering a description of the benefits (and drawbacks) of these fabrics we hope to help consumers make informed choices and become more educated on the issues of ‘green’ products. We have started with an emphasis on fabrics with a high percentage of renewable, recycled and/or organic fibers.”

“Neat, but why is that a big deal,” you might think. I think it is important because it is a step in the right direction. I am just as big of a proponent of education initiatives, as I am of companies offering greater socially responsible options to its customers. It appears that REI will manage to provide its consumers with both. Rather than just stashing some brochures on the wall, or including a few green products in their mix, they are making a push to notify and educate their patrons and also provide them with more socially responsible consumption choices.

While I think it is great when a retailer offers something like Fair Trade coffee along side regular coffee, I rarely see the retailer take the next step and educate the people that scamper by the product. (I see this at Costco quite a bit — there are a number of Fair Trade and organic products available, priced quite well, but little to no information provided as to what those designations mean. To the consumer, if they are unaware and do not take the time to read the package, the products are simply another choice, and often just a few cents more expensive.)

I’ll try to visit a few REI locations over the next few months to see what I think in person, but from a concept standpoint, I think the idea is quite positive.

TAGS: REI | green | sustainability | CSR | social responsibility | eco-sensitive

I was browsing through the news this morning and noticed a somewhat catchy article title: If Good Ethics is Good Business, What’s the Problem? …nothing groundbreaking implied, but still an interesting topic in my book. So I clicked through and started to read. Just two sentences deep, and I was already questioning my decision — did the author just imply that Fortune 500 companies and tanning salons as having similar ethical issues? (Evidently, they do, but it was still a rather odd correlation to hear without having expected it.)

Despite my misgivings, I continued to read, and am very glad that I did. The article, written  by Frank C. Bucaro for a magazine called Looking Fit, is actually a very good overview of why business ethics are important for companies of all sizes, not just the massive ones. Bucaro touches on ethical dilemmas, code of ethics, maintaining proper ethics trainings, and promoting ethical behavior by acknowledging and praising it when it occurs. Again, nothing groundbreaking, but well thought out and well put. If you have a minute or two, and can read while in your tanning booth, I recommend checking it out.

Research and Markets yesterday released a new book called Ethics, Psyche and Social Responsibility. The book explores the employer/employee dynamic and how elements such as the company’s social responsibility impacts that relationship. From the release:

“This important book considers the psychological aspects of organizational life, particularly in the context of firms’ ethical behaviour and its implications for corporate social responsibility. The authors consider the effects of corporate activity and change on individuals, not just in their working lives, but also in their family and social lives. They address a diverse number of topics from a variety of theoretical standpoints in an ongoing attempt to redress this neglected field of research.”

The topic certainly sounds interesting, though I have not had a chance to read or otherwise preview the text. At roughly $99 for the hard cover, I think graduate school courses may be the book’s primary market.

TAGS: CSR | Social Responsibility | HR | Psychology | Organizational Behavior | Retention