The 10 Principles for Positive Business Ethics

This morning, I read about a company that uses online auctions to defraud customers. Last week, I consulted on an ethics complaint where a business coach betrayed a client's confidentiality. And recently a doctor was convicted of insider trading based on information from a patient, a violation of both business ethics and professional ethics.

Business ethics are the key to profits. If customers and clients do not trust, and your business ethics, will not do business with you. Want to buy from a company that did not trust? Of course not!

Business ethics has become a hot-button issue. There are often ethical conflicts between making money and doing what is right. There can be dilemmas about doing what is best for your employer, what is best for your career, and what is best for the client. Business ethics is about negotiating these mine fields. Here are my Top 10 Principles for Positive Business Ethics:

1. Business Ethics is built on personal ethics. There is no real separation between what is right in business and playing fair, telling the truth and being ethical in your personal life.

2. Business Ethics are based on fairness. It would be a dis-interested observer agree that both parties are treated fairly? Both sides are negotiating in good faith? Makes every transaction take place in a "level playing field"? If so, the fundamental principles of ethics have been achieved.

3. Business Ethics Require integrity. Integrity refers to the whole-ness, reliability and consistency. The ethical businesses treat people with respect, honesty and integrity. They back up their promises, and keep their commitments.

4. Business Ethics require telling the truth. The days when a company can sell a defective product and hide behind the "buyer beware" defense are long gone. You can sell products or services that have limitations, defects or are out of date, but not as first class, new merchandise. Truth in advertising is not only the law, business ethics require it.

5. Business Ethics require reliability. If your company is new, unstable, about to be sold, or go out of business, ethics requires that you let clients and customers know it. The ethical companies can be relied upon to be available to solve problems, answer questions and provide support.

6. Business Ethics require a Business Plan. Company's ethics are based on self-image and his vision of the future and its role in the community. Business ethics do not happen in a vacuum. Lighter on the company's plan for growth, stability, profits and service, the stronger its commitment to ethical business practices.

7. Business Ethics applied internally and externally. The ethical businesses treat both customers and employees with respect and fairness. Ethics is one of respect in the conference room, negotiating in good faith, keep your promises and obligations of employers, employees, suppliers and customers. The field of application is universal.

8. Business Ethics require a profit. The ethical companies are well managed, well-managed, have effective internal controls, and growth expectations clear. Ethics is about how we live in the present to prepare for the future, and a business without profits (or plan to create them) does not comply with his ethical obligations to prepare for the future welfare of the company, its employees and customers.

9. Business Ethics are values-based. The law, and professional organizations, must produce written rules that are inflexible and universal. While one can speak of "ethics", these documents are usually prescriptive and refer to minimum standards. Ethics are about values, ideals and aspirations. The ethical companies do not always live up to their ideals, but their intent is clear.

10. Business Ethics come from Boss. Leadership sets the tone, in every area of ​​business. Ethics is both fundamental to the way a society works, or not. Executives and managers or open the road, or to communicate that cutting corners, deception and dis-respect are acceptable. Staff line will always rise, or sink to the level of performance they see modeled above them. Business ethics starts at the top.

Ethics is the quality of our lives, the quality of our service and, finally, about the bottom line. A dissatisfied customer complains to an average of 16 people. Treat employees, customers, suppliers and the public in an ethical, fair and open not only the right thing in the long run, is the only way to stay in business .......