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Are socially responsible companies ethical only some of the time?
My son, Reuben, tried to change his approach from one day to the next.
Most of the time, Reuben is unassuming and sweet, if a little cheeky.
One day, Reuben is asked to be aggressive and loud for a karate tournament. However, he’s too overwhelmed to be the karate master you see in the movies.
Instead, Reuben lies down on his back, reaching his moves up into the sky. Reuben’s form looks like a little boy reaching for the clouds more than a ninja defending himself . . . because that’s what it is.
Daddy’s sweet ninja; his approach to the world remains consistent.
Socially responsible organizations maintain their character as strongly as Reuben. Such organizations provide more transparent and reliable financial information, their leadership conducts less insider trading, and their employees collaborate in less bribery, kickbacks, and discrimination. Delivering social responsibility comes with a culture valuing ethics more broadly than presented in ‘CSR’ (corporate social responsibility) reports. And the benefits to investors and society are many, as a result.
So, as you plan how you will deliver more meaningful profit, ask, “Are you developing the core values that will support responsible-decision making?” Business strategy focuses socially responsible efforts where a company wants to proactively make the greatest impact on society, yet an ethical culture is required to fill in gaps in the plan.
Becoming a socially responsible organization requires new insights, tools, and strategies that shift your complex systems. Yet choosing a human, socially responsible, approach helps you see the value in solving the social problems that surround you. And you find more opportunities to leave yourself, as well as those around you, better off.
When your own results dip, how difficult is it to resist the temptation to fudge results? How would a consistently socially responsible business approach impact that temptation?
When was the last time you spent a full day focused primarily on the people around you? Share your thoughts in the comments or by sending me an email: info@RodWallacePhD.Com.
Our society cannot just survive. For the sake of our children, it must thrive.
Rod
Dr. Rod Wallace is an economist, consultant, and speaker who helps businesses make more money by solving society’s problems. A Fulbright Fellow, he has led multi-organization billion-dollar initiatives worldwide and partnered with a Silicon Valley pioneer to explore the impact of Artificial Intelligence on society.
Rod speaks about how to integrate social responsibility into business to maximize profit and purpose. He highlights digital technology’s impact on society and the strategies and tools with which business can solve our big, systemic problems.
Contact Rod at info@RodWallacePhD.com.