Ethics

A recent working paper lays out a provocative thesis: senators pressure DOJ to pursue FCPA charges against foreign businesses that operate in their states in the run up to elections. Harvard Law Professor Matthew Stephenson doesn't buy it.  Is enforcement of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) improperly politicized? The notion that it is has gained traction in some...

We've come a long way from the move fast and break things era. But C-suite and board members of any growing corporation inevitably reach a crossroads (or many crossroads) where they must choose between scaling aggressively and scaling ethically.  We should be celebrating the empathetic entrepreneur who understands customer needs deeply and figures out the responsible way to serve them,...

Many are quick to say that improving diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) makes business sense for any company. But what does that actually look like for HR, risk and compliance professionals? In a chapter of his latest book, Intended Consequences, General Catalyst Managing Director Hemant Taneja describes three successful DEI initiatives and their positive downstream consequences.  It's common today for...

The rabbi who helped his congregants escape the hostage standoff in Texas a few days ago credited the security training he received for keeping everyone alive. When we practice something in advance, we can think more clearly when facing the real situation. We can also act more quickly. This is why military personnel, firefighters, and other first responders use most...

Demonstrators protest outside amazon investment firm Remote employee monitoring is ubiquitous — and likely here to stay. However, using monitoring indiscriminately is a dangerous strategy. This article explains why and gives actionable advice on how employee monitoring can become more equitable and sustainable.

Health-related small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Asia-Pacific region with high or medium ethics program maturity have had stronger economic performance during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to research conducted by ethics think-tank Ethisphere. The study, conducted in collaboration with professor Laura Spence at the University of London Royal Holloway, covered more than 220 firms across 18 members of the...

The New York City Public Library system recently gave compliance professionals a lot to think about. The typical compliance program follows this recipe: Identify expected behaviors Punish those who don't comply In the world of libraries, patrons are expected to return books on or before the due date. If they don't, they must pay a fine. So it was a...

The US Post Office has been in financial trouble for years. As a governmental entity, it has reacted to those difficulties like most commercial enterprises: cut staff, and ask everyone to do more with less. Fewer mail carriers means longer days. Longer days means overtime. Overtime means larger deficits. How do you curb overtime? Give pay raises only to supervisors who keep...

Simply "having" a code of conduct will not mitigate risk on its own. It requires constant upkeep, fresh training and communication and regular updates. If your code is lonely, your organization may be exposed. The story is familiar: Organizations with a code of conduct suffer an embarrassing misconduct allegation or ethical lapse. As they pick up the pieces, they’re left...

Writing as “The Ethical Leader,” Yan Tougas draws on 15 years of experience as a compliance & ethics officer at a Fortune 500 company, sharing insights, wisdom and lessons learned. This post originally appeared on “The Ethical Leader” and is reprinted here with permission. Views expressed are that of the author. Visit him at YanTougas.com, connect with him on LinkedIn...

Trauma can lead a person to suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome. Or it can trigger post-traumatic growth. Companies, being made of people, can also experience both. The pandemic has been traumatic for many companies. What was its effect on the company you work for? How has it responded to the trauma? Are you bracing for PTSD, or are you poised...

As a senior member of the Wharton School faculty, I have noticed a new pattern emerging from discussions with students in my required MBA course on law, ethics and responsibility. More of them are telling stories about quitting their last jobs (including plum positions at some of the most prestigious firms in the world) to escape toxic bosses and work...