Avoiding Unfair Conduct

One of the problems with interpreting the concepts of fairness and justice is that so many factors can go into the notion of a fair judgment. There is rarely one single result dictated by ethical analysis. Consequently, we often do not know what is truly fair. We do, however, often know what is unfair, and our first obligation is to …

Using the Six Pillars of Character to Get More From Your Organization

Michael Josephson explains how the Six Pillars of Character relate to everyday business operations and how they can be used to get more out of your organization.  Almost all companies are in what we call a compliance mode after the creation of rules and statutes like Sarbanes-Oxley. Compliance is the concept of rules and industry regulations creating the “laws” of …

Including the Six Pillars of Character in Your Company’s Ethics Code

An ethical code of conduct must arise naturally from the company’s stated values and should provide detailed guidance for handling ethical challenges.  General principles without specific provisions risk being perceived by employees as just window dressing and may breed cynicism rather than commitment. Though provisions must be specific and clear, an ethics code should cover a lot of ground.  The …