Thinking Ethics

Buying an "ethical brand" company

There seems to have been some uproar when HSBC bought the UK Cooperative Bank. As if they were purchasing themselves a good conscience. I think it is rather normal that larger entities buy up niche players, and instead of all the hoopla about HSBC getting access to this new channel, think of the wonderful opportunity of influencing a much larger segment of business. HSBC wanted this ethical approach- or they would not have bought it. more...

Comment from the editor - got this one wrong - the uproar was about rumors that HSBC... the deal has not gone through, should have read "uproar about HSBC buying..."

Blogging about work

For many young people, who have been used to keeping online diairies so that their family and friends can keep track of their activities, going into the workforce after graduation might have some traumatic consequences - and then maybe not.

Many of these graduates do not realise that posting information about what goes on inside a company is not allowed. Many companies have not yet put policies in place about blogging at work or blogging about work. And so when the confrontation comes, it can be something of a shock. Some new employees see the company's point of view, and become more discrete in their blogs, and some believe that they are not identified by their job and that their personal lives come first. And then they get fired. But several of these "tell all" types have actually gone on to write books or become independent, and there is beginning to be a recognition that this might be a way to fame (and fortune ?). I see a culture clash coming with corporations' human resource policies and young people's expectations...  More on the subject in this article from the New York Times.

Shell sustainability report

Royal Dutch Shell has published its sustainability report, explaining its environmental and social performance in 2005. Access it here.

New sustainability report from BP

Global energy group BP has published its sustainability report for 2005 - it covers the environment and society, and BP and responsibility. Access it here.

Faith and politics

At what point does a Government minister's religious faith become an obstacle to their career? The UN Declaration on Human Rights and the European Convention both stress the right of an individual to hold and to practice their religious beliefs.  And yet, as an Italian nominee for the European Commission found last year, the fact of his Catholicism and specifically his belief that homosexuality was a sin meant that he did not get the job. A British minister, Ruth Kelly, is under similar scrutiny at the moment. She, too, is a practicing Roman Catholic and reporters have noticed her absence at various parliamentary votes on gay rights issues over the past few years. She is seeking to avoid their questions by taking refuge in the private nature of her beliefs.

Fair enough. But when those  beliefs are in conflict with government policy on equal rights the tension between private and public becomes an uncomfortable one. It is an interesting ethical dilemma to which there is no clear answer. We need people of faith in government. We also need a fair and just society. It would be as odd to discriminate against someone for their religious belief as their sexual orientation. Does the test become  public actions?

Art collecting versus theft

Following Italy's successful negotiation with the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art in February for the return of 21 antiquities, Greece has been embolden to negotiate with the J.Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.  Apparently they are quite close to an agreement that would provide for the return of some of the ancient artifacts to Greece that were illegally removed from the country against long-term loans of artwork. More in the New York Times

Human wrongs

One of the most important contributions of the New Labour government elected in 1997 was to enshrine the European Convention on Human Rights into British law. Up to that point, the concept of rights - let alone human rights - was not not one our legal system found easy to cope with. The irony was that the European Convention was actually devised by British lawyers as a contribution to the democracies emerging out of the wreckage of the Second World War. Now we find the legal system beginning to apply this new jurisprudence but not always clearly or perfectly. Afghan assylum seekers who hijacked a plane to Britain have been allowed to stay rather than be deported. Sometimes, too, the balance of freedom has  tilted towards the criminal rather than the victim. The depressing response has been a tabloid press campaign to get the Act overturned (some argue because of its protections for privacy). There are signs that the Government  is listening. And yet,  if there are any faults they lie in the interpretation rather than the Act itself. Why do we find rights so difficult? 

Ethics for the Planet

Hans Küng of the University of Tübingen in Germany, and Denis Müller of the University of Lausanne in Switzerland are trying to launch a series of principles that will work for the whole planet. This is not meant to be a new ideology nor a new religion, but rather a fundamental consensus on the imperative values, irrevocable criteria and essential expectations of individuals. They have formulated 4 main principles:

Commitment to a culture of non-violence and respect of life - no killing, no torturing, no harming, no discrimination, no youth violence.

Commitment to a culture of solidarity with others and a fair economic order - no stealing, no management with disregard to the environment.

Commitment to a culture of tolerance and truth - no lying, be of good faith.

Commitment to a culture of rights equality and partnership between sexes - no sexual exploitation or dependence.

New EU rules on whistleblowing

Bjorn Rohde-Liebenau of RCC Risk Communication Concepts sent in this information

A study on "Whistleblowing Rules: Best Practice; Assessment and Revision of Rules Existing in EU Institutions" has been presented to the European Parliament last week by its authors RCC Risk Communication Concepts,

Hamburg

.

The study consists of a 50 pages English language main body, plus summaries also in French and German several charts and Annexes, including a benchmarking.  The importance and meaning of Whistleblowings is explained from its context. A best practice and requirements for EU improvements are derived from international precedence as well as the good management experience (risk and quality management).

Apart from the sometimes urgently needed improvements on rules and practices, the study suggests measures to improve the internal risk dialogue and for an integrated ethics management, which would enable the EU to reach standards of international best practice and international conventions. The study also addresses the situation in

Germany

as well as in other European member states. Apart form the

UK

, whose Public Interest Disclosure Act defines best legal practice, most Member States provide a certain level of encouragement to whistleblowers, usually even a duty to report on some issues. In practice this is outweighed by exception and restrictions to disclosures, as well as the fact that whistleblower protection tends to be practically irrelevant – e.g. for reasons of the burden of proof.  More...

Unhappiness with executive compensation

Unhappiness with executive compensation is not restricted to the private sector. A congressional committee has cut $ 15 million out of the Smithsonian's 2007 budget because of unhappiness with the management. This has happened due to two factors: the level of compensation - the committee believes no one should earn more than the US president (US $ 400'000 per year), and the Smithsonian has 6 people who earn more than the president, 22 who earn more than the Vice-president ($ 212'000) and 28 who earn more than a Cabinet secretary. The Smithsonian Secretary, Mr. Lawrence Small, had a base salary of $ 574'000 in 2005. What with bonus and housing allowance, that should put him upwards of $ 810'000. The Committee also objected to  a deal with Showtime Network that would limit access to the institution by competitor film crews. More in the Washington Post.