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STOP! ONLY READ THE REST OF THE TEXT IF YOU HAVE FIRST READ THE ORIGINAL ETHICAL DILEMMA ARTICLE—TO READ IT CLICK HERE
The real life director of this international aid organisation who faced this ethical dilemma actually had only thirty second to make up his mind.
Faced with the difficult choice the director looked at the organisations core aims, mission and what was its purpose. He concluded the core purpose was to rescue children in danger and despite his severe reservation agreed to co-operate with the arms manufacturer.
However, he then wrote to all the stakeholders in the charity, including the staff, people who had made financial covenants to it and other supporters. He explained in a letter and e-mail the choice he had been faced with and why he had made the decision that he did. He said that he welcomed people’s comments and that if a substantial number of people disagreed with his actions he would resign.
Many people wrote say what an awful choice he had faced and how they would have hated to been in his position and urged him to remain at his post, which he did.
[Case study supplied by Professor Palmer of Cass Business School]
“In no area of corporate life is leadership commitment more important than creating an integrity culture.”
Ben Heinman in: Avoiding Integrity Land Mines, Harvard Business Review, 2007/04
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