Ethical Business for Micro Enterprise

Today I want to share my thoughts on business ethics.  From the financial crises to fracking & global warming,  a moral dilemma confronts corporations.   In the case of the financial crises, it seems there were failures all round. Individuals, organizations and economics, conspired to a moral dilemma, that led to unethical behaviour, not regulated by law, or compliance.  The same is true for micro business.

My Professional Ethics
Belonging to professional associations, imposes some rules of engagement, in my business dealings but still gives raise to potential conflict of interest. For example, in the delivery of some consulting work, I was engaged by an organization, with clear ulterior motives. I could not betray the trust of those on whose behalf I was working (moral dilemma 1) but did not want to be party to an agenda that was not in the best interest of the client (dilemma 2). In the end, I made the decision to navigate the situation, mindful of both commitments, by modifying my behaviour and method of delivery. The point is, ethics is personal to the individual. It is a leaning for, or away from personal morals and making a conscience decision, to comply with ethics of business.

The Ethics of the International Development Industry
The international development sector is an industry, complete with standards of engagement, such as equality and diversity.  Sadly, glaringly, it is unable to live up to the standards, it professes. Overt racism is rife, leading to an industry that is almost without exception ‘white,’ despite the industry addressing ethnically sensitive issues. There is still a huge gap between theory and practice.

Having examined the state of my industry, my ability to effect change and raise the standards of practice, I:
1.   Started Enterprising Female, which I hope to be able to export abroad
2.   Manage responsibly, for example, reach out to existing organizations that can bring value to micro business women, even if they are competitors.
3.   Give value for money, with a central theme to support, rather than profit.
4.   Gain deeper insight into sustainability and responsibility to embed more fully, into personal practice.

As a micropreneur, are you ethically aware when you do business​?  Do you make professional decisions based on ethics?  Let me have your thoughts.

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