We must eat, breathe and sleep ethics

Bradwell Mhonderwa Business Ethics
The prevalence of unethical business practices in the country points to the fact that our collective effort to curtail such behaviours is still very low, piecemeal and too marginal. Ethics continue to receive lip service in the economy at a time when it is clear to all and sundry that besides sanctions, unethical business practices are a major contributor to the present state of the economy.

Globally, institutional reform anchored on good governance and ethical business practices has become a key driver for business success and overall economic performance.
There is need to leverage processes that nip corruption and other forms of unethical business practices in the bud.

The cost of these vices to society is huge. In 2004 when the world economy was about US$30 trillion, the World Bank estimated the cost of corruption at US$1 trillion per annum worldwide.

This amount reveals not only the levels of loss, but also the significant gains from committed efforts against corruption.
In an effort to curtail corruption and other malpractices, we must not only seek to identify the culprits and punish them, but we should also search deeper to identify the underlying causes of the scourge.

We need to become more pragmatic in dealing with misdemeanours endemic in the economy. Taking such a stance will help to make us different and better, giving us a competitive edge over our competitors.

The stance will strengthen the pan-African brand we have built over time, affording the nation an impact on the global marketplace.
Yes, in order to improve our standing in the eyes of our key stakeholders, we must seek to undo the unethical practices that have soiled us over the years.

While addressing a pre-Budget consultative meeting recently Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa said: “We need to work towards changing the negative perception the international community has about our country.”

Indeed the international community is hostile to us at the moment, and ethical practices will help to restore our image even allowing the country to secure cheaper funds than is the case at the moment where we are charged interest that is 7 percent more than what other countries are charged by international financiers.

This means we should start asking ourselves tough questions. Are the existing misdemeanours symptomatic of larger issues in the economy, and if so, what are these issues?

Are we lacking in systems and processes that should guide the people towards ethical behaviour? Do our leaders model ethical behaviour, and do they routinely discuss ethical issues with the people?

Do people feel confident enough to speak out about ethical concerns without fear of retaliation?
Indeed, we have become accustomed to situations where people remain quiet when they witness corruption because of fear of victimisation.

People don’t want to “rock the boat” and they lack the courage to speak out. They are terrified to the bone.
We have allowed ourselves to regress into a mode of justifying unethical practices as a means to ensure “survival”.

We have sought to entrench the bread first, ethics later mantra. We seem not to bother about sinking deeper into corruption when others are making concerted efforts to rid themselves of the scourge.

We are choosing to live with immoral business practices at a time when others have moved to institutional processes branded on impactful second generation ethical business practices.

But, isn’t it obvious that an unchecked wrong simply precipitates one’s downfall? Look at Enron, Worldcom and Parmalet in the West, and look at Interfin and Renaissance banks in our own backyard.

Look at the current state of most parastatals and State enterprises. Truly, there can be no trade-off between ethics and performance.
The two are mutual, and something done unethically simply undermines our ability to perform better.

We must drive home the principle that the only way to operate sustainably is when we conduct business ethically.
The new economic order in the country demands us to adopt interventions that will effectively manage unethical business practices.

It demands that we collectively to work towards creating an environment that encourages the people to speak out about the wrong they witness and one that makes them feel safe to do so.

People who raise ethical concerns must never be ostracised, they must feel free to question what happens around them.
The nation should create an environment that encourages people to talk frankly about the tough issues gripping the economy.
Our leaders be it in business, politics, religion, academic circles, must sit down with the people and discuss these issues.

They should help people grow ethical understanding and allow openness and candour to guide such conversations.
Problems are unearthed and solved when we engage each other than when we create tension and needless suspicions amongst ourselves.

We must engage each other by openly discussing how costly our past mistakes, including constraints imposed from outside such as sanctions, have contributed to the current state of affairs.

We should speak frankly about these things so that every citizen is in the end inspired to actively participate in nation building.
Martin Luther King Jnr once said: “Our lives begin to end the day we decide to be silent about things that matter.”

Indeed, there are things we cannot continue to sweep under the carpet and pretend all is well.
Certainly as nations grow, they make mistakes and the answer is not in denying those mistakes but in acknowledging them and viewing such errors as providing opportunities to do better in future. We should all be aware of our obligation to contribute towards national regeneration and development because failing to do so will result in future generations judging us harshly.

The nation has to get everyone involved in taking responsibility for ethical practices in the country.
Organisations must teach ethics, and leaders must exemplify ethical behaviour. Yes, this is what we must do because ethics is everybody’s responsibility.
We need to push ourselves off the edge and embrace ethical business practices. We must turn our mistakes into opportunities and root out the wrong in our way of doing things.

Ethics must form part of every individual’s work schedule, and ethics must become the new frontier for competitive advantage for companies.