"Profit vs Ethics: A Critical Examination"

Every Principle Needs a Practice. Every Vision Needs an Interface. It’s easy to talk about ethics. Harder to design for it. Even harder to make it scale. We exist in that tension, where philosophy meets the market, and where human psychology becomes a framework for growth. Every day, technology evolves faster than our collective wisdom. Systems get smarter, but not necessarily more humane. And Brandmind translates that science into motion: through design, communication, and behavior systems that ensure ethics doesn’t stay trapped in theory. Because ethics without application is just philosophy. And psychology without structure is just potential energy. We help organizations operationalize both turning integrity into measurable design choices, and human understanding into brand strategy that scales responsibly. We believe maturity is not a mindset, it’s a method. A method that shapes how teams communicate, how brands express purpose, and how organizations earn trust in a noisy world. This is where ethics becomes execution. Where psychological depth becomes leadership. Where meaning drives measurable outcomes. Because in the next era of intelligence, the real advantage belongs to brands that choose to grow consciously.

Global Ethics Day 2025 reminds us that ethics isn’t a slogan, it’s a system. Year after year, data backs up that this system works: ethical companies consistently outperform their peers. The 2025 Ethisphere “Ethics Premium” shows a 7.8% advantage over five years - a clear sign that integrity is a differentiator, even in volatile markets. The engine behind that outperformance is culture. Not the posters on the wall, but the daily choices, feedback loops, and safe reporting channels that show people what “doing right” looks like in practice. An ethical culture doesn’t appear on its own. It’s built through:  - Psychological safety: people must believe they can raise concerns without risk - Clear processes: employees need to know how to report and what happens next - Visible follow-up: closing the loop proves that speaking up leads to action   On this #GlobalEthicsDay, reflect on how your organization turns principles into practice, and how you measure it: https://lnkd.in/gPpa92ia

Morals guide the person; ethics guide the people. When a company’s ethics aren’t clear, conflict isn’t far behind. Let me explain. Ethics are shared; morals are our internal compasses. A company’s ethic isn’t about individual morals, it’s the shared commitments that guide its actions. Consensus is rarely perfect; it’s usually a negotiated agreement. And those commitments are shaped by outside forces, law, culture, economics, that create allowances and tensions. But when a company’s ethics aren’t clear or consistent, dissension and frustration are never far behind.

🌍 Ethics Re-envisioned: Integrity as the Ultimate Competitive Advantage Yesterday marked Global Ethics Day 2025, an initiative by the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs that encourages us to “re-envision ethics” in a rapidly changing world. At IMA | Institute of Management Accountants, we’ve long recognized that ethics is not just an annual conversation — it’s the foundation of sustainable business and trusted leadership. In my latest article for CFO, I explore how ethical leadership isn’t just about doing the right thing — it’s about doing the smart thing. When ethics becomes embedded in strategy, governance, and culture, it transforms into a true strategic differentiator — strengthening brand reputation, enhancing decision-making, attracting top talent, fueling innovation, and ensuring long-term business sustainability. Ethical risks are business risks. But ethical leadership can be a powerful enabler of performance and trust. As CFOs and business leaders, we can — and must — serve as beacons of integrity by shining light on blind spots, fostering a speak-up culture, and leading with both purpose and accountability. #GlobalEthicsDay #EthicsReenvisioned #Leadership #CFO #EthicalLeadership #Integrity #Governance #PurposeAndPerformance

How does ethics impact strategy? That's the question of the week in my business strategy class. I think that most people recognize right from wrong, and that future business leaders can explore cases like Theranos or Enron and immediately understand how ethical lapses (or fading) can take an organization down a dark path. So what? It's easy to analyze such scenarios from an external perspective. It's not so easy to answer the other questions that emerge from studying those cases. What would you do if you were caught up in an ethical Kobayashi Maru? How would you respond if you were told to lie about the status of a project? And, more importantly, what steps can you take to create an ethical culture? Ethics and norms should underpin the foundation of organizational culture. With them firmly in place, there isn't much that cannot be accomplished, and the organization will be resilient in the face of a storm. If they're lacking - or absent - the foundation will eventually crack, crumble, and fail, and the organization will go down with it. There's a quote in this 2020 article from The Ethics Centre that always stood out to me: "Misalignment between the espoused purpose, values and principles of an organisation and the real-time decisions being made each day can increase reputational and conduct risk leading to an erosion of trust, disengagement and poor customer outcomes." When the proverbial sh*t hits the fan, that alignment makes all the difference in the world. https://lnkd.in/e-jEnjeV

Ethical decision-making in business is guided by several key frameworks, each offering a unique lens for evaluating actions. Three major ethical frameworks—Utilitarianism, Deontology, and Virtue Ethics—provide valuable insights for business leaders facing complex decisions. Utilitarianism focuses on consequences, aiming to maximize overall happiness or benefit for the greatest number of people. It promotes welfare and cost-benefit analysis, often guiding decisions like choosing suppliers based on the lowest total social cost. However, it may sometimes overlook individual rights. Deontology emphasizes duties and rules, asserting that some actions are morally required regardless of outcomes. It fosters fairness, consistency, and trust in business practices. For example, adhering strictly to truthful advertising, even if it means losing profits, aligns with deontological ethics. This approach can appear rigid, sometimes ignoring situational context. Virtue Ethics centers on the character of the decision-maker, promoting virtues such as honesty, courage, and compassion. It encourages companies to cultivate ethical cultures by rewarding leaders who exemplify integrity and empathy. While powerful in shaping organizational values, it can be subjective and less prescriptive than other frameworks. In practice: - Utilitarianism asks, “What action produces the best overall outcome?” - Deontology asks, “What is my duty in this situation?” - Virtue Ethics asks, “What would a virtuous person do here?” For businesses, considering all three frameworks helps navigate ethical dilemmas more holistically, fostering responsible, trustworthy, and effective leadership. Explore these frameworks to build ethical decision-making skills vital for today’s business challenges. https://lnkd.in/gZs6YE5C https://lnkd.in/gVy987RT https://lnkd.in/gqPuaF7G https://lnkd.in/gnQZaTXK

Ethical Transformation: From Compliance to Culture In the AI era, ethics can no longer live in policy documents or mission statements. True ethical transformation happens when values move from compliance checklists into the daily behaviors and decisions of people. 1. From Obligation to Ownership Ethics should not be something organizations do because they must, but because they believe it drives long-term trust and value. The CDO plays a key role in turning ethical responsibility into cultural DNA. 2. Culture as the New Governance When integrity becomes a shared mindset, governance evolves naturally. Teams make ethical decisions not out of fear of oversight but from a sense of purpose. 3. Empowering Ethical Leadership Ethical behavior starts at the top. Leaders who model transparency and fairness shape the standard for the entire organization. 4. Measuring the Ethical Pulse Culture is measurable. Tracking transparency, inclusivity, and trust helps organizations assess how deeply ethics are embedded in daily operations. Key Insight: Ethical transformation is not enforced; it is inspired. It starts when people act ethically not because they are told to, but because they choose to. #EthicalTransformation #AILeadership #ResponsibleAI #DigitalLeadership #TechGovernance #AIandBusiness #CorporateCulture #MeshrefEmam

When the Stakes are High: Navigating Ethics and Professionalism in Public Health In the public health and development sector, ethics isn't just a guideline—it's the backbone of every decision. Imagine a world where professionalism was optional. Where the ethical high ground wasn’t just expected, but optional. Spoiler alert: Our sector wouldn't function. Let's dive into a case study from a development project in East Africa. As a project leader, my team faced a dilemma: accept a partnership with a corporation known for questionable ethics in another region. The budget was tight, and this partnership offered financial relief. But was it worth compromising our values? After thorough discussions, we aligned our actions with our professional ethos—and declined the offer. This decision wasn’t easy. But we knew that short-term gains couldn’t justify a long-term ethical compromise. Here are two lessons that can guide any professional setting: 1. Principles Over Pressure: - When under pressure, it's tempting to sidestep standards for immediate solution. - Take a step back. - First, outline your core values. - Second, assess if your choice aligns with those. - If not, rethink. 2. Create a Culture of Integrity: - Start within your team. - Encourage open dialogue about decisions and actions. - Acknowledge when something doesn’t feel right. - Commit to consistent transparency. Now, how do you embed these insights into daily practice? • Host regular team meetings focused solely on discussing ethical dilemmas. • Conduct workshops on evaluating hypothetical scenarios to equip teams for real-world decisions. • Lead by example in honesty, fairness, and responsibility—every single day. Remember, your integrity in the professional world is your currency.

I only recently learned there’s a Global Ethics Day, yet I don’t think I’ve gone a single day in the last 15 years without asking myself a simple, disruptive question: What’s the right thing to do? 🌍🧭🤔 That question has taken me through places, emotions, conversations, and tough trade-offs. Ethics can feel abstract, but it’s the one lens that makes life meaningful — without it, we can’t judge values and nothing really matters. 💭✨ The “golden rule” — Treat others the way you want to be treated — is a helpful starting point, but the deeper work is an inner journey. Exploring morality can be a practice, even a way of living. 🤝🧠🌱 In business this matters more than ever. Markets and formal institutions alone don’t reliably solve today’s problems. What tips the balance is professionals who feel responsible for the rightness of their actions — even when outcomes are uncertain. Paying attention to ethics is like carrying a lantern through a dark night: it doesn’t remove the darkness, but it changes the path you choose and how you feel while walking it. 🏢⚖️🕯️🌌 If you want a structured, accessible entry point to moral reasoning, I recommend Harvard’s Justice course with Michael Sandel — the full lectures are freely available here: https://lnkd.in/eT6Bxeuq . It walks through real dilemmas (utilitarian trade-offs, rights, markets & morals) and sharpens the habits of questioning you can apply to everyday life and business decisions. 🎓▶️📚 Finally, Global Ethics Day is a reminder to “re-envision” ethics together — in companies, classrooms, and communities. A good day to pause, ask better questions, and recommit to acting with integrity. 🤝🧭✅ #GlobalEthicsDay #Ethics #BusinessEthics #Integrity #Values #Leadership #ResponsibleBusiness #CorporateGovernance #ESG #Sustainability #DecisionMaking #MoralPhilosophy #Justice #MichaelSandel #HarvardJustice #Purpose #RiskManagement #Trust

Why Ethics Matter More Than Ever... I’ve been having more and more conversations lately about ethics. Not the checkbox kind. The energetic kind. Because let’s be honest, trust is at an all-time low. People are skeptical, even cynical. And in the coaching and changemaking world, where everything rests on trust and relationship, that matters deeply. We often think ethics are obvious; you either have them or you don’t. But they’re not automatic; they’re a conscious choice. Every day, those of us leading change face choices that test our resonance. Do we take the shortcut or stay aligned with our values? Do we sell the outcome people want, or the one we know they truly need? Do we hold our boundaries, or bend to please? Ethics live in these moments. They’re not rules; they’re frequencies. They’re the energetic integrity that either builds or breaks trust. Without resonance, you can’t be successful, at least not in any way that lasts. Because dissonance may sell for a while, but it can’t sustain. Resonance, which is the true ethical and energetic alignment, creates coherence across your work, your clients, and the wider systems you touch. For coaches and changemakers, this is the real growth strategy. Not a hack or a funnel. But a living commitment to stay in tune with your own truth, your clients’ wellbeing, and the collective good. That’s the work that changes everything. I’m curious, are you noticing this too? Are more of your conversations turning toward ethics, trust, and integrity in your coaching practice?