Green Businesses’ Dirty Secret: Implied Ethics
A rarely asked question these days is, “Are ethics in environmental companies taken for granted?” asks columnist and recruitment specialist Nick Ellis on GreenBiz.com. In other words, do we assume that just because a company is “green” that is inherently more ethical than a traditional “brown” company? Apparently, we do. But as Ellis says, “Having worked with employers worldwide to find and secure the top green talent, it’s become clear that not everyone embraces the same level of business ethics.”
While most employees at environmental firms believe they have a more ethical occupation due to the organization’s eco business models, the business practices themselves often don’t exude ethics, says Ellis: “Many of these businesses fail to push their ethical practices as far as their products or services.” In fact, many businesses fail to highlight their ethics at all when asked about what separates them from other employers, he says.
That’s why, Ellis says, at a time when the value of long-standing financial business models are being called into question and more and more job seekers are in the market, we need to push for honesty and transparency:
Both employees and jobseekers of green companies should be challenging these firms to “walk the walk” and create a truly triple bottom line enterprise that embraces sound ethical practices, sound environmental practices and sound business practices.
“Continually pushing employers to keep ethics at the center of their businesses — green or otherwise — is the best way to ensure that your values align” with those of your employer, Ellis says.
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