Ethicality and eco-friendliness have gradually weaved themselves into today’s investing leading to a rise in ethical investing. 78% of investors consider ethical investing to be more important now than in the past. And at least two-thirds of them have increased their sustainable funds’ investments in the last five years.
With this rapid rise in ethical investing, businesses need to reconsider their values and operations to attract ethical investors. Understanding the morality of companies is, therefore, important as it is a key factor in deciding whether to invest in the company or not. Here are a few things to consider.
Moral Values in a Company
Competitiveness in business doesn’t have to make a business amoral. A business can still maximize its profits while observing an ethical code of operations. With social media’s important role in enhancing a company’s reputation, businesses need to chart their moral compass.
The golden rule for business ethics is to treat others like you would want to be treated. Having money involved in business should not mean that basic moral principles are ignored. When understanding the morality of companies, the basic principles should adhere to ensuring all parties are treated fairly to have a mutually beneficial transaction.
This means that the truth must be told and everyone treated respectfully. In addition, you should lay out an ethical money-making business plan to ensure that your business thrives by making profits. This makes the business attractive to potential ethical investors.
Morality should Begin from the Top
Unethical practices by the top management trickle down to the employees. Therefore, morality and integrity have to be emphasized at the organization’s highest management level. These precepts need to be regularly enforced throughout the company. However, morality in business should begin with fairly treating your employees.
It becomes easy for them to treat clients fairly, increasing your sales and profits. This makes your business a choice investment option for ethical investors. Writing a mission statement is also a surefire way to show your ethical precepts, so consider having one.
Impact of Morality on Business
Understanding the morality of companies allows you to assess its impact on your business. For instance, business ethics reduce employee turnover because employees are highly likely to remain where they feel valued and perceive the organization to be acting ethically and doing good.
Reduced turnover minimizes recruitment costs, saving the company money. The business can then channel this money to more productive business operations to increase its profits. Morality and profits are a great allure to potential investors. So, they need to be balanced so that the business is well-rounded and to ensure investors benefit by investing in your company.
Conclusion
Business ethics is important for every business because it provides fair market competition and ensures companies don’t make false advertisements or portray their business in a way that is untrue to lure investors. In the long run, morality enhances business growth, ensures your employees are treated fairly, and promotes a healthy environment through pollution-reducing business activities. Businesses that want to attract ethical investors need to be intentional about understanding the morality of companies to help them put their best foot forward.
