The pages of this newspaper give ample reason to see that corporate SA, and corporations globally, face a significant challenge in the area of ethics. This is despite a regulatory framework of governance and ethics codes that should, in theory, guide managers in avoiding unethical practices. Such frameworks are proving ineffective, not just because they are routinely ignored but because ethics as a constraint of business does not work; managers will work around constraints or ignore them altogether. The orientation of private business is to be productive and profitable to the largest degree possible. Therefore, imposing ethics in the form of rules with a threat of punishment will always be only of limited success. Ethics are about action and the production of good outcomes, and good ethics ought to inspire good action and the production of good outcomes. We should pass judgement on any approach to business ethics not by whether it is agreeable to our convictions, but by its ability ...
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