Moral Muscle

Moral Muscle

The Ass and His Purchaser, an Aesop Fable, concludes with this moral principle:  “A person is known by the company he keeps.”  During my busy teen years, I was often reminded by Mom and Dad of hanging around with the right crowd.  One Bible verse ground into my memory at home and church was “evil companionships corrupt good morals.” 

While “a person is known by the company he keeps” is an apt caution for any individual, perhaps the corollary, “a company is known by the people it keeps,” is more applicable in our business and institutional culture.  It is after all an elementary and foundational truth that people create and perpetuate a culture of ethics and conduct, that people shoulder responsibility and accountability for actions or inaction inside any organization and that people ultimately give companies, firms and all organizations their face, their image, their reputation and their standing.  A company’s mission statement is a statement of collective commitment by its officers and employees, not just a group of words strung together by slick promotion having no attachment to those breathing and living souls inside the company. 

“Can I trust you?” begins with “you.”  You, the company must be made up of people committed to truth, transparency, accountability, honesty and integrity.  Sounds like motherhood and apple pie, huh?  It’s simply elementary, foundational—“a company is known by the people it keeps.”

I can tell you about one company—and there are many-- which is committed to having the right people…the kind of people who simply want to serve passionately and provide the public with quality products-- Pitney Bowes.  PB is certainly known for its competitive edge in mail delivery and processing technology but less known perhaps is their global leadership in portrait software, electronic discovery services, mail-based marketing services, customer intelligence software and a host of other customer communications applications.  

PB was recognized four consecutive years by Ethisphere, a leading ethics rating organization, as one of the “World’s Most Ethical Companies.”  The framework of measurement employed by Ethisphere included:  ethics and compliance program; reputation, leadership and innovation; governance; corporate citizenship and responsibility; and culture of ethics.

What a great company!  Yes.  But let’s keep in mind that “a company is known by the people it keeps.”  

Now, let me tell you about a person inside the giant six billion dollar company who gives a representative and exemplary face to PB.  Her name is Robbie E.B. Narcisse, Vice President, Global Ethics and Business Practices.  In short, Robbie’s responsibilities include managing the company’s efforts to ensure that its worldwide business operations are conducted in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, company policies and procedures, and with the highest ethical standards.  Robbie’s rich background and experience in corporate law provides a meaningful complement to her passion to serve employees, stockholders, suppliers and the public in the right way.  

Recently, Robbie was awarded the prestigious “Being a Difference Award” by the NASBA Center for the Public Trust.  Johnna Torsone, PB’s Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, who nominated Robbie for the Award said it best:  “Robbie is able to combine her legal analysis with a view of how the law applies when she is dealing with internal issues and she relies on her “moral muscles” and gut intuition to ask:  “does this feel right?  Is this issue in keeping with the spirit and ethos of PB?”  

How many situations like AIG, HealthSouth, Arthur Andersen, Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities, Lehman Bros, Fannie Mae/Mac, Satyam, Parmalat, etc. would have been avoided had certain individuals exercised “moral muscle” and simply considered as Robbie has, “does this feel right?, is this in keeping with the spirit and ethos of the company?”

PB is highly regarded and recognized as a world leader in ethics compliance and conduct.  And we only need to look at its people like Robbie E.B. Narcisse to understand why.  A company is known for this type person!

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