Today's NY Times reports that over 20% of the graduating class from Harvard Business School have signed The MBA Oath, a student-led movement to develop a professional code of conduct for business leaders. It begins:
As a manager, my purpose is to serve the greater good by bringing people and resources together to create value that no single individual can create alone. Therefore I will seek a course that enhances the value my enterprise can create for society over the long term. I recognize my decisions can have far-reaching consequences that affect the well-being of individuals inside and outside my enterprise, today and in the future. As I reconcile the interests of different constituencies, I will face choices that are not easy for me and others.
A code of ethics for business leaders that is driven by student demand is something I celebrate today. As a social marketer who has chimed in about the need to realign business practices with social goals, not just self-interests, the timing could not be better. One of the core issues NOT being discussed very openly in the rush for a Total Market Approach to banking, finance and, yes, automobiles is how to leverage government interventions to address the systemic sociopathic qualities of these and other businesses. Seeing a shift in thinking among the business leaders of tomorrow should give current ones a reason to pause, shift and embrace what will be the sequel to The Cluetrain Manifesto - the one that is authored and acted upon from within. Corporate social responsibility programs are a placebo - what is needed is systemic change demanded and designed by the entire marketplace including business leaders and workers, government, shareholders, nonprofit organizations and consumers. If you are a graduating MBA, or already have one, join the shift today and sign the Oath. I will be happy to post your reflection here.
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