Business, like any endeavor, often involves making tough decisions. But those decisions should never be made without a framework of values that recognize the impact our decisions have on others. It really irks me when someone uses the excuse “it’s just business” to justify unethical behavior. Business ethics should never be an oxymoron.*

For most of us, our work – our business – is a huge part of our lives. How can we claim to be doing the right thing if we employ one set of values in our work lives that we wouldn’t apply to our personal lives? 

Several years ago, we codified our company values, and it has made a tremendous impact on our business. Now we all use the same set of values as a filter for nearly every decision we make – both individually and collectively. A clear set of values helps us understand what is acceptable and what is not; it guides us in who to hire and who to let go; and it ensures that our decisions align with our principles—even when doing so may hurt us from a “business” perspective.

I firmly believe that doing the right things, the right way, will allow us to reach our goals far faster than actions that benefit us in the short term but that violate our values. This doesn’t mean that everyone agrees with our decisions, but it does mean that we can stand behind them knowing they reflect what we believe is right.

In construction, as in many businesses, trust is critical component of success. We must do everything we can to earn and maintain the trust of our clients, trade partners, employees and other collaborators. We certainly aren’t perfect, but by having a clearly defined and articulated set of values we have a frame work that helps ensure that our business ethics are just that – ethical.

To learn more about the values that are a central part of who we are and how we approach our work, visit Babbidge Values.

* An oxymoron is defined as, “a combination of contradictory or incongruous words.”