Apply an ethical self-check

- Keeping an ethics checklist in your mind can help you assess whether your actions or decisions are appropriate. Even when seeking to do the right thing, you can fall into traps. Listen to the following dialogue and see if you can identify the ethics checklist items that were violated in this scenario. - Hello, this is Jerry. - Hey Jerry, it's Miranda. It's good to talk to you. - Yeah, thanks for calling, it's great to hear you. - Yeah, yeah, I, you know, I wanted to thank you for donating those printers because it's great your organization has a process for nonprofits to give equipment so cheaply. We were able to get three out of the five and that was fantastic. - Oh, that's great news. Yeah, I'm sorry we couldn't have donated all five. I'm not sure why. - I mean, it really doesn't matter. We got three out of five. I had an idea though. Do I remember you saying you had a purchase plan at your company where you can buy equipment at your company for a discount? - Yeah, I've used that program a couple of times. - All right, you know, I was thinking could you use that program to buy us a couple of printers at your discount and sell them to us? I'd pay you a bit extra. I know it's kind of a hassle to get them all the way across town to us. What do you think? - I think that's a great idea. That way I can get 'em at a discount. Give them to you guys. It's a win-win. - Perfect. - So what potential ethics problems do you see? While they approach the situation with positive intent, there are issues. The first is the purpose of the employee purchase program. - Do I remember you saying you had a purchase plan at your company where you can buy equipment at your company for a discount? - Purchasing equipment for your own use doesn't sound like it should be purchased and then sold off. This makes me think of checklist item number two, looking at moral implications of my actions. Am I upholding my side of an agreement? There is the second potential issue. It's doubtful the employee purchase program was designed for employees to make any money on company products. The third issue is less obvious. Jerry, using the employee purchase program negates whatever management considerations went into this company's decision. So Jerry could be compromising the mission or values of his company, my checklist item number six. Even doing things with positive intent can create ethics issues. So be careful and assess your decisions and actions carefully, especially when you use a process for something other than its original design and intent.