Why ethical conduct is key to positive societal transformation – 6

There are those individuals who act ethically in all their dealings, yet in less ethical societies they are often not recognised and are even victimised while unethical individuals seem to thrive albeit temporarily. It is crucial that societies build systems that protect and reward those who are ethical.

Providing strong social safety nets such as reliable pension schemes and quality medical care is one way to ensure that those who choose the ethical path are not left behind. Encouragingly, there have been improvements in this area in recent years as gaps that existed in the past in society are being addressed.

The question often raised is whether laws and regulations are enough without ethics.  Some argue that the law can effectively regulate human behaviour and that ethics are unnecessary. However, this view is flawed. Believing that the law is sufficient without ethics is like saying the cause does not matter, only the effect does.

In reality, without a strong ethical foundation, even the best formulated laws and regulations lose their effectiveness in practice. Ethics guide the spirit in which laws are formulated and applied. Without ethics, compliance becomes superficial, selective, or manipulative.

To ensure that we act ethically when facing dilemma, it is important to pause and reflect on the ethical issue at hand. A colleague once shared his ethical dilemma. While in Japan, he found an expensive lost watch. He liked the watch and no one was watching him. However, in Japan, it was common to turn lost items over to the authorities. The 20 to 30 minutes’ walk to the police station felt like an eternity.

As he walked to the police station, he battled two inner voices, one telling him it was fine to keep the watch since no one saw him and another reminding him that it belonged to someone who might recover it if turned in. He carefully weighed the options. In the end, he chose to act ethically and handed the watch over to the police. The owner was eventually found and to this day, he remains deeply satisfied with his decision to do the right thing.

Whenever we face an ethical dilemma, it is essential to define the ethical issue using the five pillars of ethics – honesty, respect, fairness, responsibility and compassion. From there, we should identify both ethical and unethical alternatives, along with their possible repercussions. Reflecting on real-life examples, where ethical behaviour brought long-term benefits and unethical actions led to regret or failure, can help guide us towards the right decision.

In my own experience, every time I act ethically, the outcome brings a lasting positive impact. It should be noted that decisions that violate ethical values might bright short-term benefits, but they almost always lead to long-term failure. I strongly believe that every reader of this series can honestly relate to this truth and has their own examples to confirm it.

After reading this series, one practical way to reflect on one’s levels of ethical conduct is to evaluate ourselves using a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is the lowest and 5 is the highest for each of the five pillars of ethics. After scoring each, calculate the average. If one’s honest self-assessment results scores between 1 and 2, it signals the need for significant improvement. A score of 3 is somewhat acceptable, but still calls for progress. A score of 4 indicates strong ethical behaviour and reaching 5 should be the goal. This reflection can be made at both the individual and societal levels.

I am ending this series by a quote from Aristotle, “Moral excellence comes about as a result of habit. We become just by doing just acts.”

When ethical principles are embraced by top leaders, integrated into the education system, practiced at the family level and reinforced by properly enforced laws, they lay the foundation for genuine societal transformation.

The positive outcomes of such integration are evident in our personal experiences, in the lives of individuals we know and throughout history, where both current and past organisations and societies that upheld ethics have achieved sustainable development. These real-life examples serve as compelling proof of the power of ethics in driving long-term and sustainable progress.

Dr Muhsin Salim Masoud is a seasoned banker and academic, who has also served as managing director of the People’s Bank of Zanzibar and Amana Bank. [email protected]