Business Ethics: More 'Caught' than 'Taught'...Especially Here

The Private Sector Federation (PSF) serves as a representative of private sector institutions in Rwanda and liaison to the government ministries that attend to it. As such, PSF is an organization that sits somewhere between the ‘private’ and the ‘public’ spheres involved in the development of this economy. In recent years, Rwanda has earned the reputation as the safest and least corrupt African country, yet there is still much to be done to facilitate business and attract outside investors. PSF decided to champion an initiative to encourage better behavior as relates to key issues: transparency of financials, upholding of contracts, treatment of employees and quality production. The central point in this initiative was a small handbook on business ethics I learned last June was being published. Thinking my PhD in Entrepreneurial Ethics could come in handy here (I’m fairly certain I am the only one with such a credential in East Africa), I met with the organizer of the publication. As seems only possible in Rwanda, I was invited to contribute to the project on the spot. After just two days of work, I was able to contribute a great deal more than I would have thought possible to the final product. A small book called The Code of Business Ethics & Excellence was launched amid much fanfare and lofty speeches. In one of the keynote speeches I was proud to hear the CEO of the PSF quote one of the lines I had authored: “This book is NOT just about deterring the worst, it is also about encouraging and rewarding the best business behavior”. At the launch event, some organizations even signed a document signifying their organization’s commitment to the prescriptions laid out in “the code”. I am now part of a Business Ethics Committee responsible for maintaining some of the momentum generated at this event. The following newspaper article tells more about the event and the initiative: http://www.newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14126&article=24355

After the book was launched, the ethical standard of Rwandan companies was immediately lifted. Ah, if only it were that easy! Like so many documents of this type, this is an important first step in stating ideals worth striving for, and ideas for reaching them. We have become painfully aware, however, that there is a critical shortage of qualified managers to understand and implement things handed to them in documents that describe a better future. This is partially because Rwandan culture is not a “reading” culture. Furthermore, reports are particularly ignored when the subject matter is as seemingly abstract and nebulous as business ethics.

Thankfully, lofty sentiments like integrity, honest and excellence are illustrated vividly in some of the practical business relationships we’ve forged here. Our actions certainly speak louder than any words we could write, so on our best days we and our Rwandan friends do our part to tangibly express our values and beliefs. I’m confident the decisions and interactions featured in our day-to-day relationships are easier for others to understand and emulate than anything we could put to paper. Thankfully, our business model accommodates the transfer of knowledge AND values, since we interact often, deeply, and long-term with many of the clients we serve. As a result, when feasible, we aspire to write fewer documents in order to spend more of our time living and implementing the words that may have died on the page.

Onward and upward,

-Carter