This paper sets out how finance professionals can shape their organisations’ ethical agendas and incorporate ethics into strategy to ensure long‑term sustainability. This second edition includes updates and new global case studies. The paper distils findings from a series of high level round table discussions on the future of business ethics. Senior business decision makers met experts in ethics, corporate responsibility and environmental sustainability. Together they discussed how organisations should approach social, environmental, economic and ethical issues that go beyond the financial bottom line. Recommendations are provided on how companies can respond to society’s changing ethical demands, as well as relevant case studies of business practice from around the world.
Society and the bottom line are the two issues that will put pressure on companies to be ethical.