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The IBE has written to all major party leaders, finance leads, and business leads, with the following request.
This general election must act as an opportunity to reset standards and ethics in public life, including in business.
It is vital that government and business work together in the national interest, whether through procurement, industrial strategy, or broader partnership. Expectations should be clear on both sides. We support the 2021 recommendations from the Committee on Standards in Public Life as a starting point for strengthening ethical standards in government. We believe that there should be parallel expectations on businesses working with government.
Ethical businesses will have a clear purpose beyond profit, organisational values which shape behaviours, and a code of ethics which sets expectations and provides guidance for colleagues, suppliers and other stakeholders. Any ethical organisation will have an opportunity for speak up and a firm leadership commitment to non-retaliation.
Our ask is that all political parties commit to setting these minimum ethical expectations of businesses that they work with and that you commit to dialogue with us and others to develop the guidance and support needed to make it happen, once elected.
Yours sincerely,
Ian Peters MBE, Director of the Institute of Business Ethics
Rachael Saunders, Deputy Director
Professor David Grayson CBE, Chair
Simon Thompson, President of the IBE Advisory Council
Jasmine Whitbread, Vice President of the IBE Advisory Council and portfolio non-executive
Ram Gidoomal CBE, Vice President of the IBE Advisory Council, chairman South Asian Development Partnership
For further information or comment from Dr Ian Peters MBE please contact Speed Communications:
(E) ibe@speedcomms.com
(T) 0117 973 1173