The cost of ethical failure can be very high, and not just in financial penalties. People who want to participate in an environment that's congruent with their own value system will leave an unethical organization. So sound ethical behavior is a competitive advantage. In our business, trust is everything. Our clients depend on us for unquestioned integ- rity, objectivity, and independence.
Ethical behavior is our franchise.
We're also part of something that's very powerful right now. And that's globalization. As companies globalize, as they continue to look overseas for growth, they can experience cultural confusion about what they should do on the ethics side. But we can't simply do as the Romans do. We need to ask the questions that will help us make decisions that are culturally sensitive.