Several universal virtues underlie ethical behavior. These can be found in the writings of all the great religions. Among them are justice, respect, honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, fairness, service and moderation. It is increasingly recognized that ethical behavior makes good business sense. Customers prefer buying from a trustworthy vendor.
Employees work better and are more creative when treated with respect and fairness.
Companies that really understand how to serve their clients develop loyalty and benefit from a major competitive advantage. And wise, longer term thinking brings more enduring success than decisions focusing only on such short-term goals as the next quarter's profits. Most successful major enterprises today weave ethical values into their institutional attitudes. Often, they write them into their codes of conduct and statements of mission. Yet, the prevailing public perception holds that business and ethical behavior are at odds.