Character Ethics – Better Business Bureau

“Just remember, your idea will never truly benefit others until it is actually launched, which does not require perfection, just sound planning and preparation, and a willingness to make thoughtful, sometimes significant, and occasionally spontaneous adjustments while being implemented.”

This page describes aspects of that “sound planning and preparation”. Character Ethics join Empowerment and Quality Management as the foundation on which we are building THNC. These are three legs of a our leadership tripod. All are needed and all rely on the others for success. Nothing we do will ever be perfect, because what we believe is possible will always be influenced by what we have already accomplished.

For more than a century, the BBB has helped people make better decisions about companies they choose to do business with. The BBB Vision statement: “An ethical marketplace where buyers and sellers can trust each other.”

In 1994, the BBB began developing a program to educate and train individuals and businesses. Today, this work is done at The Center for Character Ethics. Two resources that help leaders evaluate the quality of their programs are The UncommonSense Framework and The EthicalEnterprising Framework.

The Better Business Bureau Center for Character Ethics recognizes organizations – both for-profit and 501(c)(3) nonprofits – which are applying the highest standards in leadership character ethics and ethical enterprising. An evaluation process is used by an independent panel of judges. Their diagnosis of all award candidates is significant, in that it helps all aspiring companies to become better.

“How do we inspire ourselves to greatness, when nothing less will do? How do we inspire everyone around us? I sometimes think it is by using the work of others. … We need inspiration, because in order to build our nation, we must all exceed our own expectations.” [Spoken by Morgan Freeman, portraying Nelson Rolihlahla (“Madiba”) Mandela in Invictus (2009, Warner Bros.)]