Ford - Only Auto MFG - World’s Most Ethical Companies Honorees

[FordCosworth]

" The World’s Most Ethical Companies program honors companies that excel in three areas – promoting ethical business standards and practices internally, enabling managers and employees to make good choices, and shaping future industry standards by introducing tomorrow’s best practices today. Honorees have historically out-performed others financially, demonstrating the connection between good ethical practices and performance that’s valued in the marketplace. "

 

http://worldsmostethicalcompanies.ethisphere.com/honorees/

[Drew Dowdell]

Excellent that Ford is among the honorees. 

 

I wouldn't read too much into the "Only Automotive Company" part though. Participation in the survey is voluntary and companies have to opt-in to participate in the first place, so if no other automotive companies opt-in to the survey, then it really isn't a ranking of the industry.  It's a bit like saying "The Mustang came in first in this race!" when it was the only participant in the race.

 

If you look at the history of the award, the last time someone other than Ford was an honoree was 2009. Before that, BMW, Toyota, Honda, and Volvo are on the list. I can see why Toyota may not make the list post gas pedal scandal, but I don't think Volvo, Honda, and BMW would have regressed so much to not be included for the last 7 years.  They probably just stopped participating.

 

While the recognition is good for Ford, I place very little value on these types of surveys as a measure of one company verses another.  At my own job, we used to participate in a few of these surveys... one of them being a "Best Places To Work in Pittsburgh" survey.  Employees were pressured, "encouraged", and borderline bribed to take the survey... and even after that we didn't quite make the cut.  After a few years of trying and not making it (and a series of big layoffs), we simply stopped participating in the survey.  Now, does that make the company not a great place to work?  No, but we won't be showing up on that list any time soon simply for lack of participation.

[David]

^^^ +1 So True Drew, EMC Presses very hard to have everyone participate in the greatest place to work surveys.

[surreal1272]

This is right up there with the old "Who's who of high school seniors" book that was peddled back in my day.

[Suaviloquent]

I equate "most ethical" to be like Donald Trump's "least racist" line.

 

[Drew Dowdell]

I equate "most ethical" to be like Donald Trump's "least racist" line.

 

 

Not really, I have little doubt that Ford, in general, runs ethically, honestly, and diverse.   They wouldn't be the first manufacturer to come to mind if you asked me (I probably would think Subaru and Volvo first), but I have no reason to doubt their placement on the list.

[Suaviloquent]

Okay as consolation, I'll tell you I don't think a single automaker is ethical at all for any reason.

 

I think humans existing as they do now is unethical.

 

I think the way we eat, breed and die is unethical.

 

So...I think everything in the end is unethical. What matters is how least unethical we can be. But we'll never be perfectly ethical, in order to achieve that status we either have to revert to being animals that simply do what they do to adapt and survive or we have to become god-like beings that exist in perpetuity.

[oldshurst442]

Okay as consolation, I'll tell you I don't think a single automaker is ethical at all for any reason.

 

I think humans existing as they do now is unethical.

 

I think the way we eat, breed and die is unethical.

 

So...I think everything in the end is unethical. What matters is how least unethical we can be. But we'll never be perfectly ethical, in order to achieve that status we either have to revert to being animals that simply do what they do to adapt and survive or we have to become god-like beings that exist in perpetuity.

Yup.

 

You mentioned humans must be like animals to be unethical.

Sure, because animals know of just one thing: survival of the fittest.

 

Animals to achieve this, wont back stab, cheat, lie, murder, over dramatize to survive.  Animals let nature take its course. Unlike humans.

 

You mentioned humans must be god-like creatures.

I might not agree with this 100%, though.

Why?

Ancient Greek Gods, if you study them, are full of unethical actions. Rape, incest, betrayal...One could say that Ancient Greek Gods have more flaws than the mortals themselves.

If we talk about the God. Jehovah of the Judaeo-Christian faith, God made Man in his own image, and we all know that Man is far from being ethical, hence all the rules that Man has to follow to be a good Christian/Jewish...

 

Just a fast and quick argument on my part to solidify Suave's take on things.

My argument might also have flaws in it, but hey....Im only human. At least my argument is genuine and from the heart. A little less unethical than what one might presume about me...

 

 

Ford, in the past, has made some very sketchy decisions...(Ford Pinto).

This is not about the past and about the present?

OK...I could live with that...but Ford is a multi-national corporation run by humans...

Im a little bit skeptical about ethics and big multi-corporations....it dont matter who, or what company it is...

Is Ford more ethical than other companies?

I could agree to that...but that is like saying Hitler was a slightly more ethical dictator than Stalin was...

 

And in what way is Ford more ethical than other companies?

 

Corporate culture?

Im sure all corporations have some sort of corporate guidelines that try to prevent unethical activities.

 

Its the leaders and the share holders behind the corporations that ultimately decide what direction the companies will ultimately follow...its the humans leading the corporations that should be judged about ethics...like I said...guidelines have been put in place...but will the present and future management teams respect those guidelines?

Edited March 10, 2016 by oldshurst442

[Drew Dowdell]

 

And in what way is Ford more ethical than other companies?

 

Corporate culture?

Im sure all corporations have some sort of corporate guidelines that try to prevent unethical activities.

 

 

Corporate culture is it exactly.  Some corporations have terrible corporate culture and some have great corporate culture.. and what's on paper verse what's reality also matter.  You may have the best corporate governance documents in all the land, but if they aren't implemented in the workplace, they mean squat. 

 

Does the corporation encourage the reporting of issues both on paper and in practice, or do they have a policy on paper and ignore it in practice?  The latter is what got GM in hot water over the ignition switch scandal and what hurt Toyota with the driver's pedal sticking.    At GM, Mary can issue all of the governance documents she wants, but unless all of the people in the ladder follow it (including middle management, the group of people who usually screw up the implementation), it doesn't matter. 

 

If Ford has won this award, they probably have both the good governance documents and the culture of following that governance, then they have a reason to be on this list. 

[FordCosworth]

 

 

And in what way is Ford more ethical than other companies?

 

Corporate culture?

Im sure all corporations have some sort of corporate guidelines that try to prevent unethical activities.

 

 

Corporate culture is it exactly.  Some corporations have terrible corporate culture and some have great corporate culture.. and what's on paper verse what's reality also matter.  You may have the best corporate governance documents in all the land, but if they aren't implemented in the workplace, they mean squat. 

 

Does the corporation encourage the reporting of issues both on paper and in practice, or do they have a policy on paper and ignore it in practice?  The latter is what got GM in hot water over the ignition switch scandal and what hurt Toyota with the driver's pedal sticking.    At GM, Mary can issue all of the governance documents she wants, but unless all of the people in the ladder follow it (including middle management, the group of people who usually screw up the implementation), it doesn't matter. 

 

If Ford has won this award, they probably have both the good governance documents and the culture of following that governance, then they have a reason to be on this list. 

 

 

 

 

https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2015/03/09/ford-named-a-2015-worlds-most-ethical-company-by-ethisphere.html

 

http://www.conceptcarz.com/a14870/FORD-ONLY-AUTOMAKER-ON-ETHISPHERE-INSTITUTES-LIST-OF-2016-WORLDS-MOST-ETHICAL-COMPANIES.aspx