The Value of Values

No executive would dispute the importance of values and ethical principles in the corporate world. However, very few know how—or want—to measure the real impact of these values and principles on performance, which complicates strategic trade-offs. According to a survey conducted by IBM and Oxford Electronics among 3,000 CEOs, this lack of visibility on the “return on ethical investment” often leads to sub-optimal decisions. Some mistakenly believe that certain ethical choices, while morally desirable, carry too high a cost. Daniel Aronson, an expert in risk assessment and CSR valorization, argues for tools that precisely quantify the value of ethical decisions. By analyzing the multiple repercussions of such decisions—brand image, team commitment or risk management—, he shows that this value is not only tangible, but generally underestimated. A pertinent angle to convince minds attached to numerical arguments.