A simple equation for ethics in action.

• Author: Hartman, Ryan M.
• Position: Ethics Corner

* Everyday actions and decisions, while important in every industry, are especially critical in the defense industry. Even the smallest decisions are irreversible and often have direct and immediate implications on the lives of others. These are facts that none of us take lightly.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

This environment of decision making is also critical to an ethical culture for it is only through sound decision making that such a culture will exist. I learned something very important about culture long ago--that culture is what happens when the leader is not physically present. This concept speaks to the importance of a leader's role in creating the environment and framework for an ethical culture.

Creating an ethical environment requires first and foremost a commitment to ethics--a commitment that entails much more than writing an ethics statement or code of conduct. While these are both very important documents, they must exist not for the sake of documentation, but to genuinely guide the daily actions and decisions of each member in an organization toward "doing the right thing." Ethics can mean as much or as little as the actions of the company's leadership and team members determine. Therefore, over time, ethics have the potential to become as integral an aspect of a company's culture as the employees themselves.

Running an ethical business requires employees to recognize they are united as a team working within and toward a common ethical standard. Remembering that culture is what happens when the leader is not around, teammates are left to exhibit the behaviors and make decisions consistent with the environment and framework that the leaders have created. Employees therefore have an obligation to look out for each other and help ensure that they and their teammates are consistent with their ethical actions and decision making.

To achieve our company's ethical culture, as well as our mission and vision, Insitu adopted four pillars that guide us: perform, pioneer, unite and care. These pillars and their messages consistently guide each of us toward making the right decisions, whether at the office, on the road or in the field.

In order to provide customers with on-site support for their operations, portions of our team are often geographically disconnected from the rest of the company. These satellite teams operate in extreme environments and possess a subculture of "getting the job done at all costs." In the heat of a mission, a...