There is no place for unethical practice in business

Someone asked me recently in a profiling questionnaire if I thought there was any place for ethics in business. My answer was immediate and almost involuntary. I said that I thought that there was no place in business for unethical practice.

Nowhere is this being more graphically illustrated at the moment than in the case of Rebekah Brooks, the embattled Chief Executive of News International. Brooks was The Editor of the News of the World (NOTW) when a private investigator, allegedly working on its behalf, hacked into the mobile voicemail of Millie Dowler when she was missing and a full scale police search for her was underway. The discovery that voice mail on Millie’s mobile phone was being accessed gave the impression that she was still using her mobile phone. We now know the dreadful truth was that Millie was dead and the activity was a private investigator without scruples or morals working to find a story for the NOTW.

Brooks yesterday told News International staff it was "inconceivable" that she knew of or sanctioned the hacking of Milly's mobile phone. But this is not a defense – it is utterly irrelevant. I don’t think anyone is accusing her of personally organising this action. But as the Editor of the paper she can’t distance herself from it by pleading ignorance. That is as weak a position as it is possibe to take. She was in charge, she was responsible for setting the culture at the NOTW and I am afraid it stretches credibility that she didn’t know that this kind of behaviour was prevalent. If she didn’t know about it she should have done – she was the boss.  It may not have directly been her fault but it most certainly was her responsibility.

So it is time for Rebekah Brooks to show some moral courage and set an example to her staff. She has allowed her organisation to behave in the most despicably unethical way and she has no option but to resign. Her attempts to distance herself from the act beggar belief. She was in charge; there is no distance between her and the tactics of her staff. Every day she clings on to her job is another day when she is making the very clear statement that she condones unethical behaviour. Far better to hold her head high, stand up for stong ethical business practice, admit responsibility (if not fault), be accountable and resign than to be forced from office by a public campaign that shows no signs of relenting.