Monday 16 April 2012

What oath should business owners take?

Who is the Hippocrates of the business world and what oath should business owners take?
The classical Hippocratic Oath that medical professionals take is the foundations of the ethical code. The oath is summarized as:

A solemn promise:
  • Of solidarity with teachers and other physicians
  • Of beneficence (to do good or avoid evil) and non-maleficence (from the Latin 'primum non nocere' or 'do no harm') towards patients
  • Not to assist suicide or abortion
  • To leave surgery to surgeons
  • Not to harm, especially not to seduce patients
  • To maintain confidentiality and never to gossip.'
I believe that every business owner should be required to take a similar oath as with business comes great responsibility. Business owners can heal many of societies wounds. Perhaps all business owners should sign something like the below:

A solemn promise:
  • Of solidarity with business owners and business apprentices
  • To use my business for the good of my community, family and friends
  • Not to assist in fraud, false commitments or non payments
  • To leave business to business people
  • Not to harm. Especially not to seduce customers falsely
  • To dedicate myself to learning the craft of business and to compete legally and fairly
Maybe if we once and for all focused on legitimizing business, not through law and taxation but through a code of ethics, from a binding commitment that involved a solemn promise, we might get people to understand how noble an arena business is.