Ethics1st.com

This page was last updated: 8/9/2011

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Vision – Ethics1st seeks to make ethical behavior a primary consideration for all human endeavors. Doing the “Right things for the Right reason in the First place” should be the basic factor in any decision-making process. By definition, only good things should come from ethical behavior.

Mission Statement – Through open and honest discourse, participants will help theorize, develop, advance and publicize universally acceptable and understandable ethical concepts. This shall be pursued by addressing a wide variety of issues at the individual, family unit, organizational, societal and universal levels. Core tools of this effort will include: research; dialogue; education; publicity and dissemination; promotion and active demonstrations of equity and fairness.

Primary Objective – Ethics1st will develop and share products, services and tools to enable individuals, organizations, cultures and governments make informed, objective and consistent decisions.

Primary Commitment – Ethics1st will remain completely independent of political, religious, ethnic or other special interest affiliations.

Individual Ethics – Ethics1st promotes the person as the source of all behaviors, ethical or not. Upon achieving the natural capacity of rational thought, and unless under duress, the individual is solely responsible for decisions made and actions taken.

The person has a fundamental right to think freely, and pose challenging questions as well as express beliefs, in a civil and tolerant manner. The individual should be encouraged to determine personal destiny, except when potentially detrimental to others.

Decisions and actions should be able to satisfy one basic question: “Is it right?”

Individuals have a basic responsibility to promote ethical behavior within their families, organizations and societies.

Ethical behavior throughout societies and global communities start with each of us, and individuals with the capacity to make rational decisions, and choose the best course of action for all involved. If we fail at the individual level, universal standards of ethical behavior will never be achieved.

Family Unit Ethics – Ethics1st suggests the family unit has primary responsibility for nurturing healthy, conscientious and productive members of society. This fundamental obligation cannot be delegated to educators, clergy or societies at large.

It does not take a village to raise a child; it takes at least one loving parent or consistent, positive role model.

Families must take priority over status, wealth or power. Wonderful, happy children can be raised without any of these artificial elements.

A child’s question is not an interruption, but the very best reason to escape from whatever you’re doing at the time.

The only love a parent should give a child is unconditional… no strings attached. Simply tell them: “I will always love you, no matter what happens in your life.”

Many of the continuing problems in our societies would disappear if all parents or guardians (regardless of income level or status) took time to show a real interest in their children’s lives. It’s difficult to conceive of any obligation more urgently needed, or opportunity more worthwhile, than the health and well-being of every child.

Organizational Ethics – Ethics1st shall actively promote the philosophy that any organization can and should encourage ethical behavior by its owners (partners, stockholders, etc.), managers, employees, vendors and consumers/constituents in all circumstances. Doing the right (ethical) thing should include:

Open and sincere communication with all the organization’s stakeholders

Fair and equitable treatment of all parties

A collective effort to increase organizational productivity, effectiveness and value for the benefit of all involved

Avoidance of activities that would knowingly or intentionally be harmful to others

Appreciating and acknowledging the value of individual contributions at all levels of the organization

Doing what is right should take priority over what is profitable, expedient, convenient, popular or politically advantageous in order to raise the collective standards of integrity for conducting business and governing in our societies.

Societal Ethics – Ethics1st advocates the vital principle that every society has a primary obligation to continuously improve the balances between the rights of individuals with the universal interests of society in general.

There is no correlation between what is ethical and what is legal. Ethics embodies fundamentals common to humankind, and promotes “win-win” relationships for everyone involved. By definition, laws are the result of special interest influences on a governing or judicial body. This system is intentionally adversarial; one side wins, one side loses.

Status quo typically protects those who have the most to gain from an existing situation. It also stagnates growth and creativity, which leads to a steady decline in societal standards and its eventual demise (as demonstrated throughout world history).

The human rights of an individual rest solely with that person, and cannot be subrogated by the will of a majority. Similarly, individuals have sole control over what they believe to be offensive or objectionable, and what to ignore or overlook. Individuals are also solely responsible for their actions, and should be held accountable for consequences of those actions.

Presume the best intentions of others; but be aware that not everyone has a conscience.

While individual rights are paramount in a free society, these rights should not serve to protect individuals from actions which bring harm to others. No individual should benefit (wealth, status or power) by personal actions which are detrimental to society as a whole. In general, the good of a society should be a priority; but only when rational wisdom prevails.

Universal Ethics – Ethics1st encourages empathy and the free exchange of ideas as common elements of mutual benefits to humanity.

Racism can never be justified, and should never be tolerated

Belief in a different god(s), or none at all, does not make an individual evil or worthy of scorn. However, the use of religion to pressure societies or governments to promote personal gain, suppression or hateful agendas is contemptible

There are only two kinds of wars: battles of conquest; and struggles for liberation. Only the latter is ethical.

Truth cannot be dictated; it can only be discovered by an open and rational mind.

Individuals have a right to live and die with dignity, and to seek association with a society which most closely adheres to their personal philosophies, but not at the expense of those same rights of others.

No one has the right to harm others, except when protecting one’s self, loved ones or the society to which one voluntarily has committed as a result of rational consideration.

The universal good should prevail over other considerations in order to raise the collective standards of living for everyone. It also serves to establish universal expectations of behavior and accountability for individuals, family units, organizations and societies.

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Contributions to Ethics1st.com are greatly appreciated, but NOT tax deductible on personal returns (we are NOT a not-for-profit organization).

Michael Smith CPA, MBA

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