Allstate Insurance Virus Integrity Grade = A 

We're all sheltering at home, and that means we're driving a lot less, generating fewer insurance claims for our auto insurance companies to process and pay.  It's quite a windfall for the insurance industry, and credit Allstate for their first mover decision to voluntarily return a portion of driver premiums to their customers, right at a time when people need the money the most.  Their decision to share this windfall with customers created enormous pressure on their competitors to follow suit, and they have -- Geico, Progressive, State Farm and others all announced within days their intent to refund a portion of auto premiums for a 3 month period, sometimes up to 20 and 25%.  It will mean billions of dollars for all of us. Smart business.

A crisis like this ‘pressure tests your character as a company': Airbnb Chief Ethics Officer on business integrity. A discussion with Yahoo Finance.

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Emerald Packaging Virus Integrity Grade = A   

CEO Kevin Kelly gets an A for his high integrity approach to keeping an essential business running yet still putting the health of employees first.

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It’s Integri-Tuesday, time to recognize another company or leader making extraordinary contributions in this crisis. This week the Integri-Yeti goes to the person who put together nCoV2019.live in late December before the coronavirus had spread outside of a China. It’s now one of the world’s most vital tracking websites for the virus. Watch the video below to find out what else makes the site’s creator, Avi Schiffmann, so special.

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Microsoft Virus Integrity Grade:   A

I grade on a curve...from those who have a lot, a lot is expected.  Even by that higher standard, though, Microsoft is delivering as a first mover in so many important areas.  Pre-virus, their pledge to be carbon negative by 2030 set the standard for everyone.  They were among the first to  close stores and offices, and announce that they would continue to pay their hourly employees the same pay even with office closures, a move many other companies quickly copied.  They were the first to recognize the special burden the crisis was placing on parents, and have granted employees 12 weeks of special parental leave to deal with school and childcare issues created by the pandemic.  They expanded product offerings to help everyone work from home (free Microsoft Office E1 for 6 months, worth about $50 is just one of them), and doubled down on security updates (pay attention Zoom) .  All while using its supply chain to source PPE, and its technology to empower health officials around the world (check out the John Hopkins University global COVID-19 confirmed case tracker).  And helping nonprofits, delivering food and hand sanitizer to those in need.  This is a company that has doubled down in recent years to build its brand around integrity, and I'm impressed. 

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Trader Joe’s Virus Integrity Grade = C- 

I really empathize with grocery store employees -- it's not quite like working in a hospital, but it's still quite hazardous work right now, requiring clerks to leave their homes and routinely come into contact with entire communities in an environment not designed for social distancing.  And there's a lot of work to do -- business is way up in grocery stores, as people can't eat out anymore.  

Trader Joe's has a long history of being a great place to work, so they get the benefit of the doubt.  Like other grocery stores they've had to make adjustments on the fly here....it's hard, particularly in a chain known for narrow aisles and dense display shelves, and where local stores have a lot of autonomy (making consistent measures harder to adopt).  But all that aside, there are too many reports of missteps to give TJ's a good grade. Better hazard pay, protective equipment, better sick leave policies and more in store distancing all seem like reasonable employee asks here, particularly in an environment where business is booming.  

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Zoom Virus Integrity Grade =  C-   

Zoom scores big points for making its video conferencing platform available for free, without the usual 40 minute time limit, to K-12 schools during the crisis.  Smart business too.  But what isn't so admirable are the reports of Zoom's poor privacy and security practices, combined with false marketing claims. 

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Home Depot Virus Integrity Grade =  B+

Stopped the sale of protective masks and donated the remaining stock to local hospitals, and donated “millions” of dollars in personal protective gear.  Limited store hours, stepped up sanitation. All the things you’d expect from a leader like Home Depot, except perhaps a little creativity.

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Bloom Energy Virus Integrity Grade = A+  

Bloom rises to the top of the class by answering the call in a creative way.  Bloom is in the business of making power generation platforms, but after noticing similarities between their product and ventilators, Bloom put together a team of employees and volunteered to refurbish and repair ventilators that hospitals so desperately need to save lifes.  Service providers said it would take a month to refurbish a ventilator -- Bloom energy set up an assembly line that's turning them around in 24 hours, and can handle refurbishing 1000 ventilators a day. Making a difference now, when it really matters.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/robchesnut_integrituesday-integriyeti-integrity-activity-6653394100697600000-09MD

U.S. Navy Virus Integrity Grade =   F

I don't know if Capt. Crozier of the Theodore Roosevelt was out of line in copying 20-30 people on his memo outlining concerns for the safety of his crew in light of a COVID-19 outbreak, or if he was desperately trying to get attention after failing to get a response through the normal channels.  I know this. From the rousing send off he got after he was relieved from his command, that man had the respect of his crew for putting their safety ahead of any protocol and his own career. I come from a military family, and I think my ancestors would join me in lining up to serve under a leader like this.  

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It takes a lot of creativity and a strong corporate purpose to transform a vacuum cleaner company into a ventilator manufacturer in just 10 days.  While other big companies are still studying ways to try and build ventilators sometime in the next month or two, Dyson is delivering. Fabulous response.  

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During this crisis, great stories have come out about leaders who are responding with integrity, both in the way that they manage internally and in how they are creatively using the company's resources to contribute to solving the problem. It's important to focus on the positive in times like this, and have a laugh, so I've decided to hand out (virtually) the Integri-Yeti award to leaders that acts with integrity.

What's an Integri-Yeti? It's a form of recognition we use at Airbnb ethics, we give them out when someone raises a good ethical issue as a small reward to encourage a speak up culture of integrity. They're very nice stainless steel large insulated Yeti brand water bottles, the Airbnb ones had Airbnb Integrity branding, but with my book coming out, I've got red Intentional Integrity versions made and if someone from the winning company reaches out through LinkedIn/website/twitter, I'll mail them their own real Integri-Yeti. No Yetis are used in making this item, and Yeti does not endorse this product or promotion in any way. Nominations welcome.

Starting this week I will be posting current stories of various companies and giving them my personal Virus Integrity Grade. Stay tuned.