Amazon has had its integrity ups and downs during the pandemic, but this is a real bright spot. I love the integration of the family shelter with their main campus. #integrity #philanthrophy
For the past two weeks I've been recording the audiobook version of Intentional Integrity from a spare bedroom at our ranch outside St. Helena, CA. I had visions of recording the book at a fancy recording studio like I was in a rock band, but with the pandemic that dream didn't quite work out.
So the terrific team at Macmillan Audio -- Callum Plews and Krista Giacalone -- pivoted and sent a recording studio to me (this mic is really cool guys, can I keep it?). They were with me every step of the way, monitoring me to make sure I did everything right and didn't stumble over big words or play with the knobs too much (can we try that AGAIN, Rob?). They tell me it came out great, but the idea of hearing my own voice is too painful, I'll probably never hear it myself.
If you like audiobooks, check it out when it gets published on July 28...and if I mispronounced any words or names, I'm sure someone will tell me about it. Just don't blame Callum or Krista!
Macmillan #integrity #digitalmarketing #ethics #business #management
I used to work some long days as a young U.S. Department of Justice lawyer, but the employees at Braskem America earn an #IntegriYeti by beating out my longest day at the office.... by about 650 hours.
Link to Video
#inthistogether #workfromhome #covid19 #integrity #healthcareheroes
Chobani Virus Integrity Grade = A
I eat a Chobani greek yogurt every morning for breakfast -- I like the way that Chobani operates with multiple stakeholders in mind, caring for employees, its suppliers and the environment.
Now, they're looking out for their local community by repurposing their New York Soho Cafe into a food pantry, giving away free products and nutritious food to those in need.
Awesome.
cc: Hamdi Ulukaya
Click here to listen to my Thrive.Connect.Contribute interview on “How Integrity Builds Resilience” with Tony Loyd.
Imagine walking down the sidewalk and finding a bag full of cash, and to quote C.S. Lewis, there's no one watching. Times are hard. The temptation to keep it all, or peel off at least a few bills and stuff it in your pocket, must be enormous. See how one 19 year old student handled it...and won an Integri-Yeti.
Earlier today Airbnb announced that it was laying off 25% of its workforce. The pandemic has been devastating for the entire travel industry, and the impact on Airbnb has been severe. Some form of cutback was inevitable, and I'm proud that the company was generous with those it let go.
This is a terrible day for all of us...a punch in the gut for those who remain, and just horrible for those let go. My heart goes out to my colleagues who lost their jobs today. Airbnb has a well earned reputation for hiring some of the best in the world at what they do, and those that lost their jobs today are first rate, any company would be proud to have them as part of their team. If you're hiring anyone in the in house legal space, send me a note and I can connect you with top talent that's now on the market...and that will be sorely missed here.
The #IntegriYeti award is a positive, upbeat and humorous way to celebrate high integrity behavior in the face of a pandemic that's claiming lives and jobs every day. But today is not a day where I can authentically muster that humorous and positive spirit. For followers of the Integri-Yeti, a one week pause, and a moment for one Airbnb employee to send heartfelt support to 1,900 colleagues.
Click Here to download Fishbowl for the Q&A
Check out my webinar with Entrepreneur.com about Leading with Integrity During Times of Crisis.
Interview on Ethics with Kathryn Goldman Schuyler from the International Leadership Association.
It's #IntegriTuesday, and this week's #IntegriYeti winner is a leader who has raised over $26 million to help health care workers fighting the virus...by walking about a mile and a half. And he has a #1 song that's also raising money for health care workers...but he waited almost 100 years to record his first hit. Check it out here .
If your business isn't materially impacted yet, you don't qualify.
If you're able to make it without the money, but would feel better with the cushion "just in case," you don't qualify.
If you're telling yourself that you owe it to your investors to apply for the money because you want to protect their interests, and you owe it to them to get low cost/free money, you're rationalizing.
There's a very limited pool of money, and lot of need...if you take money that you really don't need, you're cheating others and are literally putting others out of work.
It's that simple.
Integrity is about doing the right thing even when no one is looking, but information about who gets these loans will be public, and there will be considerable scrutiny.
Now, more than ever, is the time to do the right thing.
Patriots Virus Integrity Grade = A
OK, let's get the obvious out of the way...the Patriots don't have the best ethical reputation in sports.
Not by a long shot. And I'm a Bears fan, so this isn't an easy grade to hand out. But the sight of a Patriots plane bringing 1.2 million badly needed masks to health care workers in the New England area wins me over. For this quarter.
The Fashion Industry Virus Integrity Grade= A
With stores shuttered, luxury brands are stepping up in a big way. Companies are temporarily converting factories into production facilities for desperately needed hand sanitizer or masks and protective equipment. Executives are foregoing salaries and/or donating large sums of money to help hospitals and relief efforts around the world. Early movers like Burberry, LVMH, Capri, Ralph Lauren, Moncler, Brooks Brothers, Prada all stand out. Using your know how and inventory, keeping workers employed, and making a real difference.
Shake Shack Virus Integrity Grade = B-
Credit Shake Shack for returning the $10 million PPP loan, even though they were technically eligible to get cash from the underfunded program. The real intent of the program was to help a lot of smaller businesses that don't have access to capital, and who haven't been able to get PPP money. Did Shake Shack return the money because of the backlash they were getting over this? Or because it was the right thing to do? That's not entirely clear (hence the so so grade)...but they deserve a better grade than other similarly situated companies that received the highly sought after loan money and are not returning it.
This week's winner of the #IntegriTuesday #IntegriYeti is... Microsoft! They were one of the first to announce office closures during this COVID-19 pandemic. They were one of the first to announce that they would pay their hourly workers the same pay even when the offices were closed. Recently, they announced that they were giving their employees 12 weeks of parental leave. I love the direction that Satya Nadella has been taking the company. Well done team Microsoft and congratulations on winning this week's #integrity award. Do you know of any companies demonstrating exceptional corporate ethics? Nominate them by commenting below and they might be selected for next week's IntegriYeti!
NBA Virus Integrity Grade = A
The NBA has a strong reputation for ethical leadership, and their handling of the crisis has been, not surprisingly, exemplary. They had to make the first hard choice to suspend down the season when Rudy Gobert tested positive, and Adam Silver did it decisively with player health foremost in mind -- as a visible first mover, the NBA set the national tone about the seriousness of the pandemic and gave others the courage to make similar hard, but right choices. The league and its players have played a highly visible role in donating money to health and relief efforts, to supporting arena workers who lost money as a result of the shutdown, and speaking out generally about the importance of social distancing.
Adidas Virus Integrity Grade = F
Adidas lagged behind peers in closing its stores, initially saying that remaining open required “courage”. Apparently not...they reversed course 24 hours later. Next, Adidas decided to take advantage of a German law that allowed businesses to defer rent payments due to the pandemic. Though the law was intended to help small businesses struggling to make their rent, Adidas announced they were going to stop paying rent....until the public called them out for their “shabby” conduct. They reversed course again.
They could have so easily made masks or medical protective gowns...instead they do this.
Anheuser Busch Virus Integrity Grade = A
An impressive package of creative initiatives from AB. Despite taking a hit of several hundred million dollars from the virus so far this year, AB converted their distilleries to make hand sanitizers, made $5 million in donations to convert stadiums to blood drive centers, and launched the Open for Takeout initiative to help local restaurants. They also launched online entertainment with international acts to keep consumers entertained, online workouts to keep them in shape, and online cooking lessons. They even put out a student debt relief initiative. Doing good for their stakeholders, and bolstering a powerful brand. Smart. Corona beer is in the AB family of companies, which has complicated their response...they probably should have pulled the “Coming Ashore Soon” campaign around that beer faster.