Followers of this blog know that Ethics and Compliance don't always mean the same thing. In fact, they can be in stark contrast to each other. Here's one example:
Part of the court settlement of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico requires compensation for losses incurred within a specified time period . . . even if the loss was not as a result of the spill. So a farmer who elected not to plant during this time period is going to be compensated for lost revenue, even though his decision was not as a result of the spill.
This is a classic example of compliance, but it is hardly ethical. A similar example took place in my community after a severe hailstorm. Home owners filed insurance claims to have their roofs replaced, even though there had been no damage, and the insurance companies paid for these replacements.
We continue to elect lawyers to most public offices, and their training and their profession is grounded in compliance, not in ethics. It is understandable that they will default to the compliance position, and it is understandable that there will be no shortage of clients who want this kind of representation.
This reminds me of the old adage: Just because you have the right to do something doesn't make it the right thing to do.
Part of the court settlement of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico requires compensation for losses incurred within a specified time period . . . even if the loss was not as a result of the spill. So a farmer who elected not to plant during this time period is going to be compensated for lost revenue, even though his decision was not as a result of the spill.
This is a classic example of compliance, but it is hardly ethical. A similar example took place in my community after a severe hailstorm. Home owners filed insurance claims to have their roofs replaced, even though there had been no damage, and the insurance companies paid for these replacements.
We continue to elect lawyers to most public offices, and their training and their profession is grounded in compliance, not in ethics. It is understandable that they will default to the compliance position, and it is understandable that there will be no shortage of clients who want this kind of representation.
This reminds me of the old adage: Just because you have the right to do something doesn't make it the right thing to do.