Having a Heart for Ethics

Why Ethics Work Is So Important To Us

This time of year triggers hope that Winter is coming to an end, warmer temperatures are near, and feelings of love and appreciation for those in our lives who help make the world a better place. We at the Business Ethics Alliance thought you’d like to hear from some of those closest to us and why we all have a heart for ethics and our work.

Mark Pohl, Business Ethics Alliance Board Chair and Business Unit Programs & Planning Manager, Utility Operations, Omaha Public Power District

A shared commitment to ethics is really a commitment to working with others and serving the community with integrity, honesty, and generosity. When we all operate with ethics, we have confidence and trust in the actions of others, and we support each other in providing perspective when the ethical path is nuanced or complex.

Madeline Moyer, Business Ethics Alliance Board Vice Chair and SVP, Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Market Manager, Security National Bank

I believe that Ethics guides us to make the world a better place through the choices we make. Ethics helps us make decisions that create positive impacts and keeps us away from unjust outcomes. We all have great responsibility in helping to shape the Ethical culture for the greater Omaha community.

Patricia Kearns, Business Ethics Alliance Trustee Chair and President/ CEO of QLI, Inc.

It’s essential for building trust amongst team members, a sense of community within the organization, and ultimately a high level of team member engagement that leads to terrific business outcomes.

Stuart Chittenden, Business Ethics Alliance Signature Event Emcee and Founder, Squishtalks Ethics are the heart of a good life.

Kristi Andersen, Business Ethics Alliance Communication Strategist, Vice President, CBRE, and

New Board Of Directors

Now that you’ve read why several of our board members and trusted partners have a heart for ethics, here’s why our staff have a heart for ethics.

AnnMarie Marlier, Vice President of Leadership Development

Ethical decisions lead to lives with no regrets. When I’ve made a decision based on ethical principles, I do not look back and think that I could have made a better decision. I know I made the best decision I could

SAVE THESE dates:

MARCH 23, 2023:

SPRING ETHICS BREAKFAST

Women in Leadership | 7:30a-9:00a | The Venue

APRIL 20, 2023:

SPRING ETHICS LUNCHEON

Diversity on Boards | 11:30a-1:00a |

Scott Conference Center

MAY 25, 2023:

SPRING MIND CANDY DIALOGUE

Mental Health in the Workplace | 7:30a-9:00a | Scott Conference Center

Funder, Kristi Andersen Communications

I want to leave the world a better place for our children, a place where everyone feels valued no matter their profession or position in life.

Jason Fischer, Business Ethics Alliance Media Strategist and CEO/ Creative Influencer of Surreal Media Lab Ethics is the philosophy that inspires us all to continue to do better.

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Tracey Fricke, Business Ethics Alliance Event Planner and Owner, Occasion Designed I need to work with people I trust, and people who have ethics as part of their core strategies tend to be trustworthy people. I rely on a lot of other players to make all the pieces of the puzzle fit together perfectly to make an event happen successfully…when we have strong, trustworthy, ethical ties that bind our businesses, our community is better equipped to be robust and resilient and to thrive.

Michael Robinson, Director of Operations, Omaha with the best information I had available at the time.

Shannon Underwood, Operations Manager

The decisions I make influence the relationships I have with the people around me.

CJ Braccia, Intern

I believe that if everyone acted with ethics at the forefront of their mind, we would live in a more just world.

As you can see from some of our biggest supporters, making and supporting ethical decisions is not easy. However, taking the less ethical

JUNE 29, 2023:

SUMMER MIND CANDY DIALOGUE Ethics of the Hybrid Work Team | 11:30a-1:00a | Creighton Heider School of Business

AUGUST 03, 2023:

SUMMER ETHICS LUNCHEON Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Business | 11:30a-1:00p | Charles Schwab Field

OCTOBER 05, 2023:

15TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION ETHICSPACE CONFERENCE CHI Center

Economic Development Corporation road does not typically lead to positive outcomes. Taking a few moments to consider the potential outcomes of decisions, and knowing that you chose the ethical way more often than not leads to better long-term outcomes.

Ethics is at the heart of business. It doesn’t cost a thing, but unethical decisions and actions can cost you everything.

There are so many ways to have a heart for ethics! Whether you like your ethics messages on candy hearts, foil chocolate wrappers, coming from a friend, or shared by a co-worker, ethics are the heart of making businesses and communities a better place to work and live.

BUSINESS ETHICS alliance

The Business Ethics Alliance is kicking off a series of bi-monthly articles highlighting a different Alliance Trustee partner and how they weave ethical practices into all aspects of their organization. Our first Trustee Spotlight focuses on Patricia Kearns, President and CEO of QLI, Inc. Patricia is also the Alliance’s Trustee Chair, supporting and leading Trustee engagement.

Q. What does business ethics mean to you?

Business ethics means creating and upholding a culture that prioritizes honesty, transparency, and always doing the right thing.

Q. Who or what influenced the development of the ethical qualities you live by?

I grew up in a small community in western Nebraska and throughout my school years…was involved in pretty much every extracurricular activity that was offered … I was surrounded by terrific coaches who invested in my growth … They taught me how to build trust through open communication, accountability, hard work, prioritizing the team over self, and consistently behaving with a high level of integrity. They instilled a mindset of always do what’s right … with the understanding that positive behavior will have a positive impact on the success of the team.