Blurred Lines Means Bad Business: Why Financial Integrity is Vital to Procurement Success By Andy Beth Miller When I was approached by Steve Fisher with writing an article covering the subject matter of financial integrity, specifically in the procurement realm, I was immediately on board. Not only was I on board, but I was excited, as integrity — of any kind — is a rare anomaly these days. As we jumped into the interview, Fisher, who is a Procurement Advisor for Emerald Textiles, began telling me about the journey that first brought him to the procurement field. It was a tale that began with the requisite college degree, followed by grad school, and as Fisher extolled his evolution, it quickly became clear how motivated, self-aware, and mindful an individual he is. “After college, I became a customs broker/freight forwarder and learned the nuts and bolts of moving and storing goods globally. After realizing how little I knew, I went back to graduate school,” Fisher explained of his progression.
But, as he soon assured me, Fisher has never—and will never—cut corners or cross any ethical lines in order to get there. Indeed, there are no shortcuts or kickbacks allowed here, as Fisher explained one example of where he often sees colleagues allowing fringe benefits to muddy the waters of financial integrity, “One thing I [have] learned, among many, is that no matter a person’s title, if that person has pictures of golf or trip outings between company members and suppliers, the company is not getting the best pricing because they are spending at least something on keeping decisionmakers happy outside the confines of real business.”
Following his graduation from grad school, Fisher decided to learn the third major component of the global supply chain: buying. For five years, he worked as a consultant and advisor for a company whose business was to reduce indirect spend and to optimize categories.
And for those that will assure Fisher that this is just the way the world—and business—works, Fisher will readily assure you that it is not, or certainly should not be. “I know [that people say] it’s just ‘part of the game,’ but it is not,” Fisher stated flatly. He then directly follows this statement with a declaration that does not mince words, while pointing to the accountability of every single individual in this scenario, “I believe that everyone involved in buying decisions, directly or indirectly, must treat spending company money as if it were your own. If you do that, you will always hold the best interests of the company first.”
As he described this season of his career to me, I couldn’t help but imagine him on one of my favorite game shows that rewards such acumen. The iconic “Let’s Make a Deal” came to mind as Fisher admitted with a grin, “I have always enjoyed reducing costs and negotiating.” Fisher’s revealing words and infectious smile were telltale signs of his intense affection for altering that bottom line and finagling his way to a better financial reward for his company, and the fact that achieving such a feat was intensely satisfying to him was clearly evident.
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He continued to bring his point home via this summation, “In a nutshell, it means spending every dollar as if it were coming out of your own pocket. It means putting the best interests of the company before your own wants. It also means being a professional,
