EY has published its 2024 edition of its Global Integrity Report, and as usual, the report delivers a wealth of insights about the health of the global ethics economy and what kinds of opportunities this presents for values-driven organizations everywhere.
Overall, the report says, integrity standards are improving even though corporate misconduct appears to be on the rise. Of special note is the growing say-do gap between what leaders say about integrity versus what their own behavior tells the world, which creates integrity risk. General counsel in particular are well-positioned, the report says, to build integrity-first, people-centered organizations.
Some other key insights from the report include:
- Nearly four out of 10 (38%) global respondents say they would behave unethically to advance their own careers, a substantial jump from the last report.
- When we break down those numbers, 67% of board members and 51% of senior management say they would behave unethically for their own benefit, compared to just 25% of workers in general. Given how important a role leadership plays in setting ethical tone and facilitating speak-up cultures, these statistics are incredibly important.
- Those same leaders say they feel pressure to not report misconduct – nearly 65% for board members and 57% for senior management.
- Training, awareness, and resources are the key to preventing misconduct. 54% of global respondents say that shortages of these things create opportunities for employees to violate integrity standards.
To download a copy of the 2024 Global Integrity Report, click here.
