Making Sense of Business Ethics - About Not Walking the Talk

Abstract

By using a sensemaking perspective, this article argues that it is not relevant to fully expect firms to walk their talk in ethical matters. Accuracy between words and deeds is utopia in a post-modern world, with chaos and complexity. Integrating diverse ways of doing ethical business across global regions rather creates legitimacy, trust and a good image among firms in business networks. So what is the role of the ethics code? The article gives examples from a case study on Stora Enso, where the ethics code has a certain strategic meaning, but where the CEO also states that the firm has to do what it says, and say what it does. In short, the article discusses a new paradigm which influences how one can make sense of business ethics in the contemporary and global business market.