he first time I heard the quote “The business of business is business,” I was struck by a sense of disappointment, followed by a rush of frustration and then by a resolution.
It has been suggested that the vision of an ethically run company is an impossible dream, an oxymoron, because a corporate entity by design exists to maximize profits and interest, not sow the unprofitable seeds of social welfare, responsibility, ethics and environmental sensitivity.
I respectfully disagree, and offer what I hope is a better vision of the future for companies and business leaders to embrace, from the largest multinational corporation to the smallest entrepreneur working out of a home office.
As an automotive dealer in Southern California and Arizona, I am blessed with more success than I could have imagined when I started in this business some 40 years ago. I may be the last man you would expect to speak up about the importance of social values and ethical corporate citizenship.
But I recently invested in a multiregional promotional campaign that was motivated by more than the bottom line. It was motivated by my responsibility to do the right thing as a businessperson.
I had the unique opportunity to travel to the African nation of Rwanda as a guest and tourist in the winter of 2006. It was a turning point in my life, and I have since worked to promote and encourage ethical ecotourism, a sustainable coffee industry and the betterment of the Rwandan economy as it rises up from the remains of a bitter civil war.
I have made it my mission to promote Rwanda as one of Africa’s greatest success stories and will continue to do what I can to encourage awareness of its needs and its opportunities to those who can make a difference.
Why?
Because we can and should consider our impact on the world, even as we continue our traditions of pursuing profits.
It is not a secret: Being a good person is always good business. It is undeniable that our Tuttle-Click Automotive customers tune into our positive, ethical values and those of our employees. Our customers are more and more sensitive to what we care about as a company and to what this corporation is doing for the community every day. It steers their buying decisions.
It is my job to help clearly define our values of ethics and personally pave the way for this company to continually communicate them at all points of contact. We need our community to know that we are good people, inspired to show up for work every day by more than the bottom line.
I believe it is our duty as community leaders and successful businesspeople to do the right thing, to make our decisions based not only on fiscal or economic factors but also on the social and environmental impact of those decisions.
Working to improve the social and economic welfare of my community as well as the global community,no matter how small the effort, starting at all of my dealerships in California and Arizona,is an investment I am compelled to make.
I did not travel to Rwanda with a mission. But I surely returned home with one. I applaud the leaders of Orange County who lead their businesses and personal networks down paths of responsible, ethical citizenship,wherever and whenever opportunities present themselves.
We are all full partners in our communities, local and global. We cannot wait for a better future to reveal itself to us. We have to work to create it, and not just for ourselves.
Click is chairman of Irvine-based Tuttle-Click Automotive.
