I read “Ethics Awareness” and was surprised by how much an affect the everyday actions shape the culture of an organization. The small choices that are decided when someone makes a mistake or how coworkers talk to each other matter in the long run. Ethics is not about the big actions but the routine decisions. Those matter more to the individual because they show ethics when someone isn’t watching. Having ethics integrated into the workflow by asking yourself those questions about whether the decision is right or wrong is reflected in the work culture. 

The focus on systems and not just people was a nice perspective. Having policies and processes that justify the “right” choice makes it easier to pick the ethical option. The article mentioned phrases like “it’s necessary”, “it’s legal”, and “everyone does it” are common traps that people fall into that justify their actions. Written rules matter but having incentives and role models to look up to are the course to ensure employees actually follow those rules.

The reading tied ethics to performance. Ethical choices build trust with people involved, this can increase reputation and funding. The best decisions are ethical and effective, they meet goals without sacrificing values. Leaders have a lot of responsibility, they set the tone, distribute resources, and respond to concerns. They should be the one that changes the system if it isn’t in line with the company’s values and needs to be fixed. Ethical culture needs to be a daily practice.

“Ethics Awareness.” Ethics Awareness, blink.ucsd.edu/finance/accountability/ethics-awareness.html#core-ethical-values. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.