ethics

Businesses Behaving Badly: You May Be To Blame

When businesses do things that harm workers, the environment, or the health and safety of their consumers, we are justifiably outraged. But do the companies deserve all the blame? Not necessarily.

Americans Love to Hate These Professions -- and No Wonder

Congressmen, lobbyists, and car salesmen have some of the worst reputations for honesty and ethics, as do business execs, stock brokers and real estate agents. And there's a reason why: The rules of their games are stacked against good behavior.

The Most Ethical Business in the World Is ...

Earlier this year, Ethisphere published its fifth annual list of the World's Most Ethical Companies. You'll be interested in which ones made the top of the list, but what's more important is how -- and how well they do by doing good.

Buffett's Blind Spot: David Sokol's Unethical History

David Sokol, once considered a likely successor to Warren Buffett as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, resigned this week from Berkshire under a cloud of possible insider trading charges. But these recent ethical lapses are hardly the worst of Sokol's business transgressions.

With Sokol Out, Who's in Line to Succeed Buffett?

David Sokol, widely viewed as the heir apparent to famed investor Warren Buffett, abruptly resigned Wednesday. What investors want to know now is who's still in the running to succeed Buffett as CEO. Here are four possibilities.

'Dirty Tricks' Lawyers Targeted in Ethics Complaint

StopTheChamber, a group critical of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, says it was the target of a planned dirty tricks campaign. The group has filed an ethics complaint against three partners at the Hunton & Williams law firm.

N.Y. Gov. Paterson's Free Yankee Tickets Earn Him a Stiff Fine

The state Public Integrity Commission fined him more than $62,000 for accepting five free tickets to the 2009 World Series opener at Yankee Stadium. It's the latest chapter in the long and dubious history of politicians getting wooed at sports events.

WikiLeaks Latest Document Dump Yields No Surprises

Despite all the media fervor over WikiLeaks massive document dump of decades of U.S. diplomatic correspondence, the leaked material hasn't revealed anything new. But while it may not harm national security, the leak could deal a serious blow to mainstream efforts to increase government transparency.

Charles Rangel Faces Congressional Ethics Trial

Rep. Charles Rangel, the New York Democrat who has represented Harlem for four decades, will face a rare trial before the House Ethics Committee on 13 charges that he misused his position as the powerful Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee.

FDA Panel Scrutinizing Diabetes Drug Avandia

On Tuesday, the FDA will convene a panel of experts to discuss GlaxoSmithKline's type II diabetes drug Avandia. Once a blockbuster, sales of the drug have dropped by more than half since studies suggested it significantly increases risk for serious heart problems.