ABSTRACT
The ethics of business is a key concern for the captains of industry. There is a need to maintain a good reputation and be open and honest with the wider community, as well as maintaining profit for the shareholders. There are public and political pressures for businesses to meet climate change targets and for construction in particular to ‘clean up its act’. Not many businesses have a formal ethical code. The aim of this chapter is to establish the role of business ethics and the associated practice of corporate social responsibility reporting in gaining an ethical approach to business, and to see how this operates in the construction and property industries. The chapter will
• discuss the rationale for a business ethic; • identify the economic and governance responsibilities of business; • evaluate the social and environmental responsibilities of business organisa-
tions and construction.
