Ethics Explorer: Transparency and Honesty in Social Performance
Welcome to Ethics Explorer, your monthly guide to navigating ethical challenges in social performance practice. Each month, we explore one of the core ethical principles that guide our profession, illustrated with real examples and practical guidance. This month’s Ethics Explorer focuses on Transparency and Honesty in Social Performance.
Audio play here:
This Month’s Ethical Principle: Transparency and Honesty
Social performance practitioners should maintain transparency in communications with stakeholders, being honest about potential impacts and disclosing how data is collected and used.
Example of this principle in social performance practice
Lars ensures transparent communication about negative project impacts, despite internal pressure to downplay concerns. His honest reporting helps prevent backlash and builds long-term trust with stakeholders.
Example of how a practitioner can face a difficult decision because they see this principle as being conflicted at work
Mei discovers unexpected social impacts during monitoring but faces resistance to full disclosure.
She faces multiple pressures:
- Management wants to limit information sharing to “avoid panic”
- Legal team advises against admitting impacts without further study
- Communities demand immediate information
- Investors require timely disclosure of material risks
This situation demonstrates:
- Information control: Balancing transparency with risk management
- Stakeholder trust: Maintaining relationships through honest communication
- Corporate governance: Meeting disclosure requirements while managing risks
- Professional ethics: Upholding transparency in challenging circumstances
