The third ethic is Birr (Caring Justice) – our responsibility toward our colleagues, the employees of SEMARTI. When considering our employees and colleagues, Birr means that everyone is entitled to treatment with basic human dignity and decency in a way that is sensitive to the individual’s professional development needs, family needs and the need for self-fulfillment. The concept goes beyond the sense of fair play and justice; it is essentially about genuine care and concern for people and their welfare. It is about treating our colleagues in a manner that we ourselves would like to be treated by. Applying Birr is a responsibility of all employees whenever a decision is going to affect other employees in some way (which of course is almost always).
Birr, at its basic level, is about love. It is concerned with doing what we would have liked to be done to us. Birr is about looking at the needs, intentions, and understandings of those involved in a situation, and making a decision based on those factors. Birr is about looking beyond the cold facts by looking at the circumstances around a situation. It is about trying to accommodate, to the greatest extent possible, the needs of all those involved without transgressing against the needs of others. It is about taking that extra step of trying to determine what an acceptable solution would be to us if we were in the other person’s position or situation. A clear demonstration of Birr would entail:
- Providing our consultants, team members, and colleagues with clear and accurate feedback on their performance and contributions.
- Acknowledging the accomplishments and achievements of others both financially and non-financially.
- Ensuring that those for whom we are responsible are being developed in accordance with their professional aspirations and the needs of the organization.
- Supporting the career progression of others when they demonstrate merit and capability.