The second ethic is Taqwa (Conscientiousness) – our responsibility to external parties, such as our clients, consulting partners, industry peers, and the community at large. Taqwa represents the idea of being a good citizen in society, behaving fairly and honestly and with respect. It provides a moral “constraint” on our activities. In the context of our company, this means that we should apply the same Taqwa to everyone the company relates with the clients we serve, the consulting partners we collaborate with, and the communities and the country (wherever the company is operating). In this respect, making a misleading statement about our consulting capabilities or compromising the quality of our governance recommendations could both be examples of not living up to the Taqwa value.
These examples are of clear and unambiguous nature in which correct behavior is clearly distinguishable from incorrect behavior.
Taqwa addresses also issues of a more ambiguous nature by stipulating that when faced with a decision whose legality, morality, lawfulness or correctness is not clear, an individual must submit his or her decision to the following criteria:
- Legality: Is the decision legal and have we in fact checked its legality with proper reference, g., our legal department.
- Public Opinion: Even if the decision is legal, will I be able to publicly admit to it and stand by it? In other words, if our consulting advice or methodology is revealed, will I be proud of it in front of others?
- Personal Opinion: Do I feel that what I am recommending to our clients is fair and not just legal?
There is a fine line between Legality and morality. In principle, not all legal matters conform to the Taqwa principle. As governance consultants, we may encounter situations where commonly accepted practices don’t align with the best governance principles. Technically, these practices may still be legal because of gaps between current regulations and evolving governance standards.
It is in these instances where Taqwa becomes more important and far more reaching implication. It transcends the legal criterion to something more fundamental. The mere application of the legality criterion, while necessary, is not a substitute for the far more reaching concept of Taqwa.
Taqwa emphasizes the need to make the right decisions when it comes to our relationships with our stakeholders. Submitting our decisions to these criteria and abiding by the rules and regulations of our organization will reap several primary benefits for us. First, we will be comforted in the knowledge that our consulting services and recommendations are both legally and morally acceptable. Second, SEMARTI’s emphasis on developing and abiding by legally and morally correct policies instills in us the confidence of being able to predict what SEMARTI will and will not do or accept. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, fostering ethical relationships with our clients, consulting partners, and all other stakeholders will enhance our reputation as a trustworthy governance advisor. This, in turn, will strengthen their willingness to engage with us and enhance our ability to achieve more mutually beneficial outcomes.