Ethics?
Someone asked a question some time ago about ethics in business, creative services specifically. The question had an agenda, it was trying to identify what creative professionals considered ethically wrong regarding work and client types. The usual suspects came up, companies shrouded in controversy and bad reputations, such as big tobacco and big oil. My response was more intersectional, there is a difference between business ethics and personal ethics, or morals.
In my opinion, doing work for big tobacco or big oil, or any other company dubbed "the bad ones"...is not a professional ethics problem, that's personal ethics or moral problem. Nonetheless, you should always be mindful of the type of clients you serve, as this impacts your professional image. In most cases, it’s only if you care enough for it to bother you. Chances are even if you have to do it behind closed doors if these companies pay you enough money and you have no moral complaint. You would gladly work with them and collect their money. It’s legal tender.
That’s my assumption though…
Professionally speaking, I only try and stay away from politics, religion, and anything that would be perceived as my own belief or the agency's position. I do not have much of a problem with most industries that are legal and true to themselves. Especially if a company needs to reposition itself for better, for good. I say all this but I have worked with religious clients and political clients but there is always context to the job and the client because as a service provider you aim to maintain neutrality.
Most people have personal moral problems, and they confuse them with business ethics. Bad business ethics for me, would be cheating clients, overcharging, undercharging, overall dishonesty in the financial exchange of services. Bad business ethics or practice is not about working with publicly hated or companies or industries dubbed as bad. If a client or company goes against your personal beliefs, it is your choice to apply those morals to your business and be selective with the clients you work with. I love a high selective service myself.
However, understand that your personal morals or beliefs do not necessarily apply or need to be applied to your business, and you would be doing nothing wrong as long as your business practices good, fair business management.
That’s just how I see it.
