The Value of Values: How Leaders Can Grow Their Businesses and Enhance Their Careers by Doing the Right Thing

Implementing ethical business practices can be a “tremendous source of power, profit, and competitive advantage,” posits this lackluster debut manual from business consultant Aronson. Prioritizing values creates benefits for customers and employees while reducing risk and improving innovation, according to Aronson, who notes that Meta suffered a $20 million revenue loss in 2020 after Unilever, a British consumer goods company, temporarily stopped advertising on Facebook and Instagram in response to the platforms’ inaction on reining in extremist content. Other case studies are less illuminating; for instance, Aronson suggests the outdoor gear company REI burnishes its relationship with employees by helping them “spend time with their family, outdoors,” but doesn’t specify how. Aronson covers informative research findings, including studies suggesting diverse workforces and executive boards are correlated with higher profits than less diverse competitors. Unfortunately, much of the advice revolves around the benefits of talking about doing the right thing rather than actually doing it; for instance, Aronson’s observation that brands perceived as trustworthy bounce back from public relations crises faster than less trusted brands elides the question of whether a brand in crisis deserved the trust in the first place. This doesn’t add much to the considerable literature on corporate responsibility. (Feb.)