[TIL] One mega company has an 'Ethics Day', when employees ask questions online to the CEO, who responds in real-time, without censorship

[andersonnnunes]

Article: Ethics is key to filling growing gap as technology outpaces regulation — L’Oreal chief ethics officer
Excerpt: As an example of the importance placed on ethics at L’Oreal, the company holds an annual “Ethics Day,” when employees worldwide can ask questions online to CEO Agon, who responds in real-time, without any censorship, according to Lulin. The company has been holding the company-wide conversation for the past 11 years, and it has worked so well that it has been rolled out to regional managers.

If true that there is no censorship and that he does answer honestly, it is a pretty cool event.

 

[Arnox]

Would love to see this in other companies too, although it has potential to be faked.

 

[Monoochrom]

Sadly, this doesn't actually suggest that the answers would be honest.

If I set a Date and I am aware, which would be easy, of any on-going controversies...what exactly about that implies that I am under any pressure to be honest? All I'd have to do is learn what kind of standard answers I'll need to be able to address. Anything that applies to low-level employs would also involve (obviously) several degrees of separation from me, meaning I'd only need vague answers.

I actually distrust this sort of thing more, because it's misrepresented as a uncontrollable Q&A when it is anything but. Perhaps if this were impromptu, done by a different, potentially even opposing, organization. Then it might have some merit, if there were no ability to plan around it.

 

[Vendor-Lazarus]

Corporations will never, ever, say anything that could affect the corporation negatively.
The only exception would be as a PR stunt.

 

[Houseman]

"Ask anything at all! I won't arrange to have you fired, I promise."