Ethics

One contributing factor for Greenville’s continuous economic success is our emphasis on ethics and leadership in the business arena. Companies here know the importance of ethical behavior and strong leadership, and consequently, are constantly making them priorities in their day-to-day business.

Companies here lead by example. So much so that more than a few have been chosen by Ethisphere Institute as some of the most ethical companies in the world. The Greenville based companies chosen for Ethisphere’s 2009 list include Milliken, Fluor, Duke Energy, General Electric and BMW.

Ethisphere Institute is a leading international think-tank dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability. Every year the Institute comes out with a list of the World’s most ethical companies. Companies are judged on seven categories: Corporate Citizenship and Responsibility; Corporate Governance; Innovation that Contributes to the Public Well Being; Industry leadership; Executive Leadership and Tone from the Top; Legal, Regulatory and Reputation Track Record; and Internal Systems and Ethics/Compliance Program. Greenville’s emphasis on ethics also reaches outside of the realm of big corporations. Our real estate agents follow a strict code of ethics here. Also, schools are becoming more and more ethically oriented as they include the teaching of ethics and importance of ethical behavior in the curriculum. Furthermore, various organizations in the area, including the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, hold seminars and conferences on the subject of ethics in business and ethics in education.

Discussing Greenville’s dedication to creating strong leaders simply wouldn’t be complete is we hadn’t included “Leadership Greenville.” Leadership Greenville is designed to help develop informed, committed and qualified leaders for Greenville County. By taking an intensive look into the issues affecting Greenville County, Leadership Greenville prepares and motivates participants to provide quality, dynamic leadership within the area. This program is a 10-month commitment and participants are selected through an application process based upon their past involvement in the community and their ability to set and achieve high personal goals. As part of the leadership program, each leadership class works on class projects, which are projects that give back and benefit the community.

PULSE, Professionals United for Leadership and Social Enrichment, is also a great leadership organization in the Greenville community. It is an organization designed for young professionals (age 22-39) in the Greater Greenville area. PULSE provides outlets for social connection, as well as professional and leadership development opportunities. The group was started and is governed by area young professionals looking to enhance their age group’s presence in the community.

In 2006, Three passionate bright women started Greenville Women Giving - a philanthropic organization serving Greenville County, SC. The group was founded on the idea that women, informed about philanthropy and about needs in their community, collectively can make a real difference. They are committed to strengthening our community by awarding high-impact grants in five areas: arts and culture, education, health, human services, and environment.

The Upstate of South Carolina has been well documented for its staggering community participation in volunteerism. With community and corporate leaders blazing the way- its no wonder downtown Greenville is such a great place to live and work.