An
Important Lesson for America's Future Business Leaders
Junior Achievement Teaches Kids How
to Achieve Excellence through Ethics
(ARA) - As one financial crisis after another
has gripped our nation, a serious social issue has become all
too clear -- there is a critical need for early ethics education
in the United States of America.
According to a new Junior Achievement/Harris
Interactive poll of teens, 33 percent would act unethically
to get ahead or make more money if there was no chance of getting
caught. "These results confirm our belief that ethics education
must begin in elementary school," says Barry Salzberg, U.S.
Managing Partner of Deloitte, one of the nation's leading professional
services firms. "We have teamed up with Junior Achievement to
help communicate a clear message to our nation's youth; 'it's
never okay to act unethically.'"
Deloitte has committed $1 million to Junior
Achievement (JA) -- the national leader in economics and business
education -- to develop and implement "Excellence through Ethics,"
a series of lessons that teach kids why it's so important to
make decisions that are ethical.
"Excellence through Ethics" activities
have been designed to teach kids in grades 4 through 12 the
concept of intellectual property rights, the importance of presenting
themselves truthfully and accurately during a job search, why
insider trading is illegal, and why ethical standards are important
for business people. The curriculum is available nationwide
through JA offices and online through the JA/Deloitte Business
Ethics Center.
Elementary school students will get their
first introduction to the curriculum in the fourth grade. They
will be taught the role business plays in environmental stewardship.
The lesson delves into a scenario with a pencil company that
cuts down too many trees without replanting new ones.
Middle school students will be taught more
complex concepts. They will learn about the importance of presenting
themselves truthfully during a job interview, and examine the
pros and cons of moving production operations to foreign countries.
High school students will learn concepts
they can take out into the working world with them when they
graduate, such as why businesses are obliged to ensure worker
safety, what insider trading is and why it's illegal, and the
importance of good corporate citizenship.
"Ethical behavior is the cornerstone
of the American free enterprise system and the key to success
in business. The message we're sending to America's future CEOs,
analysts, marketing directors, purchasing managers, and accountants
is that honesty is always the best policy," says David S. Chernow,
president and CEO of Junior Achievement Inc.
For more information about the "Excellence
through Ethics" program, visit www.ja.org/ethics.
Courtesy of ARA Content
