The Responsible Organization

Doug Lennick and Fred Kiel

There are two hallmarks of the responsible organization. First, it embraces its responsibility for being of service to others. Second, it acknowledges mistakes and failures. With respect to serving others, there are two levels of service. The first level of responsibility is that the organization provides worthwhile products or services. This does not mean that your organization is only a responsible one if it invents the cure for the common cold. It is, however, important that your organization has a socially worthwhile mission. In a 2002 letter to shareholders, Jeffrey Immelt put GE’s mission this way: “Let me put it as simply as I can. Customers win when we provide better products; they ...