Introduction
Accountability, as a concept, has emerged as an important consideration point for entrepreneurship and businesses in recent times.
While innovation, technological advancement, and strategic growth continue to be focal attention points for entrepreneurs, it’s the entrepreneurs who prioritize accountability that stand out from the crowd.
The relationship between accountability and entrepreneurship is undeniable.
The increasing focus on Corporate Social Responsibility is proof of the growing conscientiousness among entrepreneurs and businessmen.
By committing to accountability in business practices businessmen can not only create a positive work environment but can also win the confidence and trust of stakeholders which is the secret of sustainable success.
Through this Review, we give our take on how accountability impacts businesses.
But before we begin, we must first understand:
What is Accountability?
Accountability simply means responsibility.
When talking about the accountability of entrepreneurs, it refers to the responsibility of entrepreneurs towards their stakeholders, employees, and society at large.
It means holding entrepreneurs accountable for their actions, decisions, and the consequences of their actions and decisions.
Importance of Accountability in Business
The importance of accountability in business and entrepreneurship is ever-growing because it:
1. Builds trust:
Accountability is the building block for trust.
It helps create an environment of mutual trust between a business and various stakeholders like customers, investors, employees, suppliers, government, and society at large.
Holding businesses and entrepreneurs accountable for their actions and activities not only helps keep them in check but also ensures that entrepreneurs maintain integrity and reliability in their business practices and dealings.
Businesses and entrepreneurs that hold themselves accountable to their stakeholders and society build a positive reputation for themselves and their businesses.
2. Fosters ethical behavior:
Ethics in business is a highly valued quality as it helps build trust in a business.
Entrepreneurs who hold themselves accountable to their stakeholders help promote a culture of ethical behavior within their organization.
By adhering to ethical practices of transparency and honesty in their dealings these entrepreneurs lead by example and encourage ethical practices within their organization.
Businesses led by entrepreneurs who prioritize accountability are more likely to create an organization that promotes and rewards ethical behavior while condemning unethical practices.
3. Improves performance:
Accountability encourages growth and enhances performance.
Entrepreneurs who hold themselves accountable for their actions and decisions are more aware of their day-to-day business dealings.
They ensure they make all decisions only after proper deliberation and analysis of the consequences of such decisions.
Being conscientious of their actions makes them more susceptible to identifying areas of improvement and growth and exploiting them to improve and enhance business performance.
4. Manages risk:
Entrepreneurs who follow accountable business practices are aware of their obligations and the repercussions of their decisions and actions.
They are cautious in their dealings and can actively avoid undertaking activities that may cause losses for their business.
Since they are transparent in their dealings, they can easily anticipate issues that are likely to impact their business and proactively engage in mitigating risks that might arise in the future.
5. Ensures legal compliance:
Entrepreneurs who value accountability ensure that their business practices adhere to the laws of the land.
They hold themselves and their businesses accountable for their actions and thus strive to avoid non-compliance with laws, which leads not only to financial loss in the form of penalties but also to a loss of reputation and market standing.
Entrepreneurs who prioritize accountability in business practices ensure they make prompt amends to overcome any unintentional non-compliance as and when it comes to their notice.
A business that complies with the applicable laws and guidelines enjoys the trust of its stakeholders, society, and governing bodies making it easier for it to get financial assistance from banks, funding from investors, high employee retention and satisfaction from its team, and brand loyalty from customers.
Accountable and Non-Accountable Business Practices Illustrated
We are sure everyone is aware of the ongoing and rapidly increasing cases of corporate scandals involving fraud, violation of labour laws, environmental negligence, and data breach coming to light in recent years.
It is due to this rising non-accountable behavior by businesses that focus on accountability in business actions has gained massive support with business giants coming under scrutiny for their unethical and non-accountable business practices.
Some infamous cases of non-accountable business behavior seen in the recent past include:
1. Nike:
This world-famous brand has seen its share of negative publicity due to its labour rights and unsustainable production practices.
Nike received severe backlash from consumers due to its alleged use of sweatshops to lower the cost of production and increase profits.
Nike was further accused of poor working conditions for its factory workers.
This along with the false sustainable production claims whilst using non-biodegradable plastics in production, has been a leading cause for Nike being considered to be non-accountable in its business practices.
2. Coca-Cola:
Coca-Cola was called out for its negligence regarding the environment on multiple occasions.
Labeled as a top plastic polluter the company was held responsible for contributing to the growing problem of plastic packaging waste harming the marine environment.
Coca-Cola was also accused of using harmful chemicals in the manufacture of its products and of causing water shortages in Mexico.
3. McDonald’s:
This popular fast-food chain was accused of false advertising and incising the public to buy products by showing false images that depicted the dishes in a way that made them seem more appetizing in images than they were in reality.
It was further accused of sourcing its ingredients from unsustainable sources, ignoring the impact that its unnecessary packaging had on the environment and pushing consumers to an unhealthy lifestyle thus contributing to a rise in obesity including childhood obesity.
What all these companies had in common was their disregard for accountability.
They all failed to accept their responsibility toward the consumers, society, and the environment.
Conversely, the following startups and businesses showcase exemplary accountability examples:
1. Netflix:
This popular streaming platform is known for fostering accountability among its employees.
It promotes a work culture that empowers employees to become independent in their decision-making and work with a feeling of ownership and responsibility toward the company.
It pushes its employees to take the initiative to develop and support the growth of the business.
2. Airbnb:
This company has mastered accountability toward its customers.
Airbnb has gained popularity for its customer-centric business style.
By engaging in and encouraging constant consumer dialogue they have successfully provided their customers with the best experience and quickest resolution of concerns.
3. Buffer:
Buffer, a value-driven startup that provides affordable, intuitive marketing tools for individuals and companies looking to grow their audience on social media and beyond, is known for its commitment to accountability.
It allows for total transparency in its operations by openly sharing its financial data, internal processes, and decision-making processes with its stakeholders.
Buffer’s commitment to transparency and accountability has been highly appreciated by stakeholders and employees alike.
4. TOMS Shoes:
Though the popularity of TOMS shoes has declined over the years there is no denying that TOMS Shoes are the epitome of environmental and social accountability.
TOMS famous for its commitment to sustainability and environment-friendly practices, has undertaken community development programs ever since its founder Blake Mycoskie pioneered the One for One® model in 2006.
From giving away one pair of shoes for every pair sold (One for One® model) to giving away 1/3rd of its profits for grassroots goods, TOMS has been working to “build equity at the local level and driving progress from the ground up.”
TOMS’s commitment to social responsibility and ethical business practices is a shining example of business accountability.
Conclusion
In the wise words of Mr. Bill Ford
“Creating a strong business and building a better world are not conflicting goals- they are both ingredients for long-term success”
Entrepreneurs, their employees, stakeholders, and society at large benefit greatly from setting high accountability standards.
Entrepreneurs and startups that incorporate accountability into their business practices and encourage accountability from their teams can successfully win the trust of stakeholders, manage risks, and create a positive social impact.
