Shareholders aren’t everything. That sounds like a concerning statement to hear if you’re a shareholder. It might be the sort of thing you’d hear said by less than business friendly types. Hippies, socialists, gasp… millennials! Well no. It was essentially the message that came out of the Business Roundtable last month as they released their Principles of Corporate Governance. The Business Roundtable? Who are they? Business Roundtable is an association of chief executive officers of America’s leading companies working to promote a thriving U.S. economy and expanded opportunity for all Americans through sound public policy. Not exactly the socialist collective and…

Trust comes naturally to some professions. Take a survey from any country and there will inevitably be a consistent top three in the trusted category: nurses, firefighters and doctors. It makes sense. At their core we have to trust these professions with our health and our safety. Doctors and nurses also provide guidance and comfort in times of need. Down at the bottom? Car salesmen, real estate agents and politicians. These three are primarily transactional relationships. The first two rely on making a sale to ensure their continued existence. It’s obvious there’s some self-interest there, but stories of unethical behaviour…