I have been working for Shell for four and a half years already. Whenever someone asks me where I am currently working, I am still proud to say that I am employed in Shell. I heard a lot of good feedback about this company when I was still with my previous employer. It was just once a dream to work in one of the Fortune 500 companies.
The reason why I am still staying in Shell is its corporate culture. People left the company and came back after a few years simply because they could not find a company with a culture similar to Shell. This company and its people strongly adhere to its core values—honesty, integrity, and respect for people. These core values are very evident in the company, and anyone who dares to violate any of these will be properly reprimanded. Like growing a child, organizational culture requires strong management (like a mother) who will guide and build them. All Shell employees and contractors are expected to adhere to this set of core values we share.
As tackled during our class discussion on corporate culture, no individual can build or change a company’s culture alone. It is a combined effort of the corporate leaders and their people. Living in a world of diversities poses a challenge for companies to keep such good corporate culture alive. People have different ethical values, beliefs, and behavior which could be the main blocker in achieving an ethical corporate culture. It takes years to build a culture of trust, openness, teamwork, and professionalism.
In terms of ethical leadership, I can say that most of the leaders I know, if not all, walk the talk and do the right thing. Most of them always send and reinforce the right messages and actions that matter in the culture. In our department, the leads serve as role models for us. During meetings, you can really feel that your opinions and inputs are being heard and valued. They also respect your time off, especially when you are on sick leave. This kind of culture where managers have integrity and respect for their people plays a vital role in building an ethical culture in the workplace. This inspires me to be an ethical leader who sets a great example.
Shell’s General Business Principles, Code of Conduct, and Ethics and Compliance Manual guide its people to align with its core values. Also, part of our culture is speaking up. The company creates a space where people are free to speak up and let their leaders and management their opinions on different matters. Aside from this, Shell also creates a culture of care and safety. I am forever grateful to be part of this company.
The author is an MBA student at the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, DLSU. She can be reached at louise_vergara@dlsu.edu.ph.
The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.
