Business Ethics Terminology

verb to charge someone with an offense or crime

• The prosecutor will accuse the defendant of committing the crime.
• They're going to accuse him of cheating on the test.
• She's always quick to accuse others of stealing her stuff.
• Don't accuse the clouds of causing the rain.

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun, in this case, 'honest' describes someone who is truthful and sincere

• To be honest, I must say that the company's financial situation is not looking good.
• Honestly, I don't think he will show up to the party tonight.
• I swear, I'm being honest when I say the new restaurant is lit.
• She wore her heart on her sleeve, always honest about her feelings.

noun a game played with a ball and bat by two teams of eleven players on a large field

adjective unfair or dishonest

• His behavior at the meeting was simply not cricket.
• Skipping class is just not cricket, you know?
• Cheating on the exam is totally not cricket.
• The way she treated her friends was just not cricket.

noun A criminal scheme in which money is extracted from businesses or individuals in exchange for protection from violence or other threats.

• The authorities have been cracking down on the protection racket operating in the city.
• I heard that Tony got caught up in a protection racket scheme.
• Don't get involved in that protection racket, it's bad news.
• The company's monopoly on the market is like a protection racket, stifling competition.

noun a person's position or opinion in relation to a particular issue or situation

verb to support or endorse someone or something

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

• As a company, we always stand behind the quality of our products.
• I'll stand behind you no matter what happens.
• I got your back, I'll always stand behind you.
• The team decided to stand behind their leader's decision, even though it was risky.

verb to change repeatedly one's attitude or opinions with respect to a cause, subject, etc.; equivocate

• The politician was known to tergiversate when faced with tough questions.
• Don't try to tergiversate your way out of this situation.
• Stop tergiversating and just tell me the truth.
• His constant tergiversation made it hard to trust anything he said.

noun a person who has confidence or faith in someone or something

• The lawyer acted as a truster for the client, ensuring their best interests were always protected.
• I always go to Sarah because she's my truster when it comes to giving advice.
• I trust him with my life, he's my truster for everything.
• She was the truster of secrets, always keeping them safe and secure.

adjective showing a lack of generosity; mean or selfish

• Her ungenerous donation to the charity was met with disappointment.
• I thought it was ungenerous of him to only give me a small piece of cake.
• She's so ungenerous, she never shares her snacks with anyone.
• His ungenerous attitude towards sharing his ideas stifled creativity in the team.

noun A legitimate or honest course of action or behavior

adjective Honest or legitimate

• The company's financial records are all on the up-and-up.
• I can assure you, everything is on the up-and-up with this deal.
• Don't worry, this situation is totally up-and-up.
• His career has been on the up-and-up ever since he started working with that new team.

noun the quality of being truthful or honest

• The veracity of the scientific data presented in the research paper is unquestionable.
• I'm not sure about the veracity of that rumor going around.
• Can you believe the veracity of that story? It's wild!
• His smile had a veracity to it that made everyone trust him instantly.

noun A type of business classification that balances profit and purpose, requiring companies to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

• A B Corporation is a type of for-profit company that is legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on society and the environment.
• My friend works for a B Corporation that focuses on sustainable practices and giving back to the community.
• Dude, that B Corp is killing it with their eco-friendly products!
• Being a B Corporation is like wearing a badge of honor for companies committed to social and environmental responsibility.

noun A person or entity that seeks to profit from disasters or crises by taking advantage of vulnerable situations

• The disaster capitalist took advantage of the economic downturn to buy up struggling businesses at a fraction of their value.
• That disaster capitalist always seems to profit off of other people's misfortunes.
• I heard that disaster capitalist is making a killing off of the current crisis.
• In the world of finance, the disaster capitalist is like a vulture circling above, ready to swoop in and capitalize on chaos.

noun a slang term used to describe nonsense or foolishness

• I do not appreciate being accused of spreading false information; such accusations are nothing but horse hockey.
• I can't believe you're still buying into that horse hockey about aliens living among us.
• Stop feeding me that horse hockey, I know the truth.
• His excuses for being late were just a load of horse hockey.

verb to treat someone unfairly or dishonestly; to betray or deceive someone

• The company's decision to outsource production ended up screwing over many local workers.
• I can't believe he tried to screw me over by taking credit for my work.
• She really screwed me over by spreading rumors about me behind my back.
• His betrayal felt like a knife in the back, like he was intentionally trying to screw me over.

noun a person who acts dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage

• The company conducted an investigation and found evidence that he was a cheater.
• I heard from a reliable source that he's a cheater.
• Don't trust him, he's a total cheater.
• In the game of life, cheaters never prosper.

noun excessive desire for more than is needed or deserved

• The CEO's greediness led to the downfall of the company.
• Her greediness for dessert knows no bounds.
• I can't stand his greediness when it comes to money.
• His greediness was like a black hole, consuming everything in its path.

adverb in a manner that is accountable or responsible

• It is important for public officials to act accountably in order to maintain trust with the citizens.
• Make sure you handle the situation accountably so there are no misunderstandings.
• Don't worry, I'll make sure to do it accountably.
• The artist painted the mural accountably, ensuring every detail was perfect.