At Virtual Partner Advantage (VPA), our core values include:

• Ethical
• Passionately Committed
• Service Excellence
• Accountable
• People of Possibility (never back down)
• Thirst for Knowledge (learning culture)
• Selfless Servants.

In the coming weeks, we’d like to take the time to introduce you to each of our core values, explaining not only what they mean to us but how they benefit you as our clients.

This week, we’ll begin with Ethical. Our professional team strives to be ethical in every area of their jobs, seeking to do right for our clients, our colleagues and co-workers, and our own unique, individual moral compasses. We seek to put the best interest of our clients and team members at the forefront of all we do. Our efforts toward ethics could be summed up in this famous quote “doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.”

Performing ethically at VPA isn’t done for attention or praise, but is rather acting appropriately, knowing the difference between right and wrong, and ultimately doing what is right. Here, ethical behavior is treating everyone, from clients to vendors, team members to colleagues, fairly and justly. It is making decisions, both business and personal, which better our clients, team members, and vendors. Acting in an ethical way showcases honesty, truthfulness, fairness, loyalty, work ethic, morality, and respectfulness.

Transparency and communication are key factors in being ethical at VPA. When a client project experiences the unexpected or an error is made, sharing the potential issue with the client is key in performing ethically. The alternative, keeping ‘secrets’ and letting the client discover the issues, only puts doubts into their minds regarding the work we perform on their behalf – exactly the opposite of what we are working to achieve. On that same note, when a client asks for our help, with an employee, a client, or vendor, our ethics guide us to find the truth in the issue, and be fair and just with the findings.

At VPA, appearances matter in regard to ethical behavior, so we work to coach our team members on asking the right questions and thinking critically, looking at each project and client form all sides. Jean Devore, Team One member, shared her observations, “I have seen how VPA has expanded, implementing quality, training, coaching, and meetings and always working to step up the value for our clients another notch. Without these exceptional core values, this company would not be what it is today – a fabulous workplace, with ethical, passionate team members.”

Our team members are encouraged to speak up when a project objective, a request, or a legal situation gives them pause or if they see areas for ethical improvement. Our goal is to always be on the right side – acting ethically in each and every situation. Because much of what we do at VPA revolves around financial areas, failing to maintain ethical values could lead to all sorts of issues, so we work to be ethical in time management, the performance of our duties, and in our dealings with clients, co-workers, and vendors. With ethical behavior as a core value, we focus on hiring ethical people which, in turn, allows us to attract ethical clients. In doing so, we have a much happier work environment with clients and team members who trust one another.

Ken Wasmer, Vice President, shared his thoughts, “Ethical behavior, like morality, is a constant struggle today, as current culture disdains ethics, morality, and truth. At VPA, we seek truth in every situation and act accordingly, supporting one another and our clients in an ethical manner as we strive to do the ‘right thing’.”