When you’re running a business, ethical issues inevitably arise. Questions of honesty, fairness, building a culture of life, and many other concerns are unavoidable for Catholics in business.
Now Catholic business leaders seeking to navigate complex moral decisions have an invaluable resource at hand.
Legatus, an international organization of Catholic business leaders and executives, and the National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC) have forged a strategic alliance that provides Legatus members with 24/7 access to ethical consultation services.
Ethical consultations on demand
The NCBC already offers free personal ethics consultations to anyone who needs them, with the expectation that questions will receive a response within 5 business days.
But the strategic alliance with Legatus goes a step further. This partnership marks a new chapter in supporting Catholic executives who want to align their business practices with Church teachings, offering a unique 24/7 consultation service that connects Legatus members directly with NCBC President Dr. Joseph Meaney and his team:
When you or a loved one face a critical medical decision with very little time to assess, you need fast help sorting it out morally and medically.
Or when your company faces an issue, challenge, or major transaction needing a trained eye in Catholic and ethical standards, you may need the very latest legal precedents or expert testimony. Time is crucial.
Available around the clock, this service extends beyond traditional business hours, recognizing that ethical dilemmas don't always arise at convenient times. The consultation benefit covers not only the business leaders themselves but also their companies and families, offering comprehensive support for both professional and personal moral questions.
When ethics affect business
A number of the questions from business leaders relate to personal issues that any individual might face. Others arise directly from situations in their particular companies.
“A lot of questions come to us related to their businesses,” Dr. Meaney told Aleteia in an interview. “Sometimes we're asked a question like, how do they know that they're paying a just wage to their employees? What are the benefits that they offer their employees, their health care plans, etc.? How can they make those benefits in conformity with their Catholic beliefs?”
Members can call Dr. Meaney's office at any time or receive a prompt response to their questions via email.
Keeping businesses in step with the Church
Dede Chism, a Legatus member, is the co-founder and CEO of Bella Health + Wellness, a non-profit Catholic medical clinic in Colorado with a special mission of caring for the unborn. She has a unique perspective as she has both offered expert advice on pro-life ethical issues as a medical provider and also has sought ethics advice from the NCBC on other matters.
“I have nearly 100 employees now, and when you have employees, you still have employee issues. You still have ethical issues,” she said in an interview with Aleteia. “You have the issues of being a good Catholic leader and forming your people. And Legatus comes into all that and walks with us through all of it."
“I feel like Legatus is working all the time to create more and more resources for its members,” Chism added, “whether that's for their own healthcare or their own questions regarding ethics.” She emphasized that the organization’s pro-life position is not only about the unborn, but “from natural conception to natural death."
“Legatus always stays step by step with where the Church wants to be,” Chism said.
Look into Legatus if you’re a Catholic business leader, and don’t miss the chance to consult ethics experts 24/7.
