The following principles are offered by OVCO Church & Society as a voluntary reference for anyone engaged in economic life — business owners, employees, professionals, and organizations of any size — who wish to consider their work in light of basic ethical commitments. They are not new or original ideas; they reflect a long tradition of ethical reflection on economic life shared, in various forms, across many communities and traditions.
On honesty and fair dealing. Economic relationships work best, and last longest, when built on truthful representation, fair pricing, and the honoring of agreements. Deception, even where technically legal — misleading marketing, hidden terms, or contracts written to exploit a counterparty’s inattention — erodes the trust that economic life depends on, and tends to catch up with those who rely on it over time.
On treatment of workers. People are not merely a means to an end. Fair wages, safe working conditions, reasonable hours, and respect for workers’ family lives are basic commitments, not optional extras, for any organization that wishes to operate ethically. This extends to how workers are treated when a business faces hard times: how layoffs are handled, how much notice is given, and whether workers are treated as partners in a difficult situation or simply as costs to be cut.
On wealth and responsibility. Success in economic life carries a corresponding responsibility — to employees, to the community, and to those less fortunate. We encourage generosity and community reinvestment as a normal part of a successful enterprise’s life, not an afterthought reserved for the very wealthy. A business that only ever takes from its community, and never gives back in some form, has fallen short of this principle regardless of how legally sound its operations are.
On avoiding exploitation. Practices that take advantage of vulnerability — whether of individuals in financial distress, of employees with limited options, or of communities with weak protections — sit poorly with any serious ethical commitment, whatever their short-term profitability. This includes predatory lending, contract terms designed to be misunderstood, and business models that depend on customers or workers being unable to walk away.
On stewardship. Resources, whether financial, natural, or human, are held in trust rather than owned outright in an unlimited sense. Waste, environmental harm, and short-term thinking at the expense of long-term wellbeing all run against this principle. Good stewardship asks not only “is this profitable” but “what does this leave behind, for this community and the next generation.”
On transparency and accountability. Ethical economic life is easier to sustain in the open than in the shadows. Clear accounting, honest reporting to partners and stakeholders, and a willingness to be questioned about one’s practices all support a healthier economic culture. Organizations that resist basic transparency about how they operate should prompt more scrutiny, not less.
On family and community life. Work exists to support human flourishing, not the other way around. Economic arrangements that consistently make it difficult for people to care for their families, participate in their communities, or rest, fall short of this principle even when every individual transaction involved is technically fair.
On moderation. A healthy economic life avoids both the trap of excessive austerity that fails to reward effort, and the trap of excess that treats accumulation as an end in itself. We encourage a sense of “enough” alongside ambition and hard work, and a healthy suspicion of the idea that more is always better.
These principles are offered for voluntary reflection and adoption. They are not a legal code, and adopting them is a personal or organizational choice rather than any kind of certification, endorsement, or guarantee of compliance with any particular law or regulation.