Honesty, probity, rectitude, honor, good character, principle(s), ethics, righteousness, nobility, right-mindedness, noble-mindedness, virtue, decency, fairness, scrupulousness, sincerity, truthfulness, trustworthiness...and the litany continues. All these words are synonymous with INTEGRITY!

INTEGRITY, defined as following of one's moral and ethical compass which involves being truthful and doing the right thing even when nobody's watching. It is perhaps the single most crucial aspect driving businesses and other organizations. It demands honesty and nothing less in all situations.

Integrity defines those who want to be considered professionals in a given profession, industry or even elected positions in government. The principles demanded must be adopted willingly and consistently even when the bottom line is threatened or political ground is lost. It is impossible to consider oneself virtuous, God-fearing and honest in social dealings, but then a complete opposite at the professional level!

In business and even in social dealings,doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do defines one as a person of integrity. It may seem unprofitable in business and even unappealing to an electorate at first, but there is enough profitable pattern from the past to illustrate that a personal or corporate brand built on integrity eventually pays off.

Unscrupulous dealings may lead to quick profits in business. Dishonesty may get you up further in the corporate and social ladders, but eventually these vices erode your brand and the achievements hinged on the same come crumbling down.

In summation, it is important to note that the relationships we build today morph into the ties that bind us tomorrow which provide the safety nets that sustain humanity and form the bedrock of our legacy. Integrity is not an option, it must be a part of what gets us out of bed every God's day, yes integrity forms the bedrock of human decency.

- Ngugi Simon