Jan Koum Quotes

We need to have business leaders who live by deep, strong principles.

Not only is self-regulation largely a fantasy, but repeated scandals across multiple industries have proved that companies are fundamentally incapable of self-regulating for the greater good.

We've created a tenfold core value protocol to make sure that we don't fall into an 'empire' attitude.

A great business has to have a conscience. You have to know who you are and who you are not.

When we began Starbucks, what I wanted to try to do was to create a set of values, guiding principles, and culture.

History has shown that one cannot legislate a culture of integrity. And yet, one of the paramount responsibilities and challenges of corporate leadership is to ensure such a culture.

You're used to seeing values listed on waiting-room walls. Communication, integrity, excellence, and respect. Those were actually Enron's values.

When you start to get shareholders, clients, employees, rating agencies, and everybody converging, and then your competitors bad-mouth you, you know you did the right thing.

A company's ethical behavior is ultimately triggered by some sense of caring. And care is a sense of closeness to someone or something. A company must bring value to whom or what it is close to.

People say values are expensive, but I say they create economic value.

Enron - although an extreme case - is hardly the only company with a hollow set of values.

We're making a lot of changes at Gap Inc., but as our Social Responsibility Report demonstrates, doing business the right way is still extremely important to us.

Absolutely, at a macro-level, I want our firm to be a purpose-led firm. This notion of making an impact that matters, I want that embedded in whatever we do.

I think most corporate executives are good honorable honest men and women who do good work.

Doing good business - being ethical, being transparent, being caring, implementing values in your business - makes a difference, and you make money at the same time.

Companies and leaders are role models - not just with the business community - but in the broader world.

I could have closed down bits of British Home Stores to make more money but it's not my style. I want to make my money as a retailer, not by putting people out of work.

I think good companies can navigate being public and doing the right things for their customers.

I would never sacrifice my individual beliefs as a citizen to my corporate responsibilities.

Putting people before profits is how we've tried to operate from the beginning.

The future of any corporation is as good as the value system of the leaders and followers in the organization.

Actually, that issue of 'Don't be evil' is probably the number one reason we throw out ideas.

I think you're defined as a company by what you choose to do and what you choose not to do.

All businesses that create wealth, pay their taxes and comply with the law are, by definition, good companies.

A free enterprise system that is not underlaid with values is bankrupt.