--- title: "A Reckoning With Ethics and Injustice" id: "61541" type: "post" slug: "a-reckoning-with-ethics-and-injustice" published_at: "2021-01-25T14:00:50+00:00" modified_at: "2026-07-11T18:10:08+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2021/01/25/a-reckoning-with-ethics-and-injustice/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2021/01/25/a-reckoning-with-ethics-and-injustice.md" excerpt: "The economic downturn brought on by COVID-19, combined with rising social justice movements, has put matters of ethics and equity front and center for associations. Transparency and a spirit of questioning and openness can prepare leaders to handle those challenges." taxonomy_category: - "Executive Leadership" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Associations Now" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Executive Leadership" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » A Reckoning With Ethics and Injustice Part of the Deep Dive[Lead2021](https://associationsnow.com/deep-dives/lead2021/) The past year has put new pressure on organizations to operate ethically. Are financial shortcuts you wouldn’t have considered in a boom economy now on the table? How do you need to adjust your approaches to hiring, volunteering, and retention in the wake of national protests around race? Such questions will only become increasingly relevant: A [2020 Deloitte survey of millennials and Gen Zers (opens in a new tab)](https://www2.deloitte.com/global/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/millennialsurvey.html) showed that they keep social responsibility top of mind when deciding what organizations they will engage with. Their loyalty to an organization, for instance, increasingly depends on its commitment to matters like diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and sustainability. MaryAnne Bobrow, CAE, a longtime association consultant on ethics and management, says that COVID-19 has increased ethical challenges for associations that feel the strain of tighter budgets and more anxiety among members and stakeholders. The loss of in-person meetings, for instance, may make [vendors (opens in a new tab)](https://www.asaecenter.org/resources/articles/an_plus/2020/september/ensure-ethical-vendor-relationships-with-a-clear-ethics-policy) more eager to connect with associations in ways that had previously been barred, and economic stress may cause staffers to consider them. “The pandemic has thrown everyone for a loop,” Bobrow says. “And people like to take shortcuts.” The past year should prompt association leaders not just to think more seriously about ethics, Bobrow says, but also to make sure that their [ethics policy is a living document](https://associationsnow.com/2020/11/how-to-update-your-code-of-ethics-for-todays-members/) . “It is up to industry associations to uphold ethical behavior within their industries,” she says. “Ethics policies ought to constantly be updated and revised, because the world is constantly updating and being revised.” [Mark Athitakis](https://associationsnow.com/author/mark-athitakis/) Mark Athitakis, a contributing editor for Associations Now, has written on nonprofits, the arts, and leadership for a variety of publications. He is a coauthor of The Dumbest Moments in Business History and hopes you never qualify for the sequel. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/mark-athitakis/) Tags: [#Associations Now](https://associationsnow.com/tag/associations-now/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## More in this Deep Dive - [Strategic Planning in 2021: The Same, but Different](https://associationsnow.com/2021/01/25/strategic-planning-in-2021-the-same-but-different/) - [What Should You Keep From Your Pandemic Pivot?](https://associationsnow.com/2021/01/25/what-should-you-keep-from-your-pandemic-pivot/) - [Reinventing Association Business Models](https://associationsnow.com/2021/01/25/reinventing-association-business-models/) - [Beyond Data: How to Decide What’s Next](https://associationsnow.com/2021/01/25/beyond-data-how-to-decide-whats-next/) - [Keep Your Board Focused on Strategy](https://associationsnow.com/2021/01/20/keep-your-board-focused-on-strategy/) - [The Evolution of Board Selection](https://associationsnow.com/2021/01/25/the-evolution-of-board-selection/) [View the full Deep Dive →](https://associationsnow.com/deep-dives/lead2021/) ## You Might Like - [VideoAmerican Geophysical Union: Standing Up for Science: AGU’s Year of Action for Scientists and SocietySeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/american-geophysical-union-standing-up-for-science-agus-year-of-action-for-scientists-and-society/) - [VideoInt. 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