Integrity is one of our core values and an integral part of our corporate mission. Against this background, we have set up a working group, the so-called “CultureClub”, consisting of 5 permanent members, which deals exclusively with how we can live our corporate values (and thus also integrity) at Luana AG. We are happy to share our findings, because our aspiration is to live our values both internally and externally.

“Integrity means doing the right thing—even when no one is watching”.

The word “integrity” is derived from the Latin word integritas, which means unharmed, intact, or complete. Integrity is an ethical requirement of philosophical humanism for “as far as possible” congruence between one’s ideals and values and one’s actual actions. According to the Duden dictionary, integrity means impeccability, blamelessness, and incorruptibility. Straightforwardness or probity are often used as synonyms for integrity. According to Wikipedia, “a person with integrity (lives and acts) in the awareness that his or her personal beliefs, standards, and values are expressed in his or her behavior. Personal integrity has been characterized as fidelity to oneself. However, it equally respects the integrity and dignity of fellow human beings and strives not to violate them.”

In popular parlance, integrity is explained in terms of the following sentence:
“Integrity means doing the right thing—even when no one is watching”.

“Ethics, respekt, code. honesty, integrity”.

In a sense, integrity can be explained as a personality trait that combines many other positive character traits. For integrity in the office, that is, to develop into a personality of integrity in the working world, the following personality traits are helpful for guidance:

• Decency
• Sincerity
• Humility
• Honesty
• Justice
• Correctness
• Righteousness
• Incorruptibility
• Trustworthiness
• Reliability

Role models can help to orient oneself and develop one’s own integrity.

Integrity is as much in the eye of the beholder as it is in the character of the personality. People of integrity are not easy to find, but there are famous people who are commonly described as having particular integrity:

• Martin Luther King (Although it was life-threatening for him, he remained true to his nonviolent struggle against oppression and injustice).
• Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (He is considered an outstanding representative in the struggle for freedom against colonialism and accepted eight years in prison for his convictions).
• Hans & Sophie Scholl (Resistance fighters against National Socialism who accepted their own deaths in order to „shake up thousands of people through their actions.“)
• Edward Snowden (Risked his entire middle-class existence to do what he thought was necessary).

Do’s & Don’t’s: Tips for more integrity in the office

Last but not least, here are 3 tips for your company to promote integrity in the office:

• Error culture: The company admits to its own mistakes, deals with them offensively. Internally, this means that employees do not have to fear that their „head will be torn off“ at the slightest offense. Externally, a good error culture is evident when errors are not covered up. Instead, solutions are worked on.
• Quality: The company keeps its product and service promises.
• Communication: Transparent communication with customers and employees. On the company side, there is both awareness of the problem and appreciation.

Finally, here is a list of questions to check your personal behavior with integrity:

• Do I know my personal values?
• Is what I do consistent with my beliefs and values?
• Am I honest with myself and those around me and telling the truth?
• Can other people rely on me when they ask me for help?
• Am I punctual and reliable in terms of meetings?
• Am I open to other people’s opinions and ideas?
• Do I respect and accept those around me and respect their personal boundaries?
• Do I take responsibility for my behavior and what I say?