Tenet

A tenet is a permanent ethical rule used in a hierarchical series in the incorporation statement of The Transparent Company. These rules, unlike Google's recently removed statement in their code of conduct "Don't be evil" are unremovable and act like Read Only Memory (ROM) in a computer. They are utilised to ensure that the company, for the entirety of its existence is focused on ethical acts.

Law 1: Transparency

The workings of the organisation are 100% transparent. All generated data is to be automatically openly published in real time, decentralised, uneditable format.

Law 2: Beneficence

The organisation shall do good for all and strive to be a negative externality sink.

Law 3: Non-maleficence

The entity may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm.

Law 4: Autonomation

The entity should only pursue activities which are fully or as near to autonomous as possible.

Law 5: Self-preservation

The entity must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the Second or Third Law. If calculated negative externalities exceed positive externalities, the company must stop operation.

Law 6: Governance

As 100% autonomy cannot yet be achieved a controller and a board needs to be elected as to make specific decisions. A governance system of anonymous whistleblowing should be in place so that either the public, customers or board can anonymously highlight specific activity. If the activity is then investigated by the board and it is found one of the controllers or board members to be at fault of the Law they will be ejected from the group.

These tenets are intended to be used to created the incorporation statement of the first transparent company.

References