Treating decent companies as well as decent people ...

Olena Obukhivska, communications manager of Arricano Real Estate Plc

Effectiveness of interaction in business, as well as in everyday life, depends on how much speed and rhythm of decision making, “depth of penetration” and the values of partner companies coincide. Let's draw parallels. When choosing the first teacher or a family doctor, first of all we “collect” information about them: reviews, recommendations, visit their Facebook pages. During a meeting with this person we automatically “read” whether this person is decent, what are her/his life values, whether they are acceptable for us.
And only then we analyze the level of professional competencies of a person and the correspondence of price and quality. Similarly, potential partners “learn” each other: what are the company’s mission, principles, reputation, communication platform, representation in the media and ratings. In addition to such standard attributes of a corporate brand as innovation, dynamism, leadership, business responsibility and sustainable development more and more often one can see messages about openness and transparency.
And it is quite logical, because it is much more pleasant to work with decent companies, as well as with decent people. Business based on compliance and integrity is not only worth being respected. This means that such a company keeps its word, corresponds to norms, standards and requirements and attracts like-minded people. Why it does not work in practice? There are several obvious arguments. First of all, one hardly wants to have extra trouble. Thus, most of businessmen “deal with” government officials (who, like buyers, are “always right”) “in the shadow.” Besides, Government Relation is a strategic direction of work that involves investment of corporate efforts and development of partnership cooperation, including business correspondence. The evidence from practice shows that when a company officially appeals to the authorities, both state and local, at best the company receives a note, something like “your letter has been received and registered under registration number...”
And that's all. Therefore, it is quite logical that the company prefers “solving matters” instead of developing strategic relations with the authorities. And what do we have as a result?
As for me, I'm very unhappy that the state in general has the bad reputation. People do not want to do business with Ukrainians, knowing that the laws do not work in Ukraine, that private property is not protected, that there is no trust in the state and that work in Ukraine has more risks than perspectives.
It's easy to reveal this by conducting PEST analysis. PEST methodology provides an assessment of key market trends: political, economic, socio-cultural and technological. It is the political factors that prevent from decency and willingness to invest in Ukrainian projects. As a matter of fact, the sub-items of a political bloc in the analysis (and this, in particular, the type of state governance, stability of power, freedom of speech and laws in reality, the level of bureaucracy and corruption, the tendencies for regulation and deregulation) do not stimulate business development at all.
It is true, that the situation also generates progressive challenges. Including challenges for those businesses which are ready to defend their corporate position of integrity. Why? There are 5 reasons to be identified. 
1.    The declared position related to integrity and compliance in practice causes respect of business community, media, public and industry organizations;
2.    A strong and positive reputation of the company, which is worth much on the market is formed;
3.    A good faith position provides employees confidence to act in accordance with the law and functional responsibilities. And it belongs to the sphere of “corporate loyalty”, “team spirit” and “ambassadors of the brand”;
4.    Having a reputation for integrity, the company wins information wars when someone  deliberately tries to cast dirt in the company;
5.    The honest corporate position of the companies that have declared it and kept their word eventually will become attractive for foreign investors or give an opportunity to obtain the necessary financing of banks (it is not a secret that the world monitors Ukraine - its market, the activities of government and key business players )

All-Ukrainian Network of Integrity and Compliance which Arricano has joined tried to add importance to this trend of Ukrainian business market. Being organized a year ago, it has already united 55 companies (having 62 thousand employees in 46 cities of the country). For many of them compliance means hope for changes, better cooperation with state authorities, and, in general, rescue of image of Ukraine as a business partner and trust to the state.