The £300M Mistake: How Ethics Actually Drive Profit | Grit in the Boardroom

How do good boards end up presiding over historic scandals? "Corporate philosopher" Roger Steare breaks down the mechanics of the "Ethicability" model.

Corporate scandals rarely start with bad intentions; they start with bad compliance frameworks that crush moral reasoning. In this episode, Roger Steare discusses his work advising heavyweights like BP and HSBC through massive crises, revealing how to install ethics as a commercial lever.

What You’ll Learn

The "Ethicability" matrix: How to make decisions when billions of pounds are on the line.

Why internal corporate politics "sanitizes" and hides the real risks from directors.

How to spot the warning signs that your company culture is turning toxic.

Chapters: 00:00 Coming Up on Grit in the Boardroom 00:53 Introduction 01:34 Meet Roger Steare 02:26 The Impact of Moral Clarity in the Boardroom 07:23 Roger’s Journey to Becoming a Corporate Philosopher 10:28 How Roleplay Helps Resolve Boardroom Dilemmas 14:44 The Role of Fear and Corporate Politics in Decision-Making 20:32 Do Issues Get Diluted Before Reaching the Boardroom? 21:27 How Corporate Leaders Can Better Understand Their Employees 21:15 What Good Moral Judgement Looks Like in the C-Suite 34:44 How John Lewis Avoided a Scandal, and What Others Can Learn from Ethicability 37:03 Why Integrity Matters at the Executive Level 41:04 Can Organisations Truly Grow Morally Over Time? 45:44 When You Hire Skill Over Character: What to Do Next 47:02 Why You Must Interrogate Leadership Candidates 49:35 The Toughest Questions Every Boardroom Must Answer 56:30 How to Strengthen Your Moral Compass 58:07 Outro and Erika’s Reflection

About the guest

From navigating pension dilemmas worth £300 million to guiding boards through crises and beyond, Roger Steare shares rare C-Suite insights, management case studies, and governance lessons that reveal what true strategic decision-making looks like under pressure. He shares his experiences having advised heavyweight organisations, including BP, HSBC, Barclays, and Nationwide. His insight into governance stems from a deep-rooted understanding of moral reasoning, showcased in his publication, Ethicability.

About the host

Erika Eliasson-Norris is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Beyond Governance and Governance Assessor to the United Kingdom’s Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry.

Beyond Governance provides on-demand company secretarial support, governance advisory, and governance training to boards, Company Secretaries, and General Counsel. Beyond Governance help organisations strengthen governance, manage risk, and support critical projects without the need for permanent hires. Learn more here: https://beyondgovernance.com