Ethics in business is best described as which idea?

• A. Ethics Is Simply Following Company Policy
• B. What Is Right Today May Become Law Tomorrow
• C. Ethics Is the Same as Compliance
• D. Ethics Never Conflicts With Profit

Answer: (B)

Ethics in business means choosing actions based on moral principles that guide what is right, even when there isn’t a rule to follow. The best description captures how these moral norms can lead to formal rules later: what is considered right today may become law tomorrow. This shows ethics as a catalyst for change in society and in regulation, and it explains why businesses often adopt ethical practices—such as fairness, honesty, and responsibility—that eventually become standard expectations or legal requirements.

Other ideas fall short because ethics isn’t simply following company policy or equating ethics with compliance; policies are internal rules that may not fully reflect broader moral expectations. And ethics isn’t about always guaranteeing profit; ethical decisions can involve trade-offs where long-term trust and legitimacy matter beyond short-term financial gain.