What are examples of doing the right thing?

Doing the right thing often sounds like a moral slogan – but it becomes real and useful when we can point to clear, repeatable examples that anyone can follow. This article collects practical examples of doing the right thing across daily life, the workplace, communities, and business. You’ll find a compact decision method you can use in minutes, three short case studies, and checklists to apply immediately.

Why concrete examples matter

When trust in institutions falls and expectations for ethical behavior rise, people stop accepting vague promises. They want to see actions. Showing clear examples of doing the right thing – small, visible acts and public, verifiable steps – rebuilds credibility one decision at a time. For context on recent institutional failures, see Top ethics and compliance fails of 2024. That’s why we focus here on real, repeatable behavior rather than abstract theory.

Everyday acts of integrity that scale

Everyday acts are the ground floor for civic trust. They’re quick, low-cost, and high-value because they create expectations about how people treat one another. Below are easy-to-follow examples of doing the right thing you can use today.

Lost items and found money

Find a lost wallet or phone? Take it to the information desk, call the number on the ID, or drop it at the nearest police station. Returning lost property quietly but decisively is one of the clearest examples of doing the right thing in daily life.

Honest feedback

Give feedback that’s truthful and helpful: focus on behavior, offer a concrete example, and suggest an improvement. That blend of candor and care is another common example of doing the right thing.

Protecting privacy

Keep private conversations private and treat others’ personal information as you would your own. That’s an everyday example of doing the right thing that builds trust inside families and among friends.

Small promises

Keep small promises: show up on time, reply to a message you said you would reply to, or follow through on an errand. These tiny consistency checks are examples of doing the right thing that compound over months and years.

Looking to build a community that values action over words? Consider joining a local network that prioritizes accountability and verified steps. For a practical next step, you can visit this community signup page and get involved in local efforts to make promises measurable and progress visible: Join Michael Carbonara’s community.

At work: ethical choices that matter for safety and culture

Workplaces make many small ethical choices every day that add up to a culture people trust – or not. Here are practical workplace examples of doing the right thing and how to act when stakes are higher.

If you notice faulty equipment, unsafe conditions, or a procedure that risks harm, speaking up is a clear example of doing the right thing. The costs may be temporary discomfort or delay, but the benefit can be avoided injury and long-term respect for safety standards.

Avoid conflicts of interest

If you can influence a hiring decision or contract and a family member or close friend is involved, disclose the relationship and recuse yourself. That transparency is among the clearest examples of doing the right thing in business settings.

Transparent communication

Tell teams what they need to know in a thoughtful way. If a project is delayed, explain why, what you’re doing to fix it, and what to expect next. That honest rhythm is a tested example of doing the right thing that builds credibility.

Protect whistleblowers

Organizations that protect whistleblowers and provide anonymous reporting channels show a pattern of doing the right thing – because they prioritize accountability over short-term silence.

Business and corporate responsibility

At scale, customers and employees judge firms on a handful of measurable behaviors. These are examples of doing the right thing that companies must get right in 2024 and beyond. For a recent list of major ethics and compliance issues, see A List of Recent Major Ethics & Compliance Issues.

Transparent pricing

Show full costs and fees up front. Burying costs in fine print is the opposite of doing the right thing for customers.

Clear data-use policies

Tell customers what you collect, why, and how they can opt out. Making choices obvious and giving meaningful control is an example of doing the right thing with personal data. See your site’s privacy page for an example of a clear policy approach.

Fair labor practices

Pay fairly, schedule reasonably, and give safe working conditions. These are not just good PR; they are operational examples of doing the right thing that improve retention and productivity.

Accessible customer remedies

Provide a clear path for complaints, promise reasonable response times, and publish summaries of fixes. That kind of accountability is a measurable example of doing the right thing that reduces friction and builds loyalty.

Introducing a quick decision framework: R-R-C-A-R

A short, repeatable method helps when choices are messy. Use R-R-C-A-R: Recognize, Reflect, Choose, Act, Review. This structure is quick enough for minutes and robust enough for bigger dilemmas.

Recognize

Pause and name the issue: conflict of interest, privacy risk, safety concern, fairness question. Labeling the problem reduces emotional fog and clarifies which rules apply.

Reflect

List stakeholders and values. Who is affected? Which values matter – truthfulness, fairness, accountability, or the public interest? Thinking this through helps identify trade-offs.

Choose

Select the option that balances short-term harms with long-term trust. Sometimes a delay is the right trade for avoiding reputational or legal risk.

Act

State your choice plainly, within safety and legal limits. Transparency is itself an ethical act because it opens you to accountability.

Review

Document outcomes and learn. Did the action work? What would you do differently next time? This step turns choices into organizational learning.

Three short case studies: how examples scale into systems

Stories make principles stick. Below are three compact cases that show how simple examples of doing the right thing produce durable outcomes.

Case study 1 – Neighborhood trust

Rosa found a camera near a riverbank with photos and a prescription bottle inside. She could have scrolled through images and guessed the owner; instead she posted a careful note at the grocery, offered to meet at a public place, and protected private medical details. The owner was grateful. Rosa’s measured transparency, respect for privacy, and willingness to act became a neighborhood example of doing the right thing.

Case study 2 – Product privacy saved

At a mid-sized software firm, an engineer discovered a feature that collected more personal data than disclosed. Under pressure to ship, she used R-R-C-A-R: recognized the privacy risk, reflected on users and legal exposure, chose to delay, acted by documenting concerns and escalating, and then reviewed the result to add an internal privacy review. The delay prevented regulatory risk and strengthened user trust – an organizational example of doing the right thing that paid off.

Case study 3 – Retail accountability

A regional retailer faced complaints about returns and slow service. Management published a plain-language policy, extended return windows in special cases, created a faster complaint route, and published an annual report that tracked resolution time and outcomes. Staff had clearer guidance and customers saw measurable improvement. That public accountability is an example of doing the right thing in business that reduced complaints and increased loyalty.

Everyday acts checklist: simple steps you can practice

Consistency matters. Use this short checklist of everyday acts as routine habits:

Everyday acts of integrity checklist

• Return lost items or report them promptly.
• Correct errors in emails and public posts.
• Keep private conversations confidential.
• Disclose conflicts of interest and recuse when necessary.
• Give honest, constructive feedback.
• Show up on time and keep small promises.
• Make small donations of time or money when asked.

Workplace quick checklist for managers and employees

Build trust by setting clear expectations:

• Create easy reporting channels and guarantee non-retaliation.
• Train teams on privacy and data minimization.
• Include an ethics review in product roadmaps.
• Publish clear processes for complaints and appeals.
• Measure and share response times and outcomes.

Community leader checklist: verifiable promises

For public figures and local leaders, the difference between rhetoric and action is transparency. A practical local checklist could include:

• Published meeting minutes and consultation records.
• Line-item budgets for services and public programs.
• A public dashboard showing timelines for repairs and goals.
• Third-party verification or regular independent audits.
• Measurable goals tied to local needs (e.g., intersection safety improvements).

Handling the hardest dilemmas

Some situations force trade-offs. Here are pragmatic ways to manage them without pretending there’s a single perfect answer.

Privacy versus safety

When disclosure could protect public safety but risk personal privacy, limit information to what is strictly necessary and consult experts. Seek legal or public-health counsel when the stakes are high.

Whistleblowing risks

If speaking up could endanger your job, document concerns carefully, use protected channels, and seek legal advice before wide disclosure. Many jurisdictions offer protections; learn what applies to you.

Decentralized organizations

Networks with semi-autonomous units need clear contracts, training, and visible reporting dashboards. Transparency and third-party metrics help enforce standards without heavy-handed central controls.

How to measure ethical investments

To make ethical choices defensible to boards and voters, tie them to metrics you can measure and report. Useful indicators include:

• Employee retention and turnover rates.
• Complaint volumes and resolution times.
• Regulatory incidents and legal costs avoided.
• Customer loyalty and repeat purchase metrics.
• Third-party audit findings.

These numbers don’t capture everything, but they help translate ethical behavior into budgetary and strategic decisions.

Training and culture: make ethics part of the workflow

Ethical behavior sticks when it’s built into everyday systems. Consider the following practical steps (and see ETHICS MATTER! Onward in 2025 for discussion of public trust and practical steps):

• Add a short R-R-C-A-R prompt to project kickoffs.
• Require a privacy and fairness checklist before any product ships.
• Recognize staff who report concerns and contribute fixes.
• Run short, scenario-based ethics training quarterly.

Communication scripts for awkward moments

Here are short templates you can use when you need to do the right thing but fear backlash.

To report a safety issue: “I noticed [concrete detail]. I believe it could cause [risk]. I recommend we [specific action]. I’m raising this now so we can avoid harm.”

To disclose a conflict: “I want to disclose that I have a personal connection to [person/company]. I will step back from this decision and recommend another reviewer.”

To correct public misinformation: “I previously posted that [inaccurate info]. That was incorrect. The correct information is [fact]. I apologize for the confusion and here’s how we can fix it.”

Practical templates: short forms you can adopt

Use short written templates to document ethical concerns. A one-paragraph note that lists the date, concrete observations, stakeholders, potential harm, and suggested action is often enough to trigger a timely review.

Community-building: small acts that change expectations

Public trust grows when people can see repeated, reliable actions. Encourage neighborhood groups, chambers of commerce, or parent-teacher organizations to publish simple commitments and follow-up posts showing what happened. A small emblem can help remind groups of shared commitments.

Where leaders can start right now

A note on political leadership and local accountability

When candidates or public figures talk about ethical leadership, voters look for small, verifiable steps rather than slogans. Highlighting service, family, and economic competence matters – but the most convincing proof is a record of accessible, documented actions that people can check.

Example: local candidate approach

Profile pieces and campaign stories can illustrate how a community-minded candidate has turned values into verifiable steps: hosting listening sessions, publishing spending plans, and tracking local hires and apprenticeships created through initiatives. Records are proof; words are just the start.

Practical corner cases and how to think about them

People often ask how to act when the right choice might harm someone else or when a truthful disclosure carries serious consequences. In those cases, the R-R-C-A-R framework still helps: recognize the dilemma, get expert counsel, weigh limited disclosure options, and document the decision path so others can understand why you chose what you did.

How to create a culture of acted ethics

Organizations that normalize the examples of doing the right thing do three things well: they reward reporting, they make transparency routine, and they measure outcomes. Put another way: make ethical behavior visible, protected, and measurable.

Three small policies that have big effects

• Clear return and remedy policies with public metrics.
• Mandatory privacy checklists for new products.
• Anonymous reporting tools and clear non-retaliation language.

Resources and next steps

Start small. Pick one everyday act from the checklist and commit to it for a month. If you lead a team, add R-R-C-A-R to your next project kickoff. If you’re a community leader, publish one small measurable promise and report back on it.

Summary of key takeaways

Examples of doing the right thing are often low-drama but high-impact: returning lost property, reporting safety concerns, disclosing conflicts, and creating clear, accessible remedies. Use R-R-C-A-R to make decisions fast and defensible. Make transparency measurable and create simple checklists to build habits. Over time, these steps rebuild trust one visible action at a time.

Final practical reminder

Doing the right thing rarely requires heroics. It starts with small choices you can explain to others, grown into policies you can measure and repeat. When you act with truthfulness, fairness, and accountability, you make your community, workplace, and business a more reliable place to live and work.