Would you rather make billions, or be known for doing the right thing? It should be a simple choice.

Good corporate governance — and business ethics — is top of mind given the recent release of our first-ever JT Group Human Rights Report.

When I flip through the report, I read about good people doing good things across JTI’s daily operations. I see a company living its values and being mindful of all our 4S model stakeholders, which equally values consumers, employees, shareholders and society at large. I am proud to lead such a company. Our Human Rights Report is a true reflection of what guides all that we do at JTI. There is no price one can pay to distract us from trying to do the right thing. It is what makes JTI different.

I should know. I’ve seen firsthand what happens when ethical integrity takes a backseat to “greed”. When e-cigarettes surged in popularity, we witnessed promising startups going haywire. The appeal of making billions became their sole purpose: gone was their mission of eliminating “death and disease – to improve the lives of a billion adult smokers around the world” and in were tactics and practices that simply did not conform to our values. We could not watch this unfold in front of us; we could not subscribe to questionable marketing practices used to promote what could have been a fabulous innovation, if marketed responsibly. Glad we shied away…

One of these startups has since been accused of youth-oriented marketing, of targeting high school students and of creating a new genre of youth addiction. And these accusations have led to regulatory crackdowns, numerous lawsuits, as well as federal and state investigations. The company now claims it wants to work together with regulators and society. Funny, we’ve been saying that since day one.

Even though such practices do not align with the way we conduct business, our credibility is now called into question by the actions of others, simply because we operate in the same industry. Curious. Would such a thing happen in other industries?

I fully understand. No one is perfect, and many — both individuals and corporations — make mistakes or errors in judgment. We do too sometimes. That is what comes with pushing the boundaries of what is possible. This should be applauded as a source of innovation and progress. Yet, we should all be held accountable and judged based on our intent and individual actions.

If a company is taking risks based on lax or arguably unethical and irresponsible commercial practices, it should be held to account. If a company is painstakingly trying to develop and market innovative products with the potential to reduce harm, that company should also be judged, but on its own actions, not those of others.

The problem with recent past events is that it has given license for people to be critical of an entire industry without regard to the facts. Such thinking is too simplistic. Yes, the tobacco industry is a controversial sector; and yes, mistakes were made in the past. But I would contend that today the tobacco industry that I know is one of the most scrutinized and transparent industries there is. At JTI, one thing is sure: we do not let the promise of gain jeopardize our values of always taking our responsibilities seriously and doing the right thing. Judge us on that.