Redefining leadership: Why ethics now shapes organisational success

By Elisabeta Grigoriu from Grigoriu C. Elisabeta Law Practice, Romania – The HUMAN CENTRIC

Introduction

Elisabeta Grigoriu, founder of Grigoriu C. Elisabeta Law Practice, believes leadership should be built on ethics, not just performance. Through her practice, Elisabeta helps organisations strengthen compliance by putting people first. With The HUMAN CENTRIC initiative, she promotes a new kind of leadership — one that creates trust, safety, and long-term success.

In this, and following articles, she draws on recent research to explore why ethical leadership is not only the right approach, but also the most effective one.

Why ethical leadership matters more than ever

According to a study by The HOW Institute for Society published in early 2025, 95% of U.S. employees believe that the need for moral leadership is more urgent than ever. This being up from 86% in 2020.

The society we live in requires a reconfiguration of what it means to be a leader. Delivering results and meeting or exceeding KPIs is no longer sufficient for people within organisations. Mastering the numbers may drive a business to success. However, in the long term, only ethical leadership, which sets clear models for employees to follow, can amount to complete leadership.

The same study shows that moral leaders deliver better results.

The conclusion only comes naturally. In organisations where people feel free and unconstrained to express their ideas or concerns, engagement rises and employee retention strengthens. Individuals who feel psychologically safe will have greater trust in leadership and will become more productive.

Ethical leaders generate loyalty. Loyalty increases productivity and therefore revenue.

In today’s societal context, the recipe for a leader’s success, and consequently for a company’s success, is simpler than ever: the promotion of ethical and moral values and their consistent top‑down transmission. And this is achievable by embracing and spreading a robust compliance culture within the entire organisation.

More on this topic

If you’re interested in this topic, don’t miss Part 2: How to build a speak-up culture and Part 3: A speak-up implementation checklist of Elisabeta Grigoriu’s series on ethics and leadership.

To learn more about Elisabeta Grigoriu’s legal services and The HUMAN CENTRIC initiative, visit thehumancentric.eu – People. Ethics. Data