Ethics is not optional. And it's expensive.

“It’s not technique that defines a good professional. It’s what they do when no one is watching.”

Throughout a career, we all face dilemmas. Some are technical, others strategic. But some place us in front of an ethical mirror — forcing us to decide who we are, not just what we do.

I’ve lived through situations like this. Some cost me far more than bonuses or recognition. They cost peace of mind, security, emotional and even physical health.

In one of them, working at a company with foreign capital and subject to SEC regulation, I uncovered accounting fraud. It wasn’t a technical error. It was an intentional adjustment to manipulate results before publishing financial statements. I was asked to “make the adjustment and move on.” I said no. Tensions rose. My boss told me I didn’t understand the “commercial implications” of my refusal. The pressure turned into aggression. The company president, in a fit of rage, threw a computer at my head. Yes, literally.

I refused to commit fraud. And I paid the price.
But sleeping peacefully is worth more than any bonus.

In another case, within a LatAm structure involving multiple jurisdictions and simultaneous operations, I was responsible for investment consolidation between entities. The process required technical judgment, IFRS alignment, and analysis of intercompany transactions and respective functional currencies. Upon identifying inconsistencies and suggesting the correct accounting treatment — based on the standards and the risk of being framed as tax evasion — I received a direct order: 
“Just do the basics.”

But in that context, the “basics” meant a serious omission. It meant ignoring international standards, omitting the economic substance of transactions, and indirectly endorsing aggressive planning that could expose shareholders and the group’s reputation to considerable risk. Once again, I said no. And once again, I faced the silent isolation reserved for those who choose ethics over convenience.

The truth is: ethics isn’t taught in courses. Nor is it something you fake in meetings. It shows up behind closed doors, in unrecorded calls, in decisions no one claps for — and especially when it carries a cost.

These experiences shaped not just my career but my conviction: ethics is not optional. It’s structural. It defines how a professional shows up in the world — and by extension, how they shape the world around them.

Refuse fraud. Refuse omission. Refuse the comfort of silence in the face of wrongdoing.

That’s what this is about.

I’m not writing as a martyr. I’m writing as a professional who’s seen what many prefer to avoid. As an accountant and economist, I know our role goes beyond numbers: it impacts market trust, family assets, corporate credibility, and the peace of those who sleep without hiding what they did during the day.

In ethics, there is no middle ground.

Those who try to build careers without it are building on sand.

“A man’s integrity is his most valuable capital.”  — Warren Buffett

São Paulo/SP/BR, June 11th 2025