Last week I was in Southeast Asia, doing training for a group of country compliance officers employed by a prominent US based multinational pharmaceutical firm. At dinner one evening (where you learn more good stuff in two hours than in a day of formal meetings,) my dining partner told me “When I tell people I work for a U.S. company, they won’t talk to me.”

This caused him real anguish. For many years working for a US based company was a source of pride and prestige in his country. US companies not only paid better, they had better work conditions and much cleaner business practices, making them the most coveted employers and the most respected firms.

And now this is gone. Gone in small part due to the well publicized US business scandals of the past six years. In larger part it is due to the perception that the US, through its actions in Iraq and Guantanamo, no longer demonstrates respect for law, ethics or international relationships.

This is not a political blog, so I will not discuss whether this widespread (but not universal) perception is fair or warranted. But as ethics and compliance officers, it is our job to deal with the realities that we face. How does this perception influence our ability to shape the business practices of operations outside the US? How do we need to adapt our message and approach to take into account a lack of respect for American ethics?

We know some answers to this. First and foremost is for Americans to be very humble in discussing ethics and compliance and abroad. We have never had all the answers; now more than ever we need to make this clear. Second is to de-Americanize Codes, communications and training. For example, why focus solely on the FCPA when all countries prohibit bribes, and many OECD signatories prohibit bribes outside home countries as well? Third, root the business case for ethics and compliance in positive and local business success rather than making the case that it is important to meet the US Sentencing Guidelines or to avoid US prosecution.

Three ideas to start. I’m interested in your thoughts.