This document describes an ethical dilemma faced by an HR professional at BP. The professional was asked by his girlfriend to help her friend pass a job interview at BP, but doing so would violate BP's code of conduct. During the actual interview, the friend did not perform well. When informing his girlfriend afterwards, she pressured him to reconsider based on the friend's family situation, but he maintained it would be unfair and unethical to override the objective assessment process. His girlfriend remains unhappy with his decision, though he believes he upheld his and BP's ethical standards.

1. © BP2006
Ethical Dilemma
Standing for what is right

2. BP Annual Graduate Recruitment Campaign
OneofthekeydeliverablesforHR functioninBP isanannualGraduateandInternsRecruitmentCampaign.
Everyyear,everyHRprofessional,regardlessofthemainoccupation, issupposedtosupportthisdeliverablebyparticipatingin interviews.
Sodo I…
I joinedBP asagraduatehire,soI hada personalbeliefin the
importanceofthisprogrammeforBPand mycountry’s
youth…

3. I, my girlfriend and her closefriend…
I havebeendatingawonderfulladyforthelast4years…I’vefirstmetheralmostatthesametime
whenIjoined BP…Sheis21, a student,graduatingthisyear…Weloveeachother…Well,atleastI
loveher
She hasaclassmate,a smartyoungman,studyingPetroleumEngineeringat
AzerbaijanStateOilAcademy.Theyhavebeenclose friendssince theelementary
school.HisnameisAlexander.We knoweachother.
Alexanderisalsograduatingthisyear,and apparentlyheappliedfortheGraduateroleinBP. Byapure chance,he wassupposedtobeinterviewed
bya SeniorPetroleumEngineerand myselffromHR.While aSeniorEngineerisin chargeofthetechnicalpartoftheinterview,HRAdviseris
takingdecisionon behaviouralcompetencyofthecandidate – levelofawarenessaboutthecompany profile,projectsinthecountry,problem
solvingability,teamworking,academic achievements…tomentionjusta few.

4. Unexpected call…
Ascandidatesarrivetotheinterviewvenue,theycanseetheexact schedulesoftheirinterviewsatthereceptiondesk – including roomnumber,start
time,andinterviewers’names…
Justbeforetheinterviewsstarted,I’vereceiveda phone callfrommygirlfriend,sayingthatI wouldbe
interviewingAlexandertoday,andaskingme tohelp himtopasstheinterviewsuccessfully.I’vestartedto
explainher,thathewasa smartyoungman,he shouldbealright,butanywayI couldn’thelphim inany
extraordinaryway…Shecut meshortandsaidshewassureI could.
I realizedthatAlexandercalledher, andaskedtocall me,assoonashenoticedmynameintheinterview
panelforhis discipline…

5. Interview…and post-interview
Surprisinglyforme,Alexanderdidnotperformwellatallduringthe
interview…Hewasnotgoodattechnicalquestions,andevenworseat
behaviouralquestions.We hadmuch strongercandidatesontheday, soatthe
end oftheday, aswewere“washingup” thecandidates’performance,I hadno
otherchance buttorejecthim.
WhenI metwithmy girlfriendin theevening,I toldheroverthedinner,thatAlexanderdid notperformwell
duringtheinterviewandwerejectedhim.I askedhernottotellhim untiltomorrow,whenhereceivesan official
notificationfromBP’sRecruitmentTeam.
She wentmadaboutthenews,and askedwhyIdidn’thelpme,since Iknewhe washerbestfirend…
ItriedtoexplainherthatIcouldn’tandwouldn’tdo that,asitwouldputmeinbreachofbothmyprofessional
standardsandBP’sCodeofConduct.

6. Ethical dilemma
Lateron, mygirlfriendcalledme andexplained thatAlexander’sfatherwasbadlyill.Hehad coupleofmonthslefttolive, andhealwayswishedhisonly
sontoworkasan Engineerforamajoroil &gascompany.
She askedme toforgetabouttheprofessionalconductforamoment,andthinkaboutthissituationfromapersonalstandpoint andhelpAlexanderto
geton-boardBP.
She hasneveraskedme forsomethingsomuch before.HoweverIrealizedthatsheneverworkedforamajorinternationalcompany,andshamefullymy
countryrealitiesareverymuch differentfromthewesternstandards.
Inourculture,alotofproblemsare handledbasedon interpersonalrelationshipsandindividualjudgement,ratherthanobjectiveassessment.
Despiteofthis,I triedagainand againtoexplainher,thatinBP we workdifferently.Wehaveanindependentassessmentpanels,providingobjective
assessmentofindividuals’skillsandqualifications.
Ontopofbeingcompletelyunprofessionalandunethical,itwouldbe extremelyunfairtorejectsomeoneelse’sinterviewresults,basedonmy
knowledgeofAlexanderandhisfamilysituation.
I assuredher thateveryonemighthavesimilarorevenworsesituationin family,butthishasnothingtodowiththeirright tocompeteandbeselected
forapromisingjob withBP.
Ourconversationwentnowherethatday,andsheleftextremelyunhappywithmycourse ofactions…

7. What I stand for
Theotherday, whenI came intotheoffice,I openedstatementsfrom
BP’s CodeofConduct,whichIsignedup forand whichI promisedto
standfor.
I willstandfortheCoderegardlesshowitaffectsmy personallife…
I believeIdida rightthing…
NotonlybecauseIamafraidtolose myjob,butbecause5yearsago,
someoneelse’sstrongethicalstandfortheCode,allowedme tostartmy
careerwithBP,ithelpedme togetpromotedyear-on-yearandachieve
theprofessionalheightsIdesiredtoachieve…
AsIpreparethispresentationforIE, myrelationshipwithmygirlfriend
arestillnotrecoveredfromthatincidentformanyweeksnow…
I sufferfromthis,butI didnotdoubtevenfora second,thatIdid aright
thing…
Forme, forBP,and formy country…

8. Thank you