On our ‘Engaging People, Powering Companies’ podcast last week

Amrit delved into a topic that in an ideal world we wouldn’t even be talking about yet has been making waves and shaking the trust in an institution we have long relied on—the shocking and frankly despicable Post Office scandal. This is about responsibility, transparency, values and human decency, and there are certainly lessons we can carry forward into our own businesses and society at large.

The ITV drama Mr Bates V’s the Post Office has bought it more into the spotlight than ever before and given this horrific miscarriage of justice deserved airtime, so that us at home could actually feel the pain, shame and total devastation of people’s lives caused by an institution that should have done better. It would be nice if we didn’t need a TV drama to really feel the feels of those involved and find that fight inside that says ‘this isn’t right’ but if like me you did need a TV drama to really feel the feels, then let’s be grateful to those that decided to commit their time to telling this story and to do it with the care it deserved.

As Uncle Ben says in Spiderman, “with great power comes great responsibility” and the Post Office massively failed in their responsibility and duty, and so this is a fight for justice and the coming together of people supporting people, against the establishment that seemingly was only interested in protecting itself.

As reported by the BBC more than 900 workers were prosecuted and over 700 sub postmasters were wrongly accused of financial mismanagement between 1999 and 2015, creating a crisis that exposed a lack of credibility and integrity of an institution we all know. As Amrit shared on the podcast, the toll on individuals and families was profound. Lives were shattered, reputations tarnished, and four individuals tragically took their own lives under the immense stress brought on by false accusations and seemingly having no way out of a mess they found themselves in through no fault of their own.

This is not just about numbers and accusations; it's about a massive failure in leadership and ethics. At the core of this mess was a software system named Horizon. A year before it went live, it was acquired by Fujitsu and implemented by the Post Office with the intention of improving efficiency and digitalising transactions. However, it turned into a flawed tool that wreaked havoc and gave the powers that be, something to hide behind not long after its installation. The system was protected over the people. People that had been doing their jobs with no problem for years.

The flaws in the Horizon system were known, and people at the top were aware of issues, yet the culture prevented open discussion and transparency. The sub postmasters were kept in the dark, made to believe they were the only ones that had these discrepancies, scared to speak up. They had no voice, no one was prepared to listen to them. In fact, they were used as scape goats, thrown to the wolves to save the reputation of the Post Office and the people at the top.  

Surprisingly, a code of ethics and business conduct existed for the Post Office; there to guide decisions and look after people, instigated (or maybe not) and signed off by you would imagine, those at the top, but it was neglected in this severe miscarriage of justice. ‘The Code of Business Conduct’ states “Doing what’s right means we must always act with integrity and be open and honest to ensure we are trusted by our customers, colleagues, Postmasters, Retail Partners and the communities in which we work”. There is lots more to it than this but even if it was just this statement, it has been made a mockery of.

You would be forgiven for thinking there could have been thorough audits, transparency, accountability, a thirst to support their people if they did truly value integrity, being open and honest so they could be trusted by everyone.  This code designed to guide decisions and actions, was nowhere to be seen and is a waste of the paper it is written on. Instead of standing by the noble words declared, to protect its reputation, the Post Office left its employees hanging and continued down a path that literally ruined and ended lives.

You would also imagine that in hindsight, had they worked to fix the issues up front, and been guided by their ‘code of conduct’ that was out in the world for all to see, it could have been a story of success.  We might now be reading a book written on ‘how to do it right, when things go wrong’, author Paula Vennells (CEO of the Post Office 2012-2019 and an Anglican Priest) rather than watching a TV drama on this horrendous scandal. But no. Instead, we learnt how she took the decision to ignore discoveries that this system was faulty, presented to her by a private forensic company that she instigated and later severed ties with. The truth hurts.

Whatever culture existed at the top of the chain resulted in choosing blame and covering up, over responsibility, transparency, living by their own values and principles that would have protected hard working people. Thanks to Alan Bates now known as hero and rightly so, the truth is out and the depth of it is still being discovered.  Mr Bates knew he was in the right and that what was happening was so very wrong. He found the clarity of thought and strength to give a voice and a path to walk down to those that truly needed it. He has let people be seen and heard, and to be on the way to finding some well needed justice.

This so called ‘Code of Business Conduct’, makes the right noises and sounds noble. It looks good on paper, and for the public - and to hide behind. What is written is not the experience of those it claimed to care about. In fact, their people were used as scape goats to protect the reputation of the institution which has now been exposed and blown up in catastrophic style! It could and should have been so different.

Alan Bates brought people together. A good leader brings people together. I get the feeling he would have held himself to the letter of a code of conduct. If he had a values and mission statement, it would truly align to who he is and what he values, and it would have guided action. It would have been something to bank on.  It wouldn’t have just been about business and reputation – it would have been about looking after our fellow humans, showing genuine care for those who make our companies what they are. Afterall what are we without them?

As we reflect on the Post Office scandal, let's extract some golden nuggets for our own businesses. Looking after people is more than just ticking boxes and conducting surveys. It's about living up to who we want to be, valuing our employees, and ensuring a transparent, honest culture. Any fear culture at the top should be replaced with open communication, aligning values, and acknowledging that how we treat people is vital for any organisation's success.

We must challenge our own beliefs about the institutions we trust and demand transparency. Organisations must foster cultures that encourage open communication, build trust, and prioritise accountability. Let’s learn from this nightmare, and create workplaces where trust is earned, transparency is non-negotiable, and people are genuinely valued. After all, isn't that the kind of workplace we all want? I guess the hope is that the lessons from this scandal inform a new era of responsible leadership and ethical conduct, where institutions prioritise the well-being of their employees and the trust of the public. They have the power; therefore, they must act, and we must demand that they take on the responsibility that it comes with. 

Listen to the podcast here.