Reflecting on the discussions you’ve had, you feel that the concerns about motivation relate to organizational Integrity. You summarize the concern as being about the oil company purchasing a share in the goodwill that the health care organization has generated in the community and that it is not the purpose of the organization to confer goodwill to others.  In short, the organization has “sold out”.

For those who raise these concerns, the short-term gain in terms of being better able to provide care does not offset the potential far-reaching and long-lasting damage to the organization’s reputation and to the relationships between the community and the organization.

In working through these questions, the fact that integrity comes, in this case, with a very real price tag is raised in the discussion.  There is discussion about Stewardship, and whether refusing the donation is in keeping with responsible management of resources.

The recommendations shared with the board outline the reasons for maintaining integrity, based on the values of trust and respect, and identify the potential tension with stewardship.