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Declining jobs based on moral/ethical grounds

d fleming

d fleming

Premium Subscriber
I haven't come across to many that I turned down, but a few. It's your call. I have never put a political sign in front of my shop even if the candidate were someone I was voting for because I print for any candidate and need to appear impartial. I did have an embroiderer once who refuse to put double s marks from a Harley air cover into a leather seat because she said it was racist, lol.
 
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victor bogdanov

Active Member
Every large online print website has a terms of use section similar to this:

"Products that are offensive, unlawful, harassing, libelous, threatening, harmful, obscene, malicious or otherwise objectionable. ##### reserves the right, in #####’s sole discretion, to refuse to accept any content provided by you to ##### or to process any order at any time and for any reason. ##### also may terminate its service to and/or the accounts of customers found to be using ##### to engage in undesirable activities or otherwise violating these Terms of Use"

I just found this one on a popular printing provider website and replaced their name with #####
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
And what, may I ask...... has that got to do with morals ??

That's called saving your buns against some harassing degenerate.
 
gnubler

gnubler

Active Member
Interesting mix of comments here. Generally, I don't care what the job or who the customer is, and have done all flavors of campaign signs, rallies, churches, even naked chicks (but not porn), etc. I'm in business to make signs for anyone who comes through my door and have yet to decline anything due to a personal objection, until yesterday.

In this case, I'm not sure if you'd call it a moral objection because it's not a controversial issue like abortion, just something that having my hands in would make me personally feel dirty. I'm not trying to be a crusader for a cause or make a statement, and it'll be a silent rejection if I decide to pass because another shop will gladly take the job. Makes me feel like I'd be making a sign for my own proverbial noose, just for a bit of money. Good for the business, but for the squirrel behind the curtain, not so much. Hence the dilemma.

Since someone brought up the Holocaust, imagine Jewish signmakers in the late 1930s going gangbusters with signage orders for "train stations" and "work camps", and then ending up in them.
 
FireSprint.com

FireSprint.com

Trade Only Screen & Digital Sign Printing
Back to the OPs question. Printing for all political parties I think is just fine. A good political system takes views from all sides, including that of the capitalist that prints the signs for profit.

In terms of strong moral issues, that's for you to decide and no one else. The fact of the matter is, if you don't do it, someone else probably will. If you are okay with that, then turn down the work and seek out the work you prefer. There's enough business to go around.

We have never had to turn anything away. Being wholesale likely shields of from the worst of it. But, we're here as an extension of our customer's production. If they want us to print something, we generally just print it.
 
Boudica

Boudica

I'm here for Educational Purposes
to the best of my knowledge, we've never turned down any projects because my boss disagreed morally or ethically. Then again, I don't know that we've been asked to do anything super controversial. We have this older client, who has some farmland along a highway. he periodically has me do up some 48x24 coro signs. He'll give me the message he wants and I make it a sign. I rarely agree with his messaging (personally), but I always do my best to make them attractive, and legible zooming by at 55mph. That said, one time he told me that he realizes some of his messaging is pretty far out (way to the right) and If I ever have a personal conflict printing them to say so. I thought that was really kind of him to consider this, and I told him I'm a professional, and I have no opinion on what he want's to post on his property. My job is to make his signs, not question or debate his morals or ethics.
 
2B

2B

Active Member
Boudica said:
to the best of my knowledge, we've never turned down any projects because my boss disagreed morally or ethically. Then again, I don't know that we've been asked to do anything super controversial. We have this older client, who has some farmland along a highway. he periodically has me do up some 48x24 coro signs. He'll give me the message he wants and I make it a sign. I rarely agree with his messaging (personally), but I always do my best to make them attractive, and legible zooming by at 55mph. That said, one time he told me that he realizes some of his messaging is pretty far out (way to the right) and If I ever have a personal conflict printing them to say so. I thought that was really kind of him to consider this, and I told him I'm a professional, and I have no opinion on what he want's to post on his property. My job is to make his signs, not question or debate his morals or ethics.
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Worded very well!!
 
GAC05

GAC05

Quit buggin' me
Gino said:
you sound like you would rip a customer off or give them calendared instead of cast that they ordered to put a little more $$ in your pocket

How in the world does that even relate ?? That's pure poppycock.
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WUT?
poppycock.jpg
 
GAC05

GAC05

Quit buggin' me
I used to do a bunch of decals every year for an off-road racing team - stars-n-bars on the roof and hood - questionable things like scope sights over a silhouette wearing middle eastern headgear, etc.
It was a loose gang of tuna fleet helicopter pilots, mechanics, and ex-military guys.
The funny part was the guy who did all the ordering and paying for the Confederate flags & redneck trucker stuff was Australian......
I don't do them anymore - was not a moral awakening, Australian guy passed away.
 
B

beaulaland

beaulaland
gnubler said:
As a business owner, what's your stance on accepting or declining jobs for personal reasons? A moral or ethical dilemma. As a basic example, getting a request to bid on a large signage project for an abortion clinic, which goes against your religion or personal beliefs. Or getting requests for political signage for a candidate you simply don't support.
Do you take the job, because a job is a job and it's profitable for your business, or do you pass, knowing another sign shop will have no problem with it and get the job.

I'm new in business and would like to hear your experiences and opinions.
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I would say the fact that you are questioning it, tells me that something is telling you that you are not really at peace about, I say no job is worth the money if you are not at peace, We my husband and I started our business we dedicated our business to the Lord and agreed that we would not do anything that the Lord would not be pleased with, 36 years later, He has provided more than we need and we are at peace in what we do , this is my opinion as I'm sure a lot of people would disagree, but follow your heart and be blessed !!!!
 
gnubler

gnubler

Active Member
d fleming said:
I have never put a political sign in front of my shop even if the candidate were someone I was voting for because I print for any candidate and need to appear impartial.
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Ditto. I'm not political personally, but I would NEVER display anything that reflects my private beliefs at my shop, whether it's politics, religion, or whatever. Way too easy to alienate or turn off a potential customer.

I live in a small town where the local elections are rabid sh!t shows, and I see way too many businesses waving flags and such for this and that candidate or cause. There's one group that I find so repelling that I no longer support the businesses that signed up and have their special decal on the front door.
 
JamesLam

JamesLam

New Member
When I first read the title for the thread I was under the impression that careers with charities, non-profits, Médecins Sans Frontières, etc. were being pushed aside by for-profit only endeavours.

Anyway I say it's your call. If for whatever reason you are not comfortable with something, then decline the job and move on. Revenue and profit should not even come into the discussion. If it does it obviously wasn't much of a dilemma in the first place.
 
EmilyAlice3

EmilyAlice3

High-brow and I rock a little know-how.
Stacey K said:
A few weeks ago I was at the grocery store and saw a "ban abortion van" it had a pretty grotesque vinyl wrap (I'm sure you can all imagine the photos on it). Although I did agree with some of what was posted, there's no way I could bring myself to wrap that van.

If the message is positive or funny, I have no issues even if it's not my candidate/belief. If the message is mean and nasty or rated R like that abortion van, I try to ignore their email or I don't call them back or just bid high or say you are not taking new orders. I'm leary about telling someone no because of my beliefs. That could land a person in trouble with a law suit. I just try to ignore such things and hope they go elsewhere, probably very bad advice but I have to think these people are pretty used to it.
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I've had the same thought about the signs that protesters hold in front of clinics. Somebody prints those. All beliefs aside, I couldn't stomach working with the files, or setting up the art, or pulling it off the press. I'm sure those groups have someone within their membership with direct access to a printer.
 
M

mbasch

New Member
I don't offend customers by putting my morals or beliefs ahead of theirs, but I let pricing steer it. That way I keep the door open for future projects. If they want to pay may a premium, I'll take it, but I price it so more than likely they will go elsewhere.
 
bob

bob

It's better to have two hands than one glove.
victor bogdanov said:
You get an order for some swasticka stickers, you printing?
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Yes. The only criteria for either doing or refusing a job is the likelihood that I'm going to be paid. I have zero interest in the content of any job. I assume no responsibility for content. That's why I absolutely positively refuse to write copy.
 
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