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Some might think it’s an abstract concept, but for the eight employees at Character Counts! in Iowa, character is an integral part of people’s lives, and it’s the organization’s focus.

“There is nothing I have been involved with that is as powerful as this,” said Scott Raecker, executive director of Character Counts! in Iowa, which is part of the Institute for Character Development at Drake University. “It has the capacity to, and does, change lives. There’s just no question about it.”

But character is not something that develops on its own. Thoroughly embedded in curriculum and now even in the workplace, character is being instilled throughout the state in six pillars: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.

“It’s important that character counts all the time,” Raecker said, “whether it’s from the preschool environment to the corporate boardroom.”

Raecker emphasized the importance of instilling good character in the work setting. Not only does character guide ethical decision making in the workplace, he said, but it allows adults to act as models of ideal character for youths.

“It has as much application in the workplace, in fact I believe more so, than it does even with young people, because that’s where the opportunity to demonstrate this is,” Raecker said.

Currently, the organization works with partner companies such as Pella Corp. and Principal Financial Group Inc., providing corporate character and ethics training.

However, Character Counts wants to expand its corporate training presence and has been working with the Iowa chapter of the American Society of Trainers and Developers to provide a more broad-based corporate training package. Raecker hopes that by providing this type of corporate training, he can “bring to life” ethical business practices.

“When you look at national scandals that we’ve had in the last eight to 10 years, those were not individuals,” Raecker said. “(The individuals) academically were very high achievers. So what did they lack? The ethical compass of doing the right thing, for the right reason, regardless of the cost.”