Want a behind-the-scenes look at how real leaders make ethics practical on a day-to-day basis? In this conversation with Noreen Fierro at Principal Financial Group®, you’ll hear how, as Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, she builds trust by asking questions, owning mistakes, and keeping teams aligned to values, not just outcomes. You’ll also get an insider’s view of the rigorous Ethisphere “World’s Most Ethical Companies” application—what it takes, why cross-functional collaboration matters, and how to sustain momentum over months.

You’ll come away with fresh, usable ideas: pausing unsustainable busywork, watching for stress signals, and turning misses into shared learning instead of blame. Plus, you’ll discover a mentoring approach grounded in humility, self-awareness, and long-term relationships that helps people grow with confidence.

Noreen is Senior Vice President and Enterprise Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer at Principal Financial Group®. She joined Principal® in 2022. Her career spans 30 years in the financial services industry, both in-house in legal and compliance roles and as outside counsel. Prior to joining Principal in 2022, she was Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer at Guardian Life and before that held various senior-level positions at Prudential Financial. You’ll hear Noreen’s passion for strong leadership in our conversation, and she speaks often about it at industry events.

You’ll discover:

• How vulnerability (and “I don’t know yet”) elevates leadership.
• A practical playbook for complex, months-long ethics initiatives.
• What to do after a miss: learn, don’t blame.
• Ways to protect your team’s capacity and values in real time.
• A mentoring style that blends humility, curiosity, and care.

Watch the episode:

Connect with Noreen

Website

Learn more about Noreen Fierro’s employer, Principal Financial Group, here:  

PrincipalFinancial Group

Related Podcast Episodes

317: Ethics As a Business Superpower

Garry is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of WD-40 Company. He now speaks and coaches with other CEOs to help them build positive cultures in their own organizations.

Garry is also an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego where he teaches the principles and practices of corporate culture in the Master of Science in Executive Leadership program. In 2009 he co-authored Helping People Win at Work: A Business Philosophy called ‘Don’t Mark My Paper, Help Me Get an A with Ken Blanchard. In 2020 he wrote TRIBE CULTURE: How It Shaped WD-40 Company and in 2021 The UNEXPECTED LEARNING MOMENT.

You’ll discover:

• What “accidental soul-sucking” CEOs do to undermine a positive work environment
• Why Garry refers to everyone at WD-40 as “tribe” instead of “team”
• The 4 pillars of the fearless tribe at WD-40
• The distinction Garry makes between empathy and ego
• Why there are only “learning moments” and not failures or mistakes at WD-40

Watch the episode:

Connect with Garry

Garry’s Websites

The Learning Moment

WD-40 Company

Garry’s Books

Helping People Win at Work: A Business Philosophy called ‘Don’t Mark My Paper, Help Me Get an A

TRIBE CULTURE: How It Shaped WD-40 Company

The UNEXPECTED LEARNING MOMENT