Jewish Law in Business

I had a wonderful opportunity the other day to meet with Marty Levine, the General Director of the Chicago JCCs. Marty explained that the JCC is aggressively working to ensure that it runs it's business in line with Jewish values. A friend of mine asked what this meant. It got me thinking about some of the issues that a company must deal with if it were to be aligned with Jewish values. Here are a few that struck me:

1. If you receive an invoice with payment terms of NET 30, do you hold it for 27 days or pay it right away? ("in the same day thou shalt give him his hire" - Deuteronomy 24,15). Is "on time" within the terms provided or should we pay sooner? Is holding payment to maximize your cash on hand ok?

2. Is it ok to put off preventitive maintence on equipment? (When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, so that you do not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone should fall from it”-Deuteronomy 22:8)

3. Can you foreclose, reposses, or charge late fees to people who owe you money? (“When thou dost lend thy neighbour any manner of loan, thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge.” - Deuteronomy 24:10, “Thou shalt surely restore to him the pledge when the sun goeth down, that he may sleep in his garment, and bless thee; and it shall be righteousness unto thee before the LORD thy God.” – Deuteronomy 24:13)

4. How much free product or service should an orgnaization provide for the needy? ("When you have made an end of tithing all the tithe of your increase in the third year, which is the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the sojourner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, that they may eat within your gates, and be filled.” - Deuteronomy 26:12)

5. How "green" should we be? (“When you besiege a city…you shall not destroy its (fruit) trees. You shall eat of them, do not cut them down; for man’s life depends on the trees of the field” - Deuteronomy 20:19), “When God created Adam, He led him around the Garden of Eden and said to him: ‘Behold my works! See how beautiful they are, how excellent! All that I have created, for your sake did I create it. See t it that you do not spoil and destroy my world; for if you do, there will be no one to repair it after you’” -Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:13)

I'm interested in hearing about other business decisions that could be influenced by Jewish law.