I work with businesses, that’s a given when you’re a B2B company.
Last week I conducted a 2nd edition to one of my group trainings, the demand was high and I had to close the registration (I limit the seats) the week before and reject more than 10 people who registered. 2 days before the training a business owner called me – after we talked the week before which made him book a seat for one of his employees – to tell me a story about how his HR didn’t do this and do that on time (bureaucracy wise) and therefore his person is not coming to the training. I found it rude, dishonest and mainly – unprofessional.
As an owner you should know better than anyone else the sweat, blood and tears it takes to bring things to life, so the right thing to do is to take responsibility, swallow the (come on – very small compared to the value) expense, send your person to get him/her trained and maintain your reputation.
On my side? I have paid all the suppliers that deserved to be paid for their work even if this participant didn’t show up. That’s what you call business ethics.