CEO leadership is increasingly the focus of public and media discussions of business ethics. Federal regulators stress that “tone at the top” is the critical factor influencing corporate conduct. The failures of organizations in all sectors frequently are chalked up to a lack of leadership integrity.

Ethics, Leadership and the CEO, a leadership forum featuring a panel of CEOs and a presentation of highlights of the Center’s new National Survey of CEOs on Business Ethics, will be held on Friday, May 9, 2008. The CEOs will comment on the findings. The survey of more than 300 CEOs was sponsored by UPS and conducted in collaboration with Clemson University's Robert J. Rutland Center for Ethics. The event will be held at The Commerce Club, downtown Atlanta, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Examples of the wide-ranging topics to be discussed include:

• What critical issues are of greatest concern to today’s CEOs? Will executives be more prone to ethical compromises during a recession?
• What methods are used to establish and promote ethical standards of conduct? How effective has the Sarbanes-Oxley legislation been in improving corporate ethics in America?
• How often do employees’ needs and interests conflict with those of shareholders? Is it easier for privately owned companies to be ethical?
• How do U.S. companies conduct business in cultures where ethical norms differ from our own?

We are grateful to Navigant Consulting for support to make this presentation possible.

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Center Leads Adoption of Principles for Responsible Management Education

In an effort to advance the Robinson College of Business’ commitment to corporate social responsibility, The Center for Ethics and Corporate Responsibility led the college’s effort to adopt the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME). Unveiled by a group of scholars and leading academic organizations at the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit in July 2007, the six principles outlined in the PRME provide a framework for academic institutions to advance the broader cause of corporate social responsibility and incorporate universal values into curricula and research. As a framework, the PRME is meant to guide a school's effort to continuously improve curricula and research with regard to issues of corporate citizenship and sustainability. Learn more.

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Do you know of someone who has been a leader in advocating higher ethical standards in an industry or professional field? Someone who has responded to ethical issues by encouraging others to act in the best interests of society? If so, consider nominating that person for the 2008 Ethics Advocate Award. Nominations are now being accepted for the Ethics Advocate Award, presented by The Center for Ethics and Corporate Responsibility at Georgia State University. The nomination deadline is May 1. Forms and more information are available here. The award will be presented this fall at a gala and ceremony at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta, Georgia.

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The part-time MBA program at Georgia State’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business moved up three spots to number five according to U.S. News and World Report's annual "America's Best Graduate School" rankings for 2009. Learn more.

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Panelists (l to r) Lea Donosky, Jeremy Garlington, Greg Lisby and David Rubinger at recent event, Ethics and New Media. John Knapp, director of the Center, moderates.

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