“Enterprise ethics” represents the values and patterns of behavior exhibited by professionals and organizations as they make the exercise of integrity, fairness, responsibility, sustainability and transparency in their dealings with all their constituencies an inherent part of their culture.
Enterprise Ethics is a fundamental underpinning of a strong and stable society.
- Trust, confidence and mutual respect, based on sound enterprise ethics practices, are key underpinnings of a robust economy. Without these keystones, investment is deferred, transactions are uncertain, employment is stagnant, and overall economic growth is stymied.
- Academic and professional studies have demonstrated a clear correlation between ethicality and both financial and non-financial performance. Individuals and organizations with strong ethical cultures tend to have superior performance.
- High standards of enterprise ethics tend to be associated with higher levels of operational and organizational effectiveness and efficiency, including higher levels of job satisfaction, lower levels of employee turnover, less misconduct, less work-related conflicts, enhanced job performance, and increased group creativity.
- Organizations with strong reputation for integrity and responsibility find it much easier to attract, hire, and retain the best and brightest talent.
The Institute for Enterprise Ethics was established at the University of Denver as the vehicle to extend the University’s expertise and resources in professional and corporate ethics.
The Institute’s vision is to serve the public good by integrating ethics into professional and corporate cultures. The purpose of the Institute is to impact professional and organizational practices by nurturing trust, integrity, and responsibility.
The Institute is housed in the department of Business Ethics and Legal Studies at the Daniels College of Business, founded on the legacy of Bill Daniels, who was a pioneer in bringing ethics to the forefront of business education.
The Institute is dedicated to providing opportunities for professionals and organizations to advance their knowledge, understanding and practice of the principles of enterprise ethics through a variety of informative and interactive programs and events.
To equip professionals and organizations to lead and serve with trust, integrity, and responsibility, through collaborations among professionals, academic researchers, and students.
The Institute strives to achieve its mission by:
- Engaging students to strengthen education in ethical leadership skills
- Promoting and sharing impactful academic research to advance knowledge
- Providing opportunities of dialogue among professionals to share experiences
The goal is to contribute to the vision of the University of Denver which aims to be a great private university dedicated to the public good.
The Institute promotes initiatives in three focus areas to elevate the impact of ethics in professional and organizational cultures.
Through the Institute’s initiatives, professionals, senior executives, directors, advisors, researchers, and students can learn about:
Ethics & Compliance
- Professional ethics challenges
- Best practices in professional and corporate ethics and compliance
- Inclusive excellence and ethical corporate cultures
Leadership & Governance
- Ethical leadership within organizations
- Monitoring and oversight of ethics
- Ethical responsibilities and decision-making
Social Responsibility & Sustainability
- Organizational citizenship and philanthropy
- Sustainability, safety and health in the workplace
- Environmental changes and social implications
If you are inspired by the mission of the Institute and would like to contribute, you can: