Held on the third Wednesday of every October, Global Ethics Day, a project of Carnegie Council, provides an opportunity for everyone around the world to explore the crucial role of ethics in their professions and their daily lives.
October 16, 2019 marked the sixth annual Global Ethics Day, and it was one of the biggest years yet. By Carnegie Council's count, there were 140+ activities by organizations and individuals in nearly 50 countries.They took place in Asia, Africa, Australia, Eurasia, Europe, the Americas (North, South and Central America, and the Caribbean), and the Middle East.
Check out the list of participants, along with an interactive map on GlobalEthicsDay.org. The list also includes comments from participants on their activities and ideas.
In addition, there was a great show of support on social media. Check out the posts on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn—or a curated selection of photos and videos on the official webpage.
Global organizations: Carnegie Council partnered with Bruce Weinstein, The Ethics Guy®, for a webinar on business ethics with Terri Civitello, associate director of ethics and compliance at the Otis Elevator Company; Carol Tate, director of global ethics and compliance and associate general counsel for Intel Corporation; and Mike Valentine, president and CEO of Baxter Credit Union. In addition, Carnegie Council partnered with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and CFA Institute to produce eight interviews with business leaders on the importance of ethics, entitled "Ethics in Business: In Their Own Words" and three shorter compilation videos wrapping up the series. Both ACCA and CFA Institute also organized activities around the globe—including film festivals in Hong Kong and Singapore; and a breakfast discussion at European Parliament in Brussels.
Universities and schools: The Research Centre of the French Military Academy and the International Society for Military Ethics in Europe organized a conference in Paris on the "Ethics of the Enhanced Soldier." Comillas Pontifical University in Spain conducted a radio program on Radiotelevision Española. In Venezuela, Universidad Catolica Andres Bello launched events discussing restrictions in political freedoms. The George Washington University in Washington, DC hosted Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) for a conversation on national security. In Russia, the Moscow School of Management Skolkovo held a conference with a community of professionals from different fields and industries on the implementation of ethical approaches in business.
Local organizations and activities: All 3,500 employees at Auditor General South Africa affixed their handprints and signatures on canvases as a commitment to ethical behavior. In the United States, State Representative Tony McCombie of Illinois State House District 71 introduced legislation to create a State Ethics Task Force. The Ethics Centre in Australia hosted an event on "The Ethics of Giving" in Sydney. Nigeria's Advocacy for Social Justice and Ethical Values Initiative (ASJEV) held a workshop on "Ethical Values, Citizens Rights, and Responsibilities."
Articles: On the topic of business ethics, Bruce Weinstein, The Ethics Guy®, wrote "Seven Bold Leaders Reveal How Ethical Leadership is a Boon to Business" for Forbes.com; Helen Brand, chief executive at ACCA, wrote "Profit from purpose: What does it mean to be an ethical leader?" in City A.M.; and VEON Armenia (trademark Beeline) was interviewed on Panorama.am for the article "Why did Beeline pay $850 million?" The Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding also published "Looking Toward New Models for Reconciliation."
For more on all the Global Ethics Day activities, go to https://globalethicsday.org. Many thanks to all who took part.
ABOUT CARNEGIE COUNCILFounded by Andrew Carnegie in 1914, Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs is a forum for the world's leading thinkers, experts, and decision makers. Through lectures, workshops, panel discussions, conferences, interviews, articles, and a wealth of free multimedia online resources, the Council has earned a reputation as an honest, objective voice for ethics in international affairs. Go to https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/.
