Social responsibility as a matter of justice
a proposal to expand business ethics education
pp. 229-246
in: Maria C. Coutinho de Arruda, Boleslaw Rok (eds), Understanding ethics and responsibilities in a globalizing world, Berlin, Springer, 2016Abstract
Business ethics education has focused primarily on the moral formation of individual leaders and managers in the context of legal compliance, ethical codes, and organizational culture. As valuable as this approach is, it does not generate a sufficient level of business responsibility to satisfy legitimate social concerns regarding the use of natural resources, environmental sustainability, reasonable limitation of systemic risk in capital markets, and fair allocation of goods and services. It is my aim to strengthen the external accountability inherent in business ethics, drawing upon the foundational morals of human systems of exchange as the foundation for education in business ethics as a matter of justice and the pragmatic pursuit of the good.