Education and social justice are key issues for leaders

A recent study by the Values Commission amongst senior executives in the German business sector shows that values are becoming increasingly central to corporate leadership.

The Values Commission – Initiative Werte Bewusste Führung e. V. – has commissioned a survey of senior executives in the German business sector for the third time. In collaboration with the strategy consultancy VALORESS, 300 executives were surveyed. The survey revealed that the core set of key values has changed little since the financial crisis. Nevertheless, there has been an increase among the executives surveyed in their willingness to prioritise values they consider important – such as trust, responsibility and integrity – over economic interests.

According to the study, the executives have recognised that their companies cannot operate in isolation from issues such as education and social justice. The executives surveyed identified education as the greatest social problem. Furthermore, there has been a growing desire to become more socially engaged. The German government’s intervention during the financial crisis has evidently also left a positive impression. Just under two-thirds of the executives surveyed support government intervention in times of crisis.

The Values Commission is an initiative by business leaders, driven by the conviction that values-based behaviour is urgently needed for business and society and is a decisive competitive factor for the German economy. Personal responsibility plays a particularly important role in the day-to-day actions of executives. Further information can be found at www.wertekommission.de.