Insight Economy needs Civilisation.

Einsicht Ökonomie braucht politisch-moralische Einbettung.

Risk Analysis We identify the opportunities and limits of corporate responsibility in global supply chains.

Risikoanalyse Wir zeigen die Möglichkeiten und Grenzen unternehmerischer Verantwortung in globalen Lieferketten auf.

Best Practice Fewer normative appeals. More work on standards.

Best Practice Weniger normative Appelle. Mehr Arbeit an Standards.

Dialogue We identify the possibilities and limits of corporate responsibility in the area of conflict between business and ethics.

Dialog Wir identifizieren die Möglichkeiten und Grenzen unternehmerischer Verantwortung im Spannungsfeld zwischen Wirtschaft und Ethik.

Responsibility Creating values. Protecting human rights.

Verantwortung Werte schaffen. Menschenrechte schützen.

Economy The aim of our work is to minimise human rights violations in global supply chains.

Wirtschaft Ziel unserer Arbeit ist es, Menschenrechtsverletzungen in globalen Lieferketten zu minimieren.

Education No economic education without moral judgement, no ethical education without economic understanding.

Bildung Keine ökonomische Bildung ohne moralisches Urteilsvermögen.

Advocacy We act as advocates for business ethics issues with the aim of making ethical risks economically relevant for companies.  

Themenanwaltschaft Wir setzen uns für Fragen der Unternehmensethik ein, mit dem Ziel, ethische Risiken für Unternehmen wirtschaftlich relevant zu machen.

Research We promote the ability to discuss economic issues, make moral judgements and act responsibly.

Forschung Wir fördern die Fähigkeit, wirtschaftliche Themen zu diskutieren, moralische Urteile zu fällen und verantwortungsvoll zu handeln.

Mission Solutions for responsible business. Guidance for companies, politics and civil society.

Mission Lösungen für verantwortungsbewusstes Wirtschaften. Orientierung für Unternehmen, Politik und Zivilgesellschaft.

Education We are committed to firmly embedding business ethics competencies in education in the fields of economics and the social sciences.

Bildung Wir setzen uns dafür ein, wirtschaftsethische Kompetenzen fest in der wirtschafts- und sozialwissenschaftlichen Ausbildung zu verankern.

ethos – Business and corporate ethics in economic and political education

Is ethical investment good for the conscience but bad for returns? What ethical standards and values should advertising adhere to? Are whistleblowers despicable traitors or moral heroes? With these and many other questions, the ‘ethos’ project – Business and Corporate Ethics in Economic and Political Education – aims to encourage pupils to reflect on these issues using concrete and topical examples.

Professors Tilman Grammes (University of Hamburg) and Thomas Retzmann (University of Duisburg-Essen) have developed a subject-specific teaching concept to integrate the practical application of business and corporate ethics issues into the classroom using exemplary curriculum modules. The ethos modules are primarily intended for teachers of economics and politics at general secondary schools and business-oriented secondary schools.

The ethos teaching units are characterised in particular by their reference to economic and political practice. Equally central to the didactic implementation are the various perspectives on the respective case study. Each module therefore suggests one or more suitable perspectives. The four possible perspectives are: 1. Actor, 2. Recipient, 3. Observer and 4. Citizen. Depending on the case study, pupils should be introduced to the relevant topic through one or more of these perspectives.

All ethos teaching units are designed as modular teaching components, and the materials have been deliberately developed to engage pupils. Each module contains a self-contained case study, accompanying worksheets and ready-to-photocopy slide templates. Fundamental insights can be gained from all case studies, which can be applied to other cases and situations. All modules can therefore be used individually without the others. However, depending on the subject area, a specific combination may well be appropriate.

The authors of the individual modules are all experts in their respective fields. They come from the academic world and/or are practising educationalists themselves. To ensure the widest possible dissemination of the teaching units, they are designed to fit seamlessly into standard curricula for economic and political education.

All ethos modules are tested and evaluated in collaboration with selected schools. Based on the results, a final revision is carried out before all teaching units are published in book form. In 2012, ethos was awarded the Max Weber Prize for Business Ethics in the ‘School/Textbook’ category, and in 2014 it received the SCHULEWIRTSCHAFT Network’s School Textbook Prize.

Information on the teaching modules, the project itself and previous publications can be accessed via the navigation menu in the right-hand column of this page.

Teachers can order the ethos anthology by sending a brief email to post@stiftung-wirtschaftsethik.de. Please let us know whether you would like a printed copy by post or an electronic version by email.