Business Ethics
The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics explores ethical issues in global business, leadership, executive compensation, ESG (environment, social, governance) and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), and other areas of business ethics.
by Ann Skeet, senior director, leadership ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University.
Business ethics is the application of moral reasoning to matters that arise in corporate life. Ethics is about the conditions that support human flourishing; business ethics considers how humans flourish both in business settings and as a result of actions that organizations take.
In the study of ethics, context matters. Ethical business behavior is considered in the context in which companies operate, both within their industries, their countries, and globally.

The mission of the Institute for Technology, Ethics, and Culture (ITEC) is to “convene a collaborative and creative space for interfaith, cross-cultural, and cross-functional thought leaders to harness good will, to improve our world and to allow the human spirit to flourish through digital and smart technologies.”

Santa Clara University students are placed in Ethics and Compliance or ESG positions at major companies in Silicon Valley such as Intel, Adobe, Cadence, KLA, and Marvell.
A collection of resources sharing research and practical approaches to addressing the ethical challenges inherent in creating healthy, anti-racist, inclusive organizations. We help managers understand what they need to do to create the kind of culture built on values, void of toxicity, and viable for the diversity represented in today's workforce.

This teaching module for business ethics, leadership, and management courses includes two videos, homework assignments, and class discussion, all designed to spark conversation about ethical issues associated with whistleblowers and corporate governance.

The defeat of the Open AI Board shows that in the battle between AI profits and ethics, it’s no contest.

By discharging existing government departments and agencies to oversee AI and developing new tools and organizations to aid in that effort, the Biden administration is addressing the question of whether AI regulation will be distributed among a number of entities, or concentrated in a single, new agency.

Accelerating AI capabilities underscore the need for ethics frameworks to help guide the design and development of all technologies. Here’s how to put ethics into action and ensure your efforts have an impact.

A framework for tech companies and regulators to create AI that is principled and accountable.
Ethics and compliance are different things, says Ann Skeet, senior director, leadership ethics. Analyzing trends in business ethics, Skeet points to a new interest in human rights concerns, a growth in representation of diverse stakeholders, and new metrics, such as ESG, which measures a business' environment, sustainability, and governance practices.

Diversity and inclusion problems in Silicon Valley organizations are solvable if the issues are considered as ethical dilemmas. Find resources, articles, videos, and blog posts about diversity and inclusion here.
As ethical issues in business and leadership are increasingly relevant to today’s climate this team of professionals from public, private, and nonprofit sectors collaborates with the Ethics Center to identify and prioritize complex issues.


For more than 35 years, the Ethics Center has helped individuals and organizations make better decisions and includes offering fee-for-service options for organizations that want a customized approach to building training programs, case studies, and other materials.