The end of 2001 brought the foundation of a new institution at Estonian Business School – EBS Centre for Ethics. The centre’s tasks include integrating ethics activities among the different chairs at EBS in order to develop the academic potential of EBS faculty, as well as integrate research work in business and management ethics and related fields. The centre acts as an information source and advisor on the subject of (business) ethics, and plans to have increasingly close ties with business people. The aim is to create a new mission for economics and business administration orientated education under the slogan “Integrity in Society and Business”.
With the goal of improving the Estonian business climate, educating business people and informing the public at large, the members of the centre conduct surveys; organise training programs, seminars and work-shops; publish articles and share information about ethical problems in business and society.
Our main aim is to study the general social climate in Estonia, and more specifically, relationships in business and within organisations, to understand what is detrimental to these relationships and the cause of severe conflict. Research in this field was commenced five years ago and conflict and value orientations both in society and organisations were chosen as the main objects of research.
The work of the centre has been designed as a long-term program. The need for this program has arisen from the continual rapid development of the social, political and economic environment in Estonia, and the need for its educational institutions to react to these changes.
Several steps have already been taken towards raising awareness of the problems and providing training on the subject of business ethics at Estonian Business School and within the Estonian business community. The formation of a data-base of research fields and publications on business ethics is in process. One of the tasks is to encourage new students and doctoral students to become involved in ethics related research fields and to incorporate and develop new faculty members for EBS.
Through the Centre for Ethics Studies EBS is an Institutional Member of EBEN – European Business Ethics Network.
