Manifesto Global Business Ethics

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The Global Business Ethic Manifesto declares the fundamental principles and values ​​of a global economy, as they emerge from the Declaration of the Parliament of the World's Religions on the Global Ethic (Chicago 1993). The manifesto for a global business ethic was presented in 2009 at a joint event with the UN Global Compact at the UN headquarters in New York. His first signers include internationally renowned leaders such as Mary Robinson , former President of Ireland and Archbishop Desmond Tutu , Nobel Peace Prize Laureates.

Content of the manifest

The principles expressed in this declaration can be supported by all people with ethical convictions, whether religiously based or not. The signatories undertake to be guided by the letter and spirit of this declaration in their everyday economic decisions, actions and behavior and thus to fill them with life.

preamble

"The cooperation of all those involved and affected will only be reliable if everyone's striving for the realization of legitimate self-interest and for social welfare is embedded in global ethical framework conditions that are generally accepted as just and fair. Such an understanding of globally accepted economic norms Action and decision-making, based on an ethos of economic activity, is only just beginning. A global economic ethos, i.e. common fundamental ideas about law, justice and fairness, is based on moral principles and values ​​that have been shared by all cultures since time immemorial All of us in our functions as entrepreneurs, investors, lenders, employees, consumers and our respective interest groups in all countries of the world contribute together with political and governmental as well as international organizations and I. Institutions have an essential responsibility for the development and implementation of such a global business ethic. " (Abstract)

Basic principle: humanity

The principle of humanity should be the ethical standard of economic activity.

Basic values ​​for global business

The following basic values ​​for global business develop the basic principle of humanity and provide recommendations for decision-making, action and behavior in practical business life.

Goals of the manifesto

Hans Küng describes the goals of the manifesto as follows:

  1. This manifesto offers not only general, formal, moral rules or demands such as "responsibility" or "common good", but also values ​​and ethical standards with specific content.
  2. These values ​​and standards are not inventions of our time, but come from the wealth of ethical experience of humanity that has accumulated since humans, rising from the animal kingdom, had to learn to behave humanely (for example not to kill other people, like he is allowed to kill animals: prohibition of killing).
  3. These values ​​and standards thus have the authority of the great religious and ethical traditions of mankind, as reflected in countless testimonies of different cultures over the centuries.
  4. They are therefore not regionally or nationally restricted, but rather universal despite all their cultural conditionality. In all cultures people were interested in placing life, property, honor and gender under special protection. In this respect, the values ​​and norms of non-violence and respect for life, justice and solidarity, truthfulness and tolerance, mutual respect and partnership are not chosen arbitrarily, but are structurally justified in central areas of life.
  5. The basic principle on which all these values ​​and norms are based is the striving for humanity, for humanity, which has been given decisive concrete form in the golden rule of reciprocity.
  6. This manifesto is not a law that is supposed to be enforced with sanctions, but an appeal for self-commitment, which is of course subject to the sanctions of conscience.
  7. This appeal is addressed not only to business leaders, entrepreneurs and investors, but also to lenders, employees, consumers and the respective interest groups in all countries of the world. It is also aimed at political, state and international organizations and institutions, all of which have a major responsibility for the development and implementation of such a global business ethic.
  8. The Manifesto for "Global Economic Ethic" sees itself as support for all current efforts towards global moral standards, especially the UN Global Compact , from the point of view of ethics:
  • The Global Compact's demand for respect for and support for human rights presupposes the principle of humanity, which relates to rights and obligations.
  • The acceptance of responsible labor standards requires a fundamental attitude towards justice and fairness as well as the ethical will to a just economic order.
  • The protection of the environment in accordance with the precautionary principle requires awe of all life, including that of animals and plants.
  • The fight against corruption in all its forms presupposes the will for truthfulness and justice.

Publications

  • Küng , H., Leisinger , K., Wieland , J. (2010): Manifest Global Business Ethos. Consequences and challenges for the global economy. Manifesto Global Economic Ethic. Consequences and Challenges for Global Businesses. Munich: dtv. ISBN 978-3-423-34628-3
  • Küng, H. (2010): Doing business properly. Why economics need morality. Munich: Piper. ISBN 978-3492054249

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Declaration of the Parliament of the World Religions on the Global Ethic ( Memento of the original of April 13, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.weltethos.org
  2. ^ First signatory list
  3. ↑ Complete text
  4. ^ Comment by Hans Küng from October 8, 2009

Web links