Family Business Ethics Institute

07/31/2026

Directors and Boards Corporate Governance Survey Ethical Legacies Team CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR) Directors and Boards Corporate Governance SurveyDownload To send to a friend: Did you enjoy this content?If so, sign up below to be the first to receive new articles, updates and news from Et...

07/28/2026

The National Whistleblower Center commemorated National Whistleblower Day on Capitol Hill. Speakers included former employees of Boeing, ExxonMobil, a local Georgia police department, and other organizations who blew the whistle on their former employers for various wrongdoing such as faulty manufac...

07/14/2026

Subject-matter experts (SMEs) are often the untapped engine of thought leadership. Here's how to work with SMEs for visibility, differentiation and growth.

06/25/2026

A strong company is not defined only by what it earns — it is also defined by what it is willing to examine.

This linked board governance resource offers an important reminder for every leader: risk is not only a financial concern, and governance is not just a boardroom formality. The most successful organizations ask difficult questions early, create room for honest internal warnings, and make sure accountability is built into the way decisions are made.

For family businesses, this matters deeply because ownership, leadership, reputation, and personal relationships often overlap. But the lesson reaches far beyond family enterprise. Every business leader, executive team, board member, manager, and future successor benefits from a culture where ethics are practiced, trust is protected, and responsibility is clearly assigned.

Accountability should not appear only after a mistake. Ethics should not depend on convenience. Trust should not be treated as automatic.

This article is a valuable discussion starter for any leadership team serious about building stronger judgment, better oversight, and a more reliable foundation for long-term success.

Read the linked board governance paper here:
chrome-extensio://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://centerforfinancialstability.org/research/Board_Governance.pdf

03/18/2026

Every year on March 18, Global Recycling Day invites the world to recognize that recycling is not just an environmental practice — it is an economic and ethical responsibility shared across generations.

Throughout industries worldwide family businesses have played a central role in this effort as multi-generational enterprises building systems of stewardship that prioritize durability, responsible resource use, and long-term thinking rather than short-term gain. These values mirror the very principles that a circular economy requires to succeed.

At the Family Business Ethics Institute (FBEI), we recognize that family enterprises often carry something unique into the global sustainability conversation: continuity. When leadership spans generations, decisions are made with tomorrow’s community in mind — not just today’s balance sheet.

Global Recycling Day is therefore more than a celebration of materials recovery. It is also a recognition of the families, founders, and successors who have spent decades building responsible businesses that support reuse, conservation, and ethical supply chains.

Strong families build responsible enterprises. Responsible enterprises help build a circular world.

02/10/2026

Preparing the next generation to lead a family enterprise is not simply a matter of skills transfer, it’s a matter of stewardship.

This insightful piece from the Family Business Consulting Group reinforces a truth we see repeatedly at FBEI: enduring family businesses are built when leadership development is grounded in accountability, ethical responsibility, and earned trust—not entitlement or assumption.

Next-generation leaders must be equipped not only to manage operations, but to understand the weight of fiduciary duty, the importance of transparent decision-making, and the long-term impact their choices have on employees, customers, and communities alike. These principles are not exclusive to family enterprises, they are essential for all leadership striving for sustainable success.

When values are taught early and modeled consistently, leadership transitions become moments of strength rather than risk. That is how legacies are protected, credibility is maintained, and businesses remain resilient across generations.

🔗 Read the full article here:
https://www.thefbcg.com/resource/preparing-the-next-generation-for-family-business-ownership-and-leadership/

Understand the importance of preparing the next generation for family business ownership and leadership through meaningful experiences.

02/04/2026

This piece from The Family Business Consulting Group highlights how a thoughtfully crafted family constitution can bring clarity to decision-making, define shared values, and reduce the silent risks that emerge when expectations go unspoken. At FBEI, we see this as a practical expression of ethical leadership: accountability that is clearly defined, trust that is reinforced through transparency, and governance that honors both relationships and responsibility.

While often associated with family enterprises, these principles extend to all organizations navigating succession, ownership, culture, and long-term stewardship. Leaders who take the time to articulate values and rules of engagement don’t just preserve harmony — they strengthen credibility, resilience, and ethical continuity across generations and industries.

🔗 Read the full article:

A family constitution is a living document created and implemented by a family that guides their relationship inside their family enterprise. It defines their collective vision and includes principles, policies, and statements. It is intended to harness their cooperative energy, inspire them to achi...

01/23/2026

What separates organizations that merely survive from those that endure across generations? It isn’t scale, market position, or even innovation alone—it’s the consistent practice of ethical leadership, accountability, and trust.

🔗 New research worth your time:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10551-025-05951-9

This newly published study offers a rigorous examination of how ethics shape leadership and management. While grounded in family business research, its insights apply to all leaders navigating complexity, governance, and long-term responsibility.

The article demonstrates how values-driven decision-making influences organizational culture, credibility, and resilience—reinforcing a truth the Family Business Ethics Institute (FBEI) emphasizes : Trust is built through behavior, accountability strengthens culture, and ethical judgment is a strategic asset.

For leaders focused on building organizations that earn trust and endure beyond market cycles, this research offers timely and relevant perspective.

Ethical issues in family businesses become increasingly relevant for businesses, societies and, consequently, organization scholars which manifests in a growing number of publications in the field over the years. Considerable knowledge generated in the area needs to be systematically structured and....

12/19/2025

Responsible ownership is not a title; it is a commitment to stewardship, accountability, and long-term trust. The article “Developing Responsible Owners in Family Businesses” highlights why ownership ethics shape not only the future of family enterprises, but the credibility of business leadership across every industry. When owners lead with transparency and principled decision-making, trust becomes a measurable advantage—strengthening governance, improving succession outcomes, and reinforcing confidence among employees, partners, and communities.

Trust grows when leaders consistently align authority with responsibility and treat ethics as a shared obligation rather than a private value. Businesses that openly model responsible ownership and exchange ethical best practices with others help elevate standards well beyond their own organizations. This is how accountability becomes culture, and how values are transformed into enduring legacies.

Check out the following linked article from FamilyBusiness.org to learn more!

🔗 https://familybusiness.org/content/developing-responsible-owners-in-family-businesses

The next generation of owners is crucial to the family firm's survival. The process of getting them ready and instilling the right attitudes should start early.

12/19/2025

The new fraud auditing standards require auditors to add a “deeper understanding of potential fraud schemes” into their audit planning and ex*****on.