Centre for Business Ethics and Sustainability

CBES' mission

CBES was created in 2020 to bring together existing streams of research with relevance to business ethics as well as sustainability research agenda drawing from and expanding upon the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. It encourages a multidisciplinary approach to research to examine climate/environmental/green, social, economic and humanistic aspects of ethics and sustainability. CBES seeks to combine rigour with relevance and innovative impact relevant to the Centre’s main research aim. CBES welcomes researchers whose work is crossing and is being informed by a wide variety of disciplines, including psychology, sociology, business, organisation and management, philosophy, education, history and economic, finance and entrepreneurship disciplines.

Research identity, aims, aspirations and values

CBES encourages a multidisciplinary approach to research to examine climate/environmental/green, social, economic and humanistic aspects of ethics and sustainability.

CBES seeks to combine rigour with relevance and innovative impact relevant to the Centre’s main research aim. CBES welcomes researchers and whose work is crossing disciplines from a wide variety of disciplines, including psychology, sociology, business, organisation and management, philosophy, education, history and economic, finance and entrepreneurship disciplines.

Altogether these four research identity areas guide action regarding the following CBES values and beliefs:

1) We believe the sustainability crisis facing the planet is unprecedented and difficult to reverse, but our research, education and operation can inspire new values, ways of working and expertise. This will enable more sustainable and ethical business and management. We can open up new pathways for disseminating these via our research, teaching, events, projects, dialogues, publications and collaborations.

2) We believe that human beings are at the forefront for resolving or reversing the current crisis in the world. This solution involves the creation of more ethical and sustainable economies, organisations and education. Our role is to enable collaboration research and wider impact on business ethics and sustainability concerns.

3) We believe that business professionals should be aware of how their toolkits and decisions can mitigate and reverse climate and the environmental crisis. This is one of the most important challenges and opportunities that we face and we aim to resolve it via collaborative interdisciplinary synergies and individual research projects alike.

4) We believe organisations should strive to operate sustainably, balancing economic, social and humanistic considerations. Additionally, we explore how ethical, responsible and sustainable management can impact personal and relational growth with a concern for sustainability, humanistic approaches, the flourishing and the welfare of all involved. Leading synergies for developing responsible management and morally good leadership for a fairer world and a virtuous economy can make a difference.

PhD funded scholarship opportunities

Henley Business School is funding PhD scholarships to topics that align with research topics linking the World of Work, CBES and Africa. For more information, please refer to Henley Business School's PhD opportunities and applications page.