About us

Globethics is an international non-governmental organisation working for ethical leadership through the integration of academic and public engagements. Registered in Geneva, Switzerland, as an independent, not-for-profit foundation with an international Board, and affiliated centres across the globe, Globethics seeks to be inclusive of diverse cultural, religious, philosophical, and humanist ethical wisdoms, and to be the bridge between the different world views on ethical issues.

Founded in 2004 at an international workshop convened by ethics professor Christoph Stückelberger, Globethics was created as a global network with an online platform for exchange and access to knowledge resources on ethics, to address societal challenges.

The network of individual participants and cooperation partners has grown over the years along with the organisation’s activities, including the establishment of the world's largest digital library on ethics; a multilingual publishing house; representations in Asia, Africa and South America; in addition to the organisation of the Global Ethics Forum and other engagement, research, training, and capacity building projects.

In 2016, the Board of Foundation took the decision to focus the activities of the organisation on ethics in higher education, both in the governance and administration of higher education institutions as well as in the teaching of ethics across the curriculum to foster responsible leadership. This has resulted in the development of the course programme offered by the Globethics Academy and the launch of the Globethics Consortium on Ethics in Higher Education. Globethics also joined the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE).

In 2021, the organisation was accredited by the European Agency for Higher Education and Accreditation (EAHEA) as a distance learning centre and in 2022, by the British Accreditation Council for Independent Further and Higher Education as an Online, Distance and Blended Learning institution. These institutional accreditation awards position the organisation in the higher education sector with a unique value proposition in ethical leadership development and academic international collaboration.

Globethics also holds special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC). Today, it positions itself as a foundation with international outreach and a vision to equip and nurture ethical leaders at personal and institutional levels through academic programmes and resources, collaboration and policy dialogue. The organisation has a global presence and outreach through its Network and Programmes, fostering contextual approaches, dialogue and synergy between the different world regions, and making its services accessible to all.

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Discover a brief timeline of Globethics's milestones: