The renowned “Global Ethics Research Group on Finance and Economics” is reinventing itself in 2023. The previous chairmen Dr. Ndidi Nnoli-Edozien (Club of Rome) and Benedikt Hoffmann (AfriKairos GmbH) are passing on their chairmanship after more than three years. Together with Prof. Dr. Harald Bolsinger (Director Regulatory Policy, THWS), Dr. Bernd Villhauer (Director Research Organization, Weltethos Institut) and Bernd Hanheiser (Director Strategy, Impact for Entrepreneurship gGmbH), they have sharpened the profile of the research group in recent years with a focus on finance.
Dr. Adam Gehrke (MarshMcLennan) and Bernd Hanheiser (formerly Director Strategy) have been appointed as the new dual leadership of the research group. At the annual kick-off event, Bernd Hanheiser thanked the previous team for its great achievements: “With numerous contributions in broad international collaboration, the previous team has provided first-class impetus for the transformation of the financial industry and has thus made a good name for itself.” He added that this was demonstrated not least by the second research volume on the European Central Bank, “The European Central Bank and Its Role in a Sustainable Finance System,” which is about to be published, and with which Prof. Dr. Bolsinger “also made a significant contribution to the success of the research group.” Nnoli-Edozien and Bolsinger will continue to support the research group as Fellows starting in 2023.
Dr. Adam Gehrke recalls the predecessor, the “Research Group on Ethical-Ecological Rating (FGEÖR),” which presented the first guidelines for the ethical assessment of companies and investments. “In the meantime, the rating approach developed at that time is in practice worldwide. In the same way, we want to continue to move forward and advance research results that are suitable for practical application.” Gehrke describes the goals of the new chairmanship. Together with the entire research group team, further thematic priorities are to be set in the areas of SME & ESG and sustainability-related credibility risks. As a first step, experts from science and practice are to be brought together in a conference before the end of 2023. As Chairman of the Founding Board, Prof. Dr. em. Johannes Hoffmann describes the future collaboration of his colleague Prof. Dr. Bernhard Emunds, who as head of the Nell-Breuning Institute will contribute his scientific experience to the research group, as a further gain.
