The Center for Professional Responsibility in Business and Society leads the discussion about society's expectations for a professional's responsibility at both the individual and organizational level. The Center supports the creation and sharing of academic research and educational materials that demonstrate the value of conducting business professionally so as to serve and protect the broader public interest. The Center was initially funded with generous, separate donations from Deloitte and with some of the remaining funds following a judicial settlement. Deloitte has made subsequent gifts in support of the Center's educational and conference programming, as have other corporations including BP, Ingredion, Lockheed Martin, and Microsoft.

Our mission is to inspire new dimensions of professional responsibility to improve decision making for the betterment or organizations and society.

Academic Resources

The Center strives to inspire new dimensions in organizational decision making through the conceptual development, research, and practical application of professional responsibility through the creation, delivery, and sharing of academic research and educational materials. Each year, the Center provides grants and funding for research projects.  In addition, we provide access to a diverse and comprehensive array of resources tailored to the academic community.

Education

The Center promotes the development of responsible professional behavior in today's students, enabling them to become effective leaders in constantly changing and challenging business environments. Since its inception, the Center has designed, funded, and instituted multiple undergraduate academic courses, including Business 101: An Introduction to Professional Responsibility, Business 302: Principles of Professional Responsibility,  and Business Administration 340: Ethical Dilemmas of Business. In conjunction with Deloitte, the Center also created Auditor Independence Education Materials (AIEM) to help facilitate learning about core concepts, real-world applications, and prevailing rules related to auditor independence. With Support from PwC, the Center created a MOOC course called Sustainability Reporting: From Regulation to Implementation. Learners will learn to navigate ESG ratings, optimize sustainability initiatives, and apply best practices in reporting to improve corporate reputation and investor confidence.

Public Engagement  

In fulfilling its mission, the Center works cooperatively with multiple audiences, including university faculty, students, and staff; professional and academic organizations; corporations; and governmental and non-governmental agencies. Each of these audiences utilizes an extensive collection of resources offered through the Center.