We collaborated with the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues (University of Birmingham) on a research project to explore what virtues and attributes are prized and upheld by ICAEW members and what they associate with the ideal professional for chartered accountants.
The Virtuous Character in Business and Finance project is one of three projects of the Jubilee Centre that explores the ethics of professionals. It examines what business school students and business and finance professionals say about character and virtues in the business and finance professions, and the extent to which such students and professionals draw on virtue-based reasoning when confronted with ethical dilemmas.
Over 250 ICAEW members contributed to our research by completing an online survey or taking part in in-depth interviews.
The Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues is a pioneering interdisciplinary research centre at the University of Birmingham, focussing on character, virtues and values in the interest of human flourishing. The Centre promotes a moral concept of character in order to explore the importance of virtue for public and professional life. The Centre is a leading informant on policy and practice in this area and through its extensive range of projects contributes to a renewal of character virtues in both individuals and societies.
The Character Virtues in Business and Finance research report was launched on 27th September 2017 at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, London. Drawing on insights from business schools, students, and practitioners, the interdisciplinary report examines character and virtues in the business and finance professions, and the extent to which such students and alumni draw on virtue-based reasoning when confronted with ethical dilemmas.