General
These blogs are written by everyone from professors to CEO’s and are a must visit for those looking to learn more about the ethics of business.
1. The Business Ethics Blog: Chris MacDonald teaches ethics at Saint Mary’s University and was named one of the most 100 influential people in business. Since 2005, he has been writing this blog and helping his readers get the latest news and commentary on corporate ethics. Regularly updated, post topics include bailouts, Ponzi schemes, and CEO bonuses.
2. Governance Focus: This blog is devoted to corporate and board governance, ethics, compliance, environment, development, and social responsibility. Information is obtained from many sources for the purpose of information, opinion, and debate.
3. Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics: The SCCE is dedicated to improving the quality of corporate governance, compliance, and ethics. They intend to champion ethical practice and compliance standards in all organizations and to provide the necessary resources for compliance professionals. Visit for the latest news, conference updates, and training.
4. Where’s The Line: Part of BNet, this blog focuses on the latest in ethics. Striving to find the right and wrong in the for profit world, they post on corporate citizenship, craigslist, and even rank companies by perceived responsibility.
5. The Becker-Posner Blog: Gary Becker is a professor at the Department of Economics and Sociology at The University of Chicago. Richard A. Posner is a Judge for the United States Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and Senior Lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School. Together they have many lengthy posts on the economy, law, and ethics.
6. Sufficient Scruples: This blog focuses on bioethics, healthcare policy, and related issues. Kevin is a graduate student from New York who has taught bioethics and participated in clinical ethics. With numerous posts, you can find topics such as healthcare, autonomy, and more.
7. The Consumerist: This blog gives the opportunity for the shopping public to bite back. It contains entire lists of products which are, as well as are not, ethical to buy. Among the “don’t buy” are Comcast, salad dressing, and cigarettes.
8. BusinessEthics.ca: This blog is the Canadian resource for business ethics. It studies ethical dilemmas, values, and decision-making in the world of commerce. You can get links to articles, other sites, and recommendations for reading materials.
9. Freakonomics Blog: Continuing in the trend of their bestseller, Dubner and Levitt continue their discussion. This blog covers everything from politics to business to ethics. A recent post examined the ups and downs of businesses leaving computers on.
10. Going Private: This anonymous blogger worked their way into a coveted position in private equity and may or may not regret it. Among the many topics discussed are management practices, getting in, banking, social equity, and others related to ethics. This blog is a real look at the behind the scenes world of private equity.
11. Working Life: This is a growing community of people who want to discuss, share ideas, and exchange information about their work. It is funded by the Labor Research Association, a New York City-based labor advocacy organization. There are also podcasts and videos on everything from illegal immigrants to corporate bailouts.
12. Scobleizer: Robert Scoble worked for Bill Gates and made videos to highlight new products. Although he often promoted Microsoft products, he also frequently criticized his own employer and praised its competitors, such as Apple and Google. His blog continues in that tradition with Robert blogging on everything from corporate decisions to new products.
13. PEA Soup: This blog is dedicated to Philosophy, Ethics, and Academia. Its mission is to provide moral philosophers a place to converse with colleagues across the world. The primary subject matter is ethics, as well as areas of philosophy, including political philosophy, philosophy of action, and personal identity.
14. Ethics Etc.: This is a forum for discussing contemporary philosophical issues in ethics and related areas. With a variety of contributors, posts include war and self defense, human shields, and corporations.
15. Ethics Crisis : Part of SRF Global Translations, this blog translates corporate codes of ethics and other compliance materials, as well as custom or specialized projects. They cover an array of topics including corporate and government ethics. Posts even include confessions of unethical practices.
16. The Open Compliance and Ethics Group: The mission of the OCEG is to help organizations align their governance, compliance, and risk management activities to drive business performance and promote integrity. With several contributors, categories include governance, risk management, audit, compliance, technology, and ethics.
17. Principled Profit: This blog devotes itself to good business. Shel Horowitz is an expert on business ethics as a success driver. His blog covers the intersections of ethics, politics, media, marketing, and sustainability.
18. The Business Ethics Blog: Lauren Bloom is the founder and CEO of Elegant Solutions Consulting, a consulting firm dedicated to helping professionals, business, and executives build trust with their clients, customers, and members by “walking the ethics talk” in their daily practices. Her blog is full of information on ethics, communications, law, and related topics.
19. Corporate Babysitter: Through parental awareness, public pressure, and legislation, this blog encourages corporations to adopt responsible practices that sustain the health of families. Parents for Ethical Marketing is a young, grassroots organization of people concerned about the effects of corporate marketing practices directed at young children. Read the latest news, get reviews, and more on this site.
20. The Ethicist: Randy is an ethicist and professional blogger for “The New York Times.” He post regularly on the topic and even gives readers the chance to send in their questions. Recent articles include the economy, bank accounts, and the adult industry.
21. Ethics Resource Center: With over 85 years of ethics surveys and research, the ERC runs this site. They are devoted to independent research and the advancement of high ethical standards in public and private institutions. You can read the latest news, watch a webcast, or more by visiting.
22. Knowledge@Wharton: This site centers on the business ethics research conducted at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. You can hear podcasts, read news, and even provide feedback. Categories of posts include finance, leadership, and many more.
23. Transparency Intl.: This organization is fighting against corruption and bringing people together to end the devastating impact of corruption on men, women, and children around the world. Their site is full of interviews, guides, and news from every region in the world suffering from corruption.
24. The Josephson Institute of Ethics: The institute provides training, consulting, keynote speeches, and materials to maintain an ethical workplace. You can read a ton of ethics related topics relating to business, as well as sports, policing, public service, and youth. The institute also has a free newsletter and offers a catalog containing ethics related materials.
25. Ruder Finn Ethics: Ruder Finn, Inc. is a worldwide public relations firm that has devoted an entire blog to ethics. With a focus on corporate and public trust, categories include leadership, responsibility, and many more. Many recent posts are on the ups and downs of the current economic crisis.
26. Vineet Nayar: Vineet is the CEO of HCL Technologies and blogs for Harvard Business Publishing. Entitled “Inverted Wisdom,” this blog takes a frank look at business from someone on the inside. Also of note is the post on corporate honesty and flexible leadership.
27. Whistleblower Lawyer Blog: Know of a business with unscrupulous practices? Then visit this site for everything you need to know about whistleblowing laws. Finch McCranie, LLP prosecutes fraud and crimes against the government, and give visitors the latest on law changes, decisions, and pending cases.
28. Jane Turner’s FBI Whistleblower Blog: This short blog is about Jane’s experience as an FBI whistleblower. Published by the National Whistleblowers Legal Defense & Education Fund, read about the ups and downs of Jane’s experiences.
29. Ethics Bites Podcast: As the name implies, this podcast concerns the pros and cons of ethics. The episodes take a look at all ethical aspects, including for business and corporations. Part of the BBC, make time for these informative and entertaining podcasts.
Magazines and Journals
Those who publish on business and ethics also devote their websites to the topic. Visit the below for information from those who do it for a living.
30. Business Ethics: The magazine for corporate responsibility, “Business Ethics” is regularly updated with the latest corporate news. The blog provides a wealth of new ideas about business and the intersection of business and society. You can read about corporations that make the grade, get book reviews, or even listen to a podcast.
31. CSR Wire: The Corporate Social Responsibility Newswire is a leading source of corporate social responsibility and sustainability news. They define the integration of business operations and values, whereby the interests of investors, customers, employees, the community, and the environment are reflected in the company’s policies and actions. By visiting this site you can get the latest news, become a member, or read various corporate reports.
32. Ethical Corp: The Ethical Corporation publishes a magazine printed ten times a year and runs this site. As a media business, their aim is to encourage debate and discussion on responsible business through publishing, conferences, independent research, and advisory work. Visit this site for conference information, as well as reports.
33. Ethicsworld: Get an array of articles on business ethics and corporate social responsibility from this site. Frank Vogl brings together practitioners, researchers, and students on this regularly updated site. Read about ethics in businesses from the Middle East to here at home.
34. Ethix: This bimonthly publication is available from the Center for Integrity in Business. The blog strives to promote the integration of good business, appropriate technology, and sound ethics. Join a forum or watch a training video by visiting this site.
36. Crooks and Liars: This is a virtual online magazine by John Amato. With many awards, he goes after the unethical and gives his opinion. There are also various videos to choose from.
Specialty Sites
These sites focus on a specific business, industry, or corporation.
37. Overlawyered: Walter Olson is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and Ted Frank is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Together they started this blog to chronicle the high cost of the American legal system. They argue the system too often turns litigation into a weapon against guilty and innocent alike, erodes individual responsibility, rewards sharp practice, enriches its participants at the public’s expense, and resists even modest efforts at reform and accountability.
38. Walmart Watch: This blog is an open challenge to the world’s largest retailer, Wal-Mart, to become a better employer, neighbor, and corporate citizen. Their aim is transparent and lasting change to benefit Wal-Mart communities. Among the many issues discussed are discrimination, environment, community impact, and corporate culture.
39. Tescopoly: Tesco controls over thirty percent of the grocery market in the UK. This blog has found growing evidence indicating that this success is partly based on trading practices that are having serious consequences for suppliers, farmers, and local shops. Learn what Tescopoly plans to do about it and how you can help on this blog.
40. The Responsible Marketing Blog: This is the site where commerce and conscience come together. After serving hundreds of clients in dozens of categories, Outsource Marketing found that the difference between success and failure comes down to one word: responsibility. In this blog, there are lots of tips for marketers, executives, and even consumers on the world of responsible marketing.
41. The Research Ethics Blog: Research that involves human subjects raises unique and complex ethical, legal, social and political issues. Nancy Walton, and her guest contributor Chris, analyze these issues. Nancy takes the latest stories in research ethics and breaks them down for the reader.
42. The Anti-Advertising Agency: This site calls into question the purpose and effects of advertising in public space. Through constructive parody and gentle humor, they critically consider the role and strategies of today’s marketing media as well as alternatives for the public arena. Recent posts include advertising in airports, the sign industry, and commercials directed at children.
43. PR Ethics: Amanda focuses her blog on ethics as they apply to the public relations business. She believes if public relations hopes to gain professional status, it must first emphasize ethics education to inspire higher standards. The blog includes definitions, review of theories, examples, and other resources for those interested.
44. Health Care Organizational Ethics: Jim has been in health care for 40 years as a psychiatrist, medical director, teacher/researcher, consultant, and leader of the ethics program at a health insurer. His blog is devoted to the discussion and debate about the ethics of health care organizations and the wider health system.
45. Secondhand Smoke: Wesley J. Smith is a Senior Fellow in Human Rights and Bioethics at the Discovery Institute. This blog is a regular seminar on bioethics and the importance of being human. It considers many topics including assisted suicide/euthanasia, bioethics, human cloning, radical environmentalism, and the dangers of animal rights/liberation.
46. PredictER Blog: Predictive Health Ethics Research is a multidisciplinary research, policy, and public education program of the Indiana University Center for Bioethics and maintains this blog. With a wealth of bloggers, topics include testing, the risks of IVF, gene progress, and more.
47. Neuroethics & Law Blog: This blog takes a look at ethical issues of the brain with a legal view in mind. It is written by Adam Kolber, the Associate Professor of Law at the University of San Diego. With a host of guest contributors, this blog puts ethics of neurology into perspective.
48. Association of Fundraising Professionals: For almost 50 years, the AFP has been the standard-bearer for professionalism in fundraising. The ethics section of this site provides guidelines, codes, and standards for fundraisers. Learn about ethics regarding donors, emerging issues, enforcement procedures, and more on this site.
49. Bioethics: This blog was named among the top 50 nature science blogs by “The American Journal of Bioethics.” With several contributors, this blog strives to cover the latest news in bioscience and put it into context. You can also listen to a podcast or format this blog to fit your iPhone.
50. Engineering Ethics Blog: Karl D. Stephan is an Associate Professor for the Department of Engineering and Technology at Texas State University. His blog is full of comments on current events with an engineering ethics angle. Read about nuclear power, stem cell research, and other hot topics by visiting this site.
As many of the above bloggers believe, businesses with ethical practices are the most likely to succeed. With a visit to the above, you can learn how to integrate ethics into your business while avoiding the numerous pitfalls. You can also take ethics classes as a part of an Online MBA program.
