The MBA Oath is a professional pledge for MBAs similar to the Hippocratic Oath famously taken by physicians. My classmates and I created the oath in response to the 2008-9 global financial crisis. We worked in partnership with Harvard Business School Dean Nitin Nohria and Harvard College Dean Rakesh Khurana to write what is in essence a Hippocratic Oath for business.
We challenged MBAs to raise their sights above the limited goal of maximizing profit to instead consider their broader responsibilities as leaders to build organizations that "create value responsibly." The Oath has been adopted by thousands of MBAs from hundreds of business schools around the world.
In 2010, I published with Peter Escher The MBA Oath: Setting a Higher Standard for Business Leaders with Portfolio to tell the story of how we started the Oath and argue for the merits of each pledge in the oath.
To learn more, visit our website at www.mbaoath.org.
The MBA Oath reads as follows:
As a business leader I recognize my role in society.
My purpose is to lead people and manage resources to create value that no single individual can create alone.
My decisions affect the well-being of individuals inside and outside my enterprise, today and tomorrow. Therefore, I promise that:
I will manage my enterprise with loyalty and care, and will not advance my personal interests at the expense of my enterprise or society.
I will understand and uphold, in letter and spirit, the laws and contracts governing my conduct and that of my enterprise.
I will refrain from corruption, unfair competition, or business practices harmful to society.
I will protect the human rights and dignity of all people affected by my enterprise, and I will oppose discrimination and exploitation.
I will protect the right of future generations to advance their standard of living and enjoy a healthy planet.
I will report the performance and risks of my enterprise accurately and honestly.
I will invest in developing myself and others, helping the management profession continue to advance and create sustainable and inclusive prosperity.
In exercising my professional duties according to these principles, I recognize that my behavior must set an example of integrity, eliciting trust and esteem from those I serve. I will remain accountable to my peers and to society for my actions and for upholding these standards. This oath I make freely, and upon my honor.