Normative work is practical: From an inspiring week at the Winter School we transitioned straight into the international conference "The Is and Ought of Business Ethics".
From October 8–10, 2025, Wittenberg once again became a hub for cutting-edge research and lively exchange in business ethics. Under the title “The Is and Ought of Business Ethics – Empirical Evidence and Normative Arguments brought into Dialogue“, the WCGE in cooperation with the BEMA Chair of Business Ethics and Management Accounting of the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg hosted the fourth academic conference of its kind: the first was organized in 2017 as part of the Reformation Jubilee, followed by the second in 2019 and the third in 2023. This year, the conference was generously supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG).
International and interdisciplinary dialogue
The program featured keynotes by Nien-hê Hsieh (Harvard Business School), Dorothea Kübler (WZB Berlin/TU Berlin), and Bart Wilson (Chapman University) and brought together 55 researchers uniting normative and empirical approaches to business ethics. Participants represented a diverse range of disciplines – including philosophy, economics, management, and social psychology – reflecting the growing interdisciplinarity of the field.
Lively exchange across methods and perspectives
Over three days, scholars discussed topics such as AI and responsibility, market fairness and among other topics the moralization of markets. With paper presentations and 12 poster contributions, the conference created a vibrant dialogue between established researchers and emerging scholars.
The atmosphere of exchange extended beyond the seminar rooms. A guided city tour and shared meals at local venues, including the traditional Brauhaus offered additional opportunities for networking and informal discussion. The conference dinner speech by Michael von Grundherr (German Federal Office for the Environment) highlighted the importance of integrating ethical reflection into policy and practice.
A growing global community
The Conference has become a key event for the international business ethics community. By fostering collaboration across methods, disciplines, and cultures, the conference continues to strengthen Wittenberg’s role as a meeting place for scholars committed to shaping a responsible global economy.