This course is part of the Business in Society and Leadership & Management track.
Introduction to Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability
 

Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability

$1,750
Next 6-week session starts August 23rd
Develop a toolkit for making tough leadership decisions.
6
weeks
6-7
hours per week
5
modules
Self-Paced
with regular deadlines

 This course earns you a Certificate of Completion from HBS Online. What you earn.

Overview
Syllabus
Enrollment
Stories
FAQs

Key Concepts

Develop a framework for understanding the responsibilities leaders have to their customers, employees, investors, and society
Determine and deliver on your economic, legal, and ethical responsibilities
Formulate a plan to address conflicts and communicate the “why” behind your decisions
Establish a toolkit for making tough leadership decisions now and in the future

Who Will Benefit

Determine and deliver on your responsibilities to investors, customers, employees, and society.
"Don't lose hope. These courses helped change my career trajectory, and I hope they do wonders in your life as well. In the end, it'll be all worth it."
Riya Dashoriya
Engineering Manager at Quizlet at Infosys
Prepare for, or acclimate to, new leadership roles in which you’ll be faced with making difficult decisions.
"For me, that connection from textbook to reality made the courses memorable, enjoyable, and interesting. Case studies were absolutely my favorite part of the program."
Kyle Rosenmeyer
Boise State University Graduate, Engineer, and Photographer
Learn how to navigate new leadership challenges as you build or scale your venture.
"I would advise that you ask for help or opinions on any topic that appears murky to you."
Fabian Ibekwe
Founder, Angelus Consulting and Research Limited at Infosys

What You Earn

Certificate of Completion

Certificate of Completion

Boost your resume with a Certificate of Completion from HBS Online

Earn by: completing this course

Certificate of Specialization

Certificate of Specialization

Prove your mastery of leadership and management and business in society

Earn by: completing any three courses within either subject area to earn a Certificate of Specialization

Syllabus

5 Modules, 30-35 Hours
Download full syllabus
6-7
hrs
Module 1

Delivering on Responsibilities to Customers

Understand what “gray-area situations” are and the reflective leadership model to start assessing difficult circumstances and improve your decision-making skills.

Highlights

Jim Mullen, former CEO, Biogen Idec
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Concepts

  1. Course Introduction and Overview of the Reflective Leadership Model
  2. The Complexities of Business-Customer Relationships
  3. Applying the Reflective Leadership Questions
  4. Ethical Practices with Business Customers

Featured Exercises

  • Examine gray-area decisions related to customers
  • Apply the reflective leadership model to work through a crisis
  • Differentiate between customers, clients, and counterparties
6-7
hrs
Module 2

Ensuring Fairness for Employees

Learn how to make a fair workplace culture at scale that supports diversity, equity, and inclusion, and analyze how personal beliefs might influence decision-making. Develop techniques to combat bias.

Highlights

Oona King, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at Snap Inc., former Chief Diversity Officer at Google
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Concepts

  1. Employee Considerations
  2. An Analysis Using the Reflective Leadership Framework
  3. Examining Employee Responsibilities at Scale: What Can We Learn from Google?
  4. Review and Self-Reflection

Featured Exercises

  • Analyze your biases and reflect on past decisions to help identify problem areas
  • Consider how employee rights factor into firing decisions
  • Identify three types of fairness in employee-employer relationships
7-8
hrs
Module 3

Investor Responsibilities and Fiduciary Duties

Explore due diligence and how fiduciary duties influence leadership responsibilities. Unpack the tensions leaders face when balancing value creation for investors with accountability to other constituencies.

Highlights

Laura Miller, former Mayor of Dallas, Texas
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Concepts

  1. Theranos: Where Does the Responsibility Lie?
  2. Power and Money at TXU Corporation
  3. From TXU to Energy Future Holdings
  4. Review and Self-Reflection

Featured Exercises

  • Evaluate long-versus short-term responsibilities through the lens of different stakeholder interests
  • Reflect on the responsibilities of founders, CEOs, and boards
6-7
hrs
Module 4

The Social Responsibility of Business

Understand different perspectives on the role of business in society and why an organizational approach focusing on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues can—and should—be financially viable.

Highlights

Terry Kier, CEO, SA Taxi
Teneale Holley, Chief Strategy Officer, SA Taxi
Matsidikanye Moswane, Chief Government and Industry Officer, SA Taxi
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Concepts

  1. The Changing Role of Business in Society
  2. Engaging with Harms in the Garment Industry
  3. SA Taxi: One Firm’s Response to Harms
  4. Long-Term Value Through Commitment to Society

Featured Exercises

  • Analyze an organization’s goals by reflecting on your company’s purpose
  • Identify different types of harms most common in your industry
6-7
hrs
Module 5

Reflective Leadership in a Digital World

Discover how the scale, scope, and speed of business in Big Tech affects leadership responsibilities and integrate your knowledge of the reflective leadership model through a critical analysis of Facebook.

Highlights

Frances Haugen, Algorithmic Product Specialist and Facebook Whistleblower
Jessica Fjeld, Assistant Director, Cyberlaw Clinic at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society
Walt Mossberg, Journalist
ShowHide Details

Concepts

  1. Leadership Changes in the Digital Age
  2. Awareness: Considerations and Responsibilities at Facebook
  3. Judgment: What Should Facebook Do?
  4. How Should Facebook Do It?

Featured Exercises

  • Develop action plans to address specific company problems
  • Reflect on past mistakes and issues in tech to identify improvement areas
  • Identify your strengths and weaknesses when dealing with ethical decision-making
Free E-Book

How to Become a More Effective Leader

Learn about the difference between leadership and management, uncover the qualities and skills that characterize an effective leader, gain an understanding of common leadership styles, and explore how you can unleash the potential in yourself and others.

Our Difference

Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability helps current and aspiring managers determine and deliver on their responsibilities to customers, employees, investors, and society by drawing on economic, legal, and ethical considerations.
Stay active by engaging in a new activity every three to five minutes, including applying the reflective leadership framework.
Stay active by engaging in a new activity every three to five minutes, including applying the reflective leadership framework.
Get social by collaborating with a global community of peers before, during, and after your course. Learners who successfully complete an HBS Online program will be added to the HBS Online Community's Official Networking Group and gain exclusive access to events and other networking opportunities.
Get social by collaborating with a global community of peers before, during, and after your course. Learners who successfully complete an HBS Online program will be added to the HBS Online Community's Official Networking Group and gain exclusive access to events and other networking opportunities.
Immerse yourself in real-world, case-based examples brought to life by industry-leading companies like Facebook, Google, and SA Taxi.
Immerse yourself in real-world, case-based examples brought to life by industry-leading companies like Facebook, Google, and SA Taxi.

About the Professor

Nien-hê Hsieh
Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability

Kim B. Clark Professor of Business Administration
“This course will offer valuable tools to sharpen your judgment and decision-making skills and help you act and lead with integrity and good conscience.”

Dates & Eligibility

Starting
Jun
14
6 Weeks  $1,750
The application deadline has closed
View weekly calendar
Closed
Starting
Aug
23
6 Weeks  $1,750
Application deadline August 14
View weekly calendar
Starting
Nov
08
6 Weeks  $1,750
Application deadline October 30
View weekly calendar
  • Free application
  • No documentation required
  • Confirmation within one week

All applicants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the course.

Learn about bringing this course to your organization.

Learner Stories

91%
Gained Deeper Expertise in Specific Areas
Participating in the student discussions and answering cold calls was empowering. It ignited a drive within me to learn and absorb as much as I could.
Leslie Pico
A small business owner and tech entrepreneur from Arizona
Programming & System Analysis, Biomedical Engineering, Estrella Mountain Community College
Small Business Administration, Northern Arizona University
As always, the case studies are eye-opening. The content is superb, and the presentation of the case is superb as well.
Richard Pitts
VP and Senior Medical Director at St. Joseph Heritage Health
* Source: 2022 surveys and course data
 
All FAQs

Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability FAQs

Participants in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability are eligible for a Certificate of Completion from Harvard Business School Online.

Participants are expected to fully complete all coursework in a thoughtful and timely manner. This will mean meeting each week’s course module deadlines and fully answering questions posed therein. This helps ensure your cohort proceeds through the course at a similar pace and can take full advantage of social learning opportunities. In addition to module and assignment completion, we expect participation in the social learning elements of the course by offering feedback on others’ reflections and contributing to conversations on the platform. Participants who fail to complete the course requirements will not receive a certificate and will not be eligible to retake the course.

More detailed information on course requirements will be communicated at the start of the course. No grades are assigned for Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability. Participants will either be evaluated as complete or not complete.

You will have access to the materials in every prior module as you progress through the program. Access to course materials and the course platform ends 60 days after the final program deadline.

At the end of each course module, you’ll be able to download a PDF summary highlighting key concepts introduced in the course. At the end of the program, you’ll receive a PDF compilation of all the module summary documents. We hope these serve as a helpful resource after you finish the course.

Harvard Business School Online
Certificate in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability
[Cohort Start Month and Year]

List your certificate on your LinkedIn profile under "Education" with the language from the Credential Verification page:

School: Harvard Business School Online
Dates Attended: [The year you participated in the program]
Degree: Other; Certificate in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability
Field of Study: Leave blank
Grade: Complete
Activities and Societies: Leave blank

For the program description on LinkedIn, please use the following:

Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability is a 6-week, 35-hour online certificate program from Harvard Business School. It helps current and aspiring managers determine and deliver on their responsibilities to customers, employees, investors, and society, drawing on economic, legal, and ethical considerations.

 

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