Abstract

Published in 2005, "Globally Responsible Leadership – A Call for Engagement" represents the founding output of the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative (GRLI), a unique partnership formed by senior representatives from twenty-one companies, business schools, and leadership centres across four continents. Coordinated through the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) in collaboration with the UN Global Compact, this report articulates a comprehensive vision for developing leaders equipped to address the interconnected global challenges of the twenty-first century.

The document establishes that globally responsible leadership requires business leaders at all organisational levels to think and act within a global context, broaden corporate purpose to reflect accountability to society, place ethics at the centre of decision-making, and transform business education accordingly. It identifies four key leadership challenges and outlines guiding principles—fairness, freedom, honesty, humanity, tolerance, transparency, responsibility, and sustainability—to anchor responsible leadership development.

The initiative calls for fundamental transformation in business school curricula, integrating corporate global responsibility throughout degree and executive programmes rather than as standalone courses. It advocates for innovative pedagogical approaches and emphasises that developing the present and future generation of globally responsible leaders demands both individual change and organisational transformation across the business world.