What is BEN-Africa?

Mission

BEN-Africa strengthens the commitment and competence of Africans to do business with moral integrity by facilitating interaction between academics and practitioners who share an interest in business ethics.

The Story of BEN-Africa

BEN-Africa was formed on the equator in the heart of Africa in 1999. The founding conviction of BEN-Africa is that by bringing together Africans who share an interest in business ethics, business ethics will be expanded on the African continent. We believe that through interaction, both theoretical knowledge and practical skill in managing ethics will be enhanced.

Our experience since 1999 has substantiated this conviction. BEN-Africa currently has members in 25 African countries. National chapters have been established in Botswana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Cameroon and Ethiopia. A number of other countries are in the process of establishing similar national structures of BEN-Africa.

BEN-Africa facilitates interaction between its members in various ways. These include our website, regular electronic communiqués and an electronically distributed newsletter. BEN-Africa also presents a conference annually. Conferences have already been organised in:

• Nairobi, Kenya (2000)
• East London, South Africa (2001)
• Lagos, Nigeria (2002)
• Victoria Falls, Zambia (2003)
• Stone Town, Zanzibar (2004)
• Kasane, Botswana (2005)
• Cape Town, South Africa (2006)
• Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (2007)
• In 2008 BEN-Africa was proud to host the 2008 World Congress of the International Society of Business, Economics and Ethics in Cape Town, South Africa
• Accra, Ghana (2009)
• Nairobi, Kenya (2010)
• Zanzibar, Tanzania (2011)

BEN-Africa is committed to disseminate information, knowledge and expertise on business ethics to its members. The first title in the BEN-Africa book series “Developing Business Ethics as an Academic Field” reviews the development of the field of business ethics critically. BEN-Africa has also launched the African Journal of Business Ethics, the first edition of which was published in 2005.

BEN-Africa also provides members with the opportunity to participate in generating new knowledge and expertise. This is done through a number of research projects including, amongst others, the Whistle Blowing Project, the Business Ethics Case Study Project and the HIV/AIDS project. The findings of the research projects will be published as further titles in the BEN-Africa book series.

In addition to its activities on the African continent, BEN-African regularly participates in international forums. A former president of BEN-Africa, Prof Deon Rossouw, has served as the president of ISBEE; BEN-Africa was invited to edit an edition of Europe’s leading journal on business ethics, Business Ethics: A European Review that was devoted to business ethics in Africa.

BEN-Africa has grown into a well-established and reputable organisation. It has built a network of people with competence in teaching and managing business ethics. It has also developed sound structures and infrastructure and is consequently poised for a substantial expansion of its activities. You are cordially invited to join us in our endeavour to strengthen the commitment and competence of Africans to improve the business ethics record of Africa.

Goals

• To facilitate interaction between academics and practitioners who share an interest in business ethics.
• To gather and disseminate information on business ethics in Africa.
• To strengthen the commitment and competence of our members to improve the business ethics record of Africa.

Executive Committee