In September 2020, the University of Humanistic Studies in Utrecht established the chair in Leadership Ethics and the Economy for Human Well-Being. The chair responds to a widely felt need in a society often driven by efficiency, profit maximisation, pragmatic solutions and short-term success. Its aim is to contribute to alternative models of leadership and to the development of more humane organisational cultures and economic practices.

Patrick Nullens is a theologian and ethicist specialising in leadership ethics. He was one of the co-founders of the Institute for Leadership and Social Ethics at the Evangelical Theological Faculty in Leuven, Belgium, where he also served for many years as Rector. His work focuses on ethical leadership, meaningful work, governance and the question of how organisations can better serve human dignity and the common good. He also teaches ethics in executive and non-executive programmes within several business and governance programmes.

The chair is supported by the Goldschmeding Foundation for People, Work and Economy. The Foundation promotes an inclusive and sustainable society, based on the conviction that a better world emerges when people serve one another’s interests. It supports innovative practice-oriented projects and excellent academic research in the fields of inclusive labour markets, circular economy and an economy oriented toward human well-being.