November 19, 2024

What is Ethical Leadership? 

In remarks delivered on Global Ethics Day 2024, Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal discusses his own approach to ethical leadership at this turbulent moment for international affairs.

“Throughout our lives, values will conflict and trade-offs are inevitable—but we must recognize that one-dimensional moral assertions do far more harm than good . . .

"In the practice of leadership, I constantly ask: What is my true north? What am I willing (and not willing) to do to achieve a goal? And how might those whom I respect judge my actions?"

Watch his full remarks below.

Featured Resources

An Ethical Grey Zone: AI Agents in Political Deliberations

The use of agentic AI—a type of AI system that can independently plan and execute multi-step processes—has become much more prominent in recent years, notably in the field of political deliberation. As adoption of this technology increases, it is critical for researchers and policymakers to agree on ethical principles to inform its governance, writes United Nations University Centre for Policy Research’s Eleonore Fournier-Tombs.

A Responsibility to Support Civilian Resistance Movements? 

In recent years, there has been an upsurge in the number of civilian resistance movements within states to counter government repression and coups d’états. In this article for the Ethics & International Affairs journal, Australia National University’s Eglantine Staunton and Cecilia Jacob ask: Should the international community support these movements as part of its wider commitment to ending mass atrocities? 

Artificial Intelligence and Election Integrity in 2024 

This paper is the first in a series of final projects produced by the inaugural Carnegie Ethics Fellows (CEF) cohort—a multiprofessional group of young leaders focused on empowering ethics in their personal and professional lives. The paper examines the effects of AI on election integrity as billions of people went to the polls in 2024. Stay tuned for future CEF projects on issues ranging from child poverty to climate-induced migration, and more.

Make a Donation Today

Through our work in next generation leadership development, the Global Ethics Hub in New York City, Accelerator workshops, and Impact Initiatives, Carnegie Council will continue to champion the vision of international peace and cooperation that remains our mission.