Ethics Matters
March/April 2015
For the last three years, the NASBA Center for the Public Trust (CPT) has worked with an outstanding Denver-based, private foundation, the Daniels Fund (DF). The DF was founded by Bill Daniels, known to many as the founder of cable television. However, he wasn’t just a visionary entrepreneur. Daniels had a tremendous commitment to ethics in business. He created the DF to ensure that his efforts toward developing ethical leadership, among other important values, would continue indefinetely.
The Daniels Fund primarily works with organizations and educational institutions in the mountain states area, but because of their respect for the work of the Student Center for the Public Trust (StudentCPT), the foundation provides support to the CPT. The initial partnership began with funding of the Student Ethical Leadership Certification Program. Due to the positive feedback and early success of the program, the DF significantly increased its support of the CPT. Earlier this year, the DF awarded the CPT a grant totaling over $129,000 to support CPT activities.
Through this grant, the CPT will improve the certification program. The CPT will also co-host, with the 11 universities of the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative, ethics town hall events, featuring video presentations and analysis by Dr. Kelly Pope, an award-winning educator in accounting and ethics. The grant also designates funding to support the Annual Student Leadership Conference.
To honor the legacy of Bill Daniels, the CPT and DF have agreed to an annual sponsorship of the Being a Difference Award. The award criteria will be revised to incorporate eight ethics principles of the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative. Look to hear more about the new award later this year.
As you can see, the DF and CPT share a focus on ethical leadership. Our paths were destined to intersect. And we are grateful to our special partners.