Values Driving Corporate Success, Responsibility

LISLE, Ill., Feb. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With Occupy Wall Street protests driving the demand for reforms within financial institutions, and economics and value alignment at the forefront of the 2012 U.S. presidential election, business leaders are looking beyond board rooms toward innovative solutions to becoming profitable companies that also maintain a socially-responsible connection to the world around it.

So instead of brainstorming conferences on Maui beaches, some senior leaders are traveling to Benedictine University's Center for Values-Driven Leadership (CVDL) to increase their knowledge for creating sustainable organizations that transform society.

In the wake of numerous billion-dollar corporate scandals, the demand for values-driven leadership has skyrocketed and the CVDL is answering the call.

Research by groups like Ethisphere proves that values-driven companies can benefit society and be highly successful. Understanding the methodology to achieving this goal is why the CVDL is needed, said James Ludema, Ph.D., CVDL co-founder and director.

Based in Lisle, Ill., just outside of Chicago, the CVDL at Benedictine is the first university program in the world to offer a Doctor of Philosophy or Doctor of Business Administration (Ph.D./D.B.A.) in Values-Driven Leadership.

Business leaders quickly exhausted all available spots in the first cohort offered in April. Future cohorts are offered every two years with applications for the 2013 cohort accepted in November 2012.

Ludema says the CVDL is uniquely qualified to train world leaders because of Benedictine's internationally-recognized Ph.D. program in Organization Development which was used as the basis for its Ph.D./D.B.A. program, and because of Benedictine University's values and mission to provide a high-quality, values-centered education.

Although there are other management leadership and sustainability Ph.D. and D.B.A. programs around the country, Benedictine is the only program to combine leadership sustainability and organizational change specifically for senior executives who to take their organizations to the next level of success.

Current students in Benedictine's Ph.D./D.B.A. programs include chief executive officers from small to medium corporations and senior executives from the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Cellular, Royal Bank of Scotland, as well as specialty technology, healthcare and management consulting firms.

The program is specifically designed for senior leaders committed to using the creativity and discipline of business to create short-term and long-term shareholder value, enrich people's lives, and produce products and services that benefit society and contribute to the health and sustainability of the planet.

For full release, visit ben.edu/news/cvdl/

SOURCE Benedictine University