Overview
The Purpose
The purpose of the Initiative is to equip students and leaders to integrate the resources of their faith with their work to transform their organizations and serve the greater good. This is in line with Princeton University's unofficial motto, "in the nation's service and the service of all nations." For many, faith is what shapes and informs their value system, ethics, character, leadership, and attitude toward work. For many, faith is the key to find meaning, purpose, and even joy in their work, transforming it from being "just a job" to being a calling. We have too many examples of unethical students and leaders. Yet, research also shows that most students, marketplace professionals, and leaders wish to live ethical and holistic lives that integrate, among other things, faith and work. But they have few resources to help them. This is about to change. The Initiative addresses this need, drawing on the rich resources found in the world's great religious traditions and teachings, as well as on interdisciplinary insights and dialogue with a wide range of thought leaders.
The Product
The Initiative investigates the ways in which the resources of religious traditions and spiritual identities shape and inform leaders' engagement with such workplace issues as culture, values, meaning, purpose, and how people live out their faith in an increasingly diverse and pluralistic world. Further, through the lens of faith, the Initiative addresses such pressing marketplace topics as business ethics, global competition, profits and wealth creation, diversity and inclusion, stakeholder interests, and social responsibility.
The Initiative serves its target audience (university students, business people and professionals, and academics and thought leaders from various disciplines) in many ways. Through a mixture of conferences, symposia, seminars, teaching, writing, Internet resources, and other new technologies, the Initiative develops intellectual frameworks and practical resources to engage constructively the issues and opportunities surrounding faith and work.