Religion and Business Ethics

Abstract

Religions have long-standing approaches to ethics, including business ethics. Given the widespread influence of religion, this has helped shaped economic life over the centuries. Religious ethics form a major part of broader understandings of ethical issues. Many religions and denominations apply both an ethical screen to investment and also advocate specific ethical approaches to business. Both of these approaches can be relevant to investment banking. There are religious ethical objections to economic activity involving industrial sectors that are harmful, notably alcohol, tobacco, defence, gambling and pornography. Concerns over these sectors are shared by the world’s major religions, including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism. The three Abrahamic faiths in particular have significant commonality on ethical concerns regarding business issues including with regard to specific business sectors.