EBEN in Greece
The Greek Institute of Business Ethics Network – EBEN GR which represents the European Business Ethics Network, is a nonprofit organization that was founded in Greece in 2005.
EBEN in Europe
EBEN was the first most active Business Ethics Network representing Europe and already includes 18 countries – as members, just to mention Denmark, the UK, the Germany and Spain among others.
EBEN was founded in 2000 and is already recognized worldwide as a representative of the European understanding of what business ethics is all about.
European Network aim is to diffuse that kind of management which is based on values, moral leadership, but also to increase the knowledge about the responsibility of companies towards society.
Long-term objective is the cultivation of such society of businessmen who adopt cordially the values of business ethics and who will nurture with these values the next generation of professionals and academics.
Our mission
Our mission is to promote ethics and excellence in business, to raise awareness about the ethical challenges in the global market and give the potentials of dialogue on the role of business in society.
“Integrity without knowledge
is weak and useless,
and knowledge without integrity
is dangerous and dreadful “
Samuel Johnson
- EBEN Annual Conference: Hosted by a national group, where the conference bring together academics and professionals around a keynote.
- EBEN Research Conference: Based on a keynote and addressed mainly academics, this conference presents recent research or an ongoing research. It allows ethical professionals of all kinds to exchange their scientific work.
- EBEN Doctoral workshop: Aims at those who teach doctorates on business ethics. This annual event usually precedes the annual conference.
- Interest Groups of EBEN: Under EBEN, various interest groups focus on a specific topic (eg SRI, CSR in SMEs, etc.). These interest groups organize all kinds of activities which are open to everyone.
“The company should support everything in our life,
including our spiritual life “
Woodrow Wilson
Business professionals are active members of EBEN and EBEN wants always to be an interactive organization where academics and entrepreneurs constantly interact and learn from each other.
We support professionals by offering them the following:
- The Forum of European business ethics: this annual conference, of three partners, is focused solely on ethics and compliance officers. It is an ideal place for the exchange of best practices.
- International network of academic updated capabilities in the field of business ethics and relevant areas such as corporate social responsibility, accountability and corporate citizenship.
- Exchanging information on business initiatives taken and best practices.
- International collaborations with researchers and business ethics consultants.
- Contacts and joint projects with similar networks around the world.
- Access to ethical tools such as training on disputes, assessment of values in the organization and participation in role models development.
Through our members activities and the numerous conferences, the EBEN offers a continuous flow of publications in business ethics area, with strong links to major publishing houses. We publish annual special editions of the « Business Ethics Journal » magazine (special price for the EBEN Chapters participating in the annual conference) and of ZFWU, having institutional link with EU review Business Ethics. The EBEN represents Europe in the area of international business ethics, conferences of the International Business Company, Ethics and Economics. We have extensive contacts with several partner organizations which are active in business ethics & CSR and simultaneously are frequently engaged in political bodies associated with CSR & business ethics.
Board of EBEN GR
The Governing Council, in March 2024, was constituted, as follows:.
Voting members:
President | Antonis Gortzis |
Vice President | Apollon Karakalas |
Secretary General | Gelina Karella |
Treasurer | Ioannis Bertsatos |
Board Member | Dimitris Patras |
Board Member | Antonis Spanos |
Board Member | Vassilis Ferentouros |
Substitute member | Andreas Pamphylou |
Substitute member | George Pierrakos |
Academic Committee
President | John Filos |
Member | Nancy Papalexandri |
Member | Dr. Stilianidou Maria |
Member | Ioannis Bertsatos |
Member | Pappa Evangelia |
Member | Iordanis Kavathatzopoulos |
EBEN GR BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ CVS
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Antonis GortzisPresident EBEN GR
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Antonis E. Gortzis was born in Athens and studied Economics. He pursued postgraduate studies in Business Administration, Marketing, and Econometrics. He also attended a Crash Course MBA at Harvard University.
– Marketing Coordinator at UNILEVER in London, responsible for detergents in Europe and in North America.
– Marketing Director at Lever/Elais.
– Marketing and Media Research Consultant for ELAIS-UNILEVER (Food Sector).
– Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Advertisers Association.
– President of FEDIMA HELLAS.
– President of the Hellenic Institute of Marketing.
– President of the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA).
– Secretary-General of the Board of Directors of the Piraeus Chambers.
– Member of the Board of Directors of the Chambers of the Mediterranean.
– President of the business consulting firms ONETEAM and THEME.
– Vice President of the Hellenic Management Association.
– President of EBEN.GR (Institute of Business Ethics).
– Member of the Board of Directors of ACTION-AID.
– Chairman of the Board for CR FOR CITIZENS.
– Founding member and President of the Institute for Career Orientation (IEPAS).
– Vice President of «Π.Α.Ι.Δ.Ε.Ι.Α. Αριστείας»
– President of the European Business Ethics Network (EBEN) for Europe and Greece.
– President of the Strategic Board – Business Administration Department of Piraeus University of Applied Sciences (TEI Piraeus).
– President of the Friends of the Archdiocese of Athens and All Greece.
– President of the Cultural Association of Friends of the War Museum.
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Apollon KarakalasVice president EBEN GR
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ΓI was born in Piraeus in 1958 to parents from Piraeus. I grew up with people in my family who were involved in the Shipping Industry.
I started working in a Shipping Agency and attended night school.
In 1980 I was hired by a Shipping Company in the crew department.
At the urging of the Company I worked for, I became independent as a shipping agent with their support.
I was periodically elected to the boards of directors of professional bodies, to committees of ministries and public organizations.
Because of my belief in professional commitment and certification of the services we provide, we were certified as a company with ISO, EBEN, EFQM, BEX.
All these years with the support of our partners, we have been awarded various awards and distinctions from the collaborating public Services in recognition of the Services we offer.
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Gelina Jos. KarellaSecretary General
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Gelina Karella was born in Athens. She graduated from the Department of French Language and Literature of the Kapodistrian University of Athens. She holds an Msc master’s degree in Marketing and Communication from the Athens University of Economics and Business. She is a certified Senior Assessor for the international quality standard EFQM (Brussels) as well as for ISO quality systems (ISO 9001, ISO 1435, ISO 22000). Association Francaise de Normalisation AFNOR) and Belgium (EFQM).
She worked for many years as a Quality Manager in a subsidiary in Greece of the Aeronautical Group Dassault Aviation (manufacturer of fighter aircraft company MIRAGE, RAFALE, private jets FALCON, etc.). He has collaborated with the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Unit of Panteion University as a Mentor and has collaborated with ELOT (HELLENIC ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION) for the creation of ISO 1435 for Communication Companies. Since 2007 she has been providing Consulting Services for the development of Public and Private Sector Organizations as well as for the elaboration of a strategy and the planning of Social Responsibility actions.
She is the General Secretary of the international organization EBEN (EUROPEAN BUSINESS ETHICS NETWORK GREEK CHAPTER) as well as of the AMBASSADORS CLUB OF EBEN GREECE. She is a member of the Advisory Committee of INBIAN (INSTITUTE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT) which is the national representative of the International Organization EFQM EUROPEAN FOUNDATION FOR QUALITY MANAGEMENT) based in Brussels, which certifies Organizations of the Public and Private Sector around the world according to the EFQM Standard of Excellence .She participates as a speaker in international conferences in collaboration with Ministries such as the conference of the GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF NATIONAL DEFENCE POLICY AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS OF THE MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENCE in April 2021 on “the management of hybrid threats and crises”. She speaks English, French and German.
Dr. Ioannis Constantinou BertsatosTreasurer EBEN GR |
Ioannis Constantinou Bertsatos was born in Athens in 1980 and is currently and since 2010
acting as Managing Director for LETRINA S.A. – Independent Inspectors & Certification Body.
He has studied Mechanical Engineering in the University of Cambridge, graduating with BA and
Meng with Honours. He then completed his doctorate degree in the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT), in the Mechanical Engineering department with thesis subject in underwater
acoustics (sonar). During his studies in Boston, he served as president of the Hellenic Students’
Association, as well as a member of the Board of the largest student residence of MIT.
After returning to Greece, he went into the Quality Management and Assurance sector, actively
participating in the Hellenic Association of Accredited Certification and Inspection Bodies
(HellasCert), where he has served as member of the Managing Council, as well as president of
the Ethics Committee. Starting in 2021, he has also assumed the role of Managing Director for
the Institute for Sustainability & Growth (INBIAN), the Civil Non-Profit Company that is the
exclusive representative of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) in
Greece and Cyprus.
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Anthony SpanosBoard Member EBEN GR
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Anthony born 1949 in Athens, is an accredited Excellence Expert and advisor by the European Foundation for Quality Management. Sustainability and ESG expert certified by GRI and EBEN. Invited speaker in Greek and Overseas Universities. Has designed the EFQM version for the Marine Sector. Ex auditing expert for Insurance Authority of Abu Dhabi. Writer of Books for Universities, the official CSR manual for the Government of Cyprus and the Excellence infrastructure for the Gov. of Lebanon. Has worked as assessor/ advisor in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia. Accredited expert of the Business Excellence Institute Ireland and associate of the KPI Institute Australia. Has worked for major Greek and Cypriot Insurance Companies.
He is one of the first EFQM assessors in the world with an experience of 32 years. Has assesses more than 200 companies in approx. 35 countries, Has assessed or supported many hospitals sa the Ippokratio Hospital in Athens, the Onasseio Cardiac center, NSMRC the biggest hospital of Asia in Kazakhstan, the Childrens Cancer Hospital in Beirut and the Hotel Dieu in Beirut.
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Vassilis FerentourosBoard Member EBEN GR
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Vassilis Ferentouros is an experienced maritime management executive with over 35 years of expertise in the shipping and marine transportation industry. Currently, he serves as the Fleet Operations Manager at Enterprises Shipping and Trading SA, overseeing Capesize, Supramax, and PostPanamax dry cargo vessels. Previously, he held the role of QHSE Manager / DPA, ensuring compliance with quality, health, safety, and environmental management standards (ISO, ISM, EFQM, GDPR).
Throughout his career, he has worked as an Operations Manager and Quality & Safety Manager in major shipping companies, including Roxana Shipping, Iason Hellenic Shipping, and Ceres Hellenic Shipping Enterprises LTD. His responsibilities have encompassed fleet management, safety compliance, audits, charter negotiations, and crew training.
Academically, he holds an M.Sc. in Shipping, Trade, and Finance from City University Business School, London, and a B.A. in Economics from Deree College, Athens.
He has attended numerous training courses on maritime operations, crisis management, ISM/ISO standards, and risk assessment. Additionally, he has 14 months of sailing experience on OBO, tanker, and Handy Size vessels.
Beyond his professional scope, he is actively involved in healthcare quality systems, cancer patients’ rights advocacy, and crisis management in healthcare services.
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Andreas N. PamfylouSubstitute Board Member EBEN GR
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Andreas N. Pamfylou, a Mechanical Engineer Msc., MBA, specialized in “Bioclimatic Architecture and Passive Solar Systems”, has also worked as a supervisor and design engineer in building construction.
He has a long experience in the fields of Industry, Wind Turbines and Marine by working in Greece, Cyprus, and various neighboring Balkan countries. He was mainly involved in the study and technical support of the Transmission Systems, before and after the sale, in the above-mentioned fields by holding different positions of responsibility in large companies, representing recognized companies abroad.
During the last 20 years Andreas N. Pamfylou, was working for a foreign company, which he later represented, for 4 years through a company that he co-founded and was a shareholder, until the last 4-5 years he started operating independently, founding his own company.
EBEN GR ACADEMIC COMMITTEE CVS
ΙΩΑΝΝΗΣ ΦΙΛΟΣPresident
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He is a Member of the Quality Control Board (QCB) of the Accounting and Auditing Standards Oversight Board (ELTE). He has participated in working groups of the Hellenic Capital Market Commission, served as a Board Member and Chair of Audit Committees of major public interest entities, Chair of the Drug Pricing Committee of the Ministry of Health, and President of a Local Community Council in a municipality of Attica. He currently serves as Chair of a Ministry Procurement Committee and is a Board Member of “Transparency International – Greece.”
He is the author of 7 books and numerous articles published in both Greek and international academic journals and collective honorary volumes. He has presented many papers at scientific and professional conferences. Finally, he worked as an auditor at Arthur Andersen for 7 years (1989–1996) and subsequently as a consultant for private and public enterprises.
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PAPALEXANDRIS NANCYMember
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PAPALEXANDRIS Nancy is Professor Emeritus of Human Resource Management and Founder of the MSc Programme in Human Resource Management of the Athens University of Economics and Business. For the period 2001-2007 she has served as Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and Personnel of her University and as representative of the Greek Rectors Conference at the European University Association for the period 2004-2007.
She has studied Business Administration and obtained her M.A. from New York University and her Ph.D. from the University of Bath in the U.K. She teaches Human Resources Management, Organisational Behaviour, Business Communication, Intercultural Management, Business Ethics & Corporate Social Responsibility and Diversity & Inclusion. She has also taught in various E.U. Universities and in post-training and management development seminars in Greece and abroad.
She has published a number of books, articles in various international journals and has organised a number of international conferences. She is President of the Association of Professors Emeriti of Athens University of Economics and Business and Secretary General of the Greek Association of Women University Professors.
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MARIA STYLIANIDIMember
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Maria Stylianidi, Assistant Professor, Frederick University, School of Law,
Lawyer
From November 2016 to September 2022 she was Member of the Board of the Hellenic Single Public Procurement Authority (HSPPA)
Since 2015 she teaches at the Hellenic Open University as an Adjunct Lecturer. From 2018-2020 she has lectured at the Open University of Cyprus. Since 2018 until February 2022, she was also Leader of the course MPA 513, Master in Public Administration, University of Nicosia-Law Department. Since 2014 she teaches at the National School of Public Administration. She is a member of the Academic Committee at Hellenic Institute of Business Ethics(EBEN GR).
She also collaborated with international organizations as a regular member of several working groups. She was Project Leader of the technical assistance program for the strengthening of the public procurement system in collaboration with the O.E.C.D. and the support of the EU Structural Reform Support Service (SRSS). Recipient: H.S.P.P.A. and Contact Point of the Transparency International Greece to H.S.P.P.A. regarding the implementation of the program “Widely Expanding Anonymous Tipping Technology Deployment, Operation, and Trustworthiness to Combat Corruption in Eastern and Southern Europe”, which is co-financed by the Internal Security Fund of the European Union.
She worked as a Public Administration inspector, as well as an Executive of the General Secretariat for the Coordination of Government Projects (Monitoring of the memorandum obligations of the Ministries in the areas of Anti-corruption, Justice and Public Contracts) and of the General Secretariat for Combating Corruption.
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EVANGELIA TH. PAPPAMember
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Evangelia Th. Pappa graduated from the Department of Economic and Regional Development at Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences and holds a Master’s Degree in Economic and Regional Development from the same university. In 2011, she was awarded a PhD from Panteion University. Her doctoral dissertation, titled “Business Innovation and Development: The Case of the Greek Economy,” was awarded the grade ‘Excellent.’ In July 2019, she completed her postdoctoral research at the Department of Public Administration of Panteion University, focusing on “Evaluating the Efficiency of Internal Audit Units in Public Administration.”
Since 2012, she has been working as an Internal Auditor in the Internal Audit Unit of the Hellenic Coast Guard at the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy. She is a Member of the Adjunct Academic Staff at the Hellenic Open University and the Open University of Cyprus, and a Scientific Associate at the European University Cyprus.
Her research focuses on rural economics, business strategy, (international) entrepreneurship, internal auditing, business ethics, and economic crime. She is a lecturer at the Hellenic Institute of Internal Auditors and the National Centre for Public Administration and Local Government.
She has participated in both international and Greek conferences, and her scientific work has been published in reputable academic journals, receiving a significant number of citations from Greek and international scholars. Finally, she has served as a member of editorial boards and as a peer reviewer for recognized academic journals.
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IORDANIS KAVATHATZOPOULOSMember
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Iordanis Kavathatzopoulos is Professor of Human-Computer Interaction at the Department of Information Technology, University of Uppsala, Sweden. He obtained his PhD in Psychology and is Docent of Psychology. He has worked as Associate Professor of Psychology at the Department of Psychology of the University of Uppsala. He has also been Visiting Professor at Florida International University, University of Tsukuba and other.
His research interests cover a wide range of fields between Philosophy, Psychology and New Technologies. They focus on the areas of Measuring and Training Ethical Skills, Ethics of Business, Organizations and Politics, Ethics of Modern Technologies, Ethics of Usability of Technological Systems, and Ethics of Autonomous Systems and AI.
Professor Kavathatzopoulos has developed special tools for measuring problem-solving and decision-making skills as well as training programs to support ethical competence. Leaders of business, governmental and other organizations are trained using these methods. Private companies and government agencies use these tools to support decision-making, map organizational ethics needs, and measure the ethical competence of their personnel.
He is a member of the editorial board of many scientific journals, a member of the scientific committees of the main conferences in the area of his research, the founder of the Center for Ethics, Sustainability and Technology of Uppsala University, and a member of boards of international scientific and academic institutions.