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Moral responsibilities of trustees: some first thoughts
1Poynter Center for the Study of Ethics and American Institutions, Indiana University, Bloomington.
Nonprofit Management & Leadership
|February 2, 1993
Summary
Trustees hold public responsibility for public goods, a moral definition crucial for pluralist societies. They must adhere to fiduciary duties, the common good, and procedural norms for effective governance.
Area of Science:
- Social Sciences
- Ethics
- Public Administration
Background:
- The precise role and responsibilities of trustees are often misunderstood by the public and even by trustees themselves.
- This ambiguity can lead to challenges in governance and the effective provision of public goods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define the role of a trustee through a moral lens, emphasizing their public responsibility.
- To explore the essential constraints and responsibilities that should guide trustee conduct.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of the trustee's role.
- Ethical and philosophical examination of trusteeship in a pluralist society.
Main Results:
- Proposes trusteeship as a public responsibility for private provision of public goods.
- Identifies key constraints: fiduciary duties, common good, interpretative responsibility, and procedural norms.
Conclusions:
- A clear moral definition of trusteeship is vital for societal function.
- Trusteeship requires adherence to ethical principles and defined responsibilities to ensure the public good.