The 2021 competition is now open! The submission deadline is 30 June 2021.
About the competition
The IBE Student Essay Competition celebrates the best student writing and thinking on business ethics. All the information you need to know about the competition can be found below:
- Prizes are awarded in two categories – Undergraduate and Postgraduate
- Submissions should be 2,500 words (±10%) excluding all supplementary materials (appendices and bibliographies)
- You choose the topic that you want to write about
- You can base your submission on an existing assignment you have written
- A focus on current topics in business ethics is encouraged, and rewarded through the judging process.
For inspiration on what to write about, take a look at the Knowledge Hub.
For more information download the Competition Leaflet.
Why should I enter?
Professional development
- To win or be a shortlisted finalist would enhance your CV
- Authors of winning essays will be invited to present their essay to industry experts at an awards ceremony in London (COVID-19 permitting)
- The awards ceremony also provides an excellent opportunity to network with senior industry practitioners
Prize fund
- A £500 prize fund is available for the winners of each category
Who can enter the competition?
- Any student currently studying for an undergraduate or masters qualification awarded by a recognised UK higher education institution
- Submissions can be made by individuals or groups
- For further information, particularly if you are in any doubt about whether you are eligible, please see the small print
Entry form
Previous Winning Essays
Undergraduate category
Year |
Student |
University |
Essay |
2020 |
Tony Chen |
University of Warwick |
Debt’s moral hazard: ethical considerations for biopharmaceutical finance |
2019 |
Joel Christoph |
UCL |
|
2018 |
Nathalie Becker |
St Andrews |
|
2017 |
David Kerr |
Birbeck College, University of London |
|
2016 | Eleanor Weston | University of Brighton | Should the NHS be Free to Every Citizen Regardless of Health Choices? |
Postgraduate category
Year |
Student |
University |
Essay |
2020 | Rebekah Shanks |
University of Aberdeen |
Is the IESBA Code of Ethics sufficient to help solve ethical dilemmas facing the accounting profession? |
2019 |
Ysabel Dela Rosa |
University of Bath |
|
2018 |
Firoza Dodhi |
UCL Faculty of Laws |
Exploring the Ethical Issues of Innovation in Legal Services |
2017 |
Charles Sherwood |
London School of Economics |
Doing the Right Thing: business ethics, moral indeterminacy and existentialism |
2016 | Jonathan Webb | Queen Mary, University of London | Supply Chain Corruption: a business ethics blind spot |