William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, Society For Human Resource Management (SHRM) Announce 4th Annual Ethical Leader Of The Year Award

The William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, in partnership with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), is proud to announce the launch of the 4th annual Ethical Leader of the Year Award which will take place at the SHRM Expo 2025 on June 29th in San Diego, California.

This prestigious accolade honors individuals year-on-year who have demonstrated outstanding ethical leadership principles on behalf of their Fortune 500 organizations, fostering trust and integrity within their organizations and communities in the process.

The announcement takes place on the heels of the launch of the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer which has revealed a startling and significant global decline in trust across major institutions, with 61% of respondents this year expressing moderate to high levels of grievance towards government, and business - data which underscores the critical need for ethical leadership to rebuild trust and address societal grievances.

“In today’s climate, ethical leadership is more crucial than ever,” said Brian Peckrill, Executive Director of the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund. “This award seeks to recognize and celebrate leaders who not only uphold the highest ethical standards but also actively work to bridge the trust gap in their spheres of influence.”

The McGowan Fund’s Ethical Leader of the Year Award has been held annually alongside partner, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), an organization which has also recently launched a civility initiative seeking to start 1 million civil conversations in the workplace. SHRM’s research shows that civility is foundational to building an inclusive workplace culture, driving myriad bottom-line results, from employee satisfaction to organizational turnover.

“Organizations thrive when led by individuals who prioritize ethics and integrity,” said Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, President and CEO of SHRM. “By honoring these leaders with the McGowan Fund, we aim to inspire a widespread commitment to ethical leadership and practices that can transform both workplaces and society.”

The award recipient will be honored at SHRM’s 77th Annual Conference & Expo, the world’s largest gathering of HR professionals, taking place in June of 2025. The event brings together thousands of HR and business leaders to explore key issues in the workplace, including ethical leadership, diversity, and 2025-era corporate social responsibility.

About the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund

The William G. McGowan Charitable Fund has, since its inception, maintained a vision to impact lives, to create sustainable change, and to empower future generations to achieve their greatest potential. The Fund brings that vision to life through grant-making efforts in three program areas: Education, Human Services, and Healthcare. They prioritize programs that have demonstrated success, have measurable outcomes, plans for sustainability, and aim to end cycles of poverty and suffering.

Resolute in the belief in the power of partnerships or collaborative efforts to maximize impact, the Fund embraces opportunities to work with other funders across their key program areas, looking for funding opportunities that share their philosophy and exploring the possibility of joint projects with other nonprofit organizations.

The Fund is managed in accordance with values deeply held by its benefactor, William G. McGowan. Among these are ethical leadership and the belief that every life has equal value.

For more information, please visit https://williamgmcgowanfund.org/ and learn more on Twitter.

About SHRM (pronounced “SHERM”)

SHRM creates better workplaces where employers and employees thrive together. As the voice of all things work, workers and the workplace, SHRM is the foremost expert, convener and thought leader on issues impacting today’s evolving workplaces.

With nearly 325,000 members in 165 countries, SHRM impacts the lives of more than 235 million workers and families globally. Learn more at SHRM.org.

Contact Information

Samuel Amsterdam

Senior Vice President

Strategic Partnerships

Contact via E-mail