Invitation to the Third Congress on Finance Ethics „Finethikon” in Zurich 2012

TRUST AND RESPONSIBILITY IN THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM

Like in all areas of human coexistence, TRUST AND RESPONSIBILITY are the prerequisites to successful and sustainable actions also in the financial system, i.e. they are indispensable resources. In traditional terms, a banker‘s habitual characteristics comprise professional competence, responsible actions and absolute trustworthiness. Nevertheless, since the financial and economic crisis in 2007, loss of trust and responsibility deficiencies are increasingly complained also in the present debt and financial crisis, by decision makers in economy, policy and science.

The Federal Chancellor wishes the Finethikon Congress success.

„The discussion on ethical behaviour in the financial sector is of basic importance and urgent topicality … The Federal Chancellor wishes you and all participants a successful congress.”

The Third Congress on Financial Ethics in 2012 in Zurich will face up to this problem. Scientists and economists, politicians and media representatives, representatives from organizations as well as interested persons of the public will discuss i.a. the following issues and range subjects:

• Why have confidence deficiencies occurred both in the private and state spheres of the financial system according to public perception, and why is a lack of responsibility complained?

• What prerequisites shall be provided in a financial system in order to ensure responsible actions by the players and to (re)gain trust?
  

• How can responsibility be assigned politically, in  organisations as well as individually or socially?
  

• How can the diffusion of responsibility, resulting from increasing complexity, be limited in order to recognize, and avoid, conflict situations?

In addition, the concepts of trust and responsibility underlie the discourse on current tasks, issues and problems of the financial system in the eurozone as well as in Switzerland as a bank and financial centre. Based on this, the further perspective of a sustainable order of the finance system and the responsible handling of private and public finances shall be rendered possible.

We invite you to participate in this discourse.    Zurich, February 2012

The Congress organizers