CoBank, a $90 billion cooperative bank serving rural areas, recently pledged to be the inaugural charter sponsor of Daniels College of Business’ Insitute for Enterprise Ethics (IEE).

“Several of their executives had attended several of the Institute’s events and were convinced that we were doing some good and valuable work,” said Dan Sweeney, director of the IEE. “Ethics has always been an important part of CoBank’s approach to doing business. They have been a strong supporter of the Daniels College of Business and the idea of sponsoring the Institute just seemed like a natural partnership.”

As part of the new sponsorship, the IEE will provide educational ethics-based programs to CoBank and its customers. Ann Trakimas, CoBank’s chief operating officer (COO), will also join the Ethics Advisory Board of the IEE.

“The topic of business ethics is a critical one, not only for today’s leaders, but for those who will lead these organizations in the future,” said Trakimas in a news release. “We look forward to being part of this important learning process.”

According to the Enterprise Ethics Web site, the purpose of the IEE “is to help individual executives, officers, and directors give expression to their personal values in the management of their enterprises,” Sweeney said the new sponsorship will help the IEE be more ethical.

“The CoBank sponsorship will help the Institute to continue to offer effective programs for the general business community in Denver as well as to broaden our program offerings and our reach to other cities,” said Sweeney.

The IEE currently offers also offers peer-to-peer programs, research fellowships, student case competition awards, webinar series and an ethics boot camp.