Competition Information
2027
April 8-9, 2027
The Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D.C.
Why It Matters
Tomorrow’s leaders are entering a business environment where ethical judgment has never been more important. Knowing the rules is no longer enough.
Today’s leaders must navigate ambiguity, competing stakeholder interests, economic pressures, and complex decisions where there is no obvious right answer. Organizations need professionals who can exercise sound judgment, communicate principled recommendations, and lead with integrity when the stakes are high.
The National Ethics Case Competition was created to develop those leaders. Through challenging, real-world business cases, students strengthen their ethical reasoning, defend their recommendations before experienced executives, and gain the skills needed to lead with confidence in an increasingly complex marketplace.
How the Competition Works
From Written Analysis to Real-World Impact
A Multi-Round National Competition
Registration
Round 2
Round 3
Semifinals in
Washington, D.C.
Finals in
Washington, D.C.
Round 1
Written Submission
January 4th - 27th, 2027
Teams register by providing pertinent details.
Teams submit a written case analysis virtually.
Teams present a new case in-person to panels of judges.
Finalists receive a new case and compete live before attendees and a panel of judges.
The competition taught me to communicate with incredible conciseness — you only have 10 minutes to articulate your entire analysis and recommendations, so every sentence you include must add value and each word you use has to be chosen so carefully.
Winning gave me the confidence to hold my own in rooms full of established leaders. At 24, that confidence comes from research, domain expertise, data, preparation, and real analysis. I am now the Director of Innovation at a human capital consulting firm, and I get to directly apply my learnings from this competition every day at work. I’ve always believed in doing the right thing, and that guides every decision I make.
David Carr
2025 National Ethics Case Competition
Member of First Place Team
