Sullivan Principles

The Sullivan Principles are ethical guidelines established in the 1970s by civil rights activist Rev. Leon Sullivan. Originally aimed at encouraging companies, especially U.S. corporations operating in apartheid South Africa, to promote racial equality and social justice, the principles urged businesses to avoid complicity in discriminatory practices. Companies were encouraged to ensure equal job opportunities, fair wages, and to invest in the communities they operated in. The principles also called for supporting the abolition of apartheid and fostering inclusive corporate cultures, thereby promoting broader social change through responsible business practices.