About Us
Who is the HLI
We are a global advisory and research collective led by Prof. Dr. Michael Pirson — a founding architect of the global Humanistic Management movement and a leading voice in reimagining the purpose of business, leadership, and institutions for the 21st century.
Our network brings together world-class scholars, senior practitioners, and system architects from premier universities, global institutions, and values-aligned organizations across every continent.
We operate at the intersection of
executive leadership, organizational transformation, and planetary responsibility — guiding leaders and institutions to unlock human flourishing while delivering strategically, ethically, and economically at the highest level.
What Unites Us
A conviction that dignity is the non-negotiable foundation of legitimate leadership
A commitment to rigorous scholarship translated into real-world transformation
A global perspective — drawing from Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, and Asia
A track record of working with Fortune 500 corporations, leading universities, multilateral institutions, and mission-critical governance bodies
We are not consultants.
We are partners in shaping the next paradigm of leadership — one where performance, purpose, and human dignity are not in tension, but strategically aligned.
What makes Us Different
Most leadership frameworks still optimize for the past.
Ours is built explicitly for the world emerging now — one defined by polycrisis, post-growth economics, stakeholder scrutiny, and accelerated shifts in human expectations.
We differentiate in four decisive ways:
1. Leadership grounded in human dignity — not abstraction or ideology
We begin with the intrinsic worth of every human being — not as a moral aspiration, but as a strategic operating principle that builds durable trust, engagement, and excellence.
2. Evidence-based across disciplines — not trend-driven or theoretical
Our approach integrates insights from behavioral science, evolutionary psychology, governance design, and organizational performance data — translated directly into executive action and measurable results.
3. Designed for high-stakes, high-complexity environments
We work where consequences are real — boardrooms, global institutions, next-generation strategy labs — equipping leaders to act with clarity and legitimacy under conditions of uncertainty and public accountability.
4. Transformation that scales — not inspiration that fades
We architect culture infrastructure — systems, norms, learning architectures, and governance mechanisms — so that humanistic leadership becomes a sustained strategic advantage, not an optional initiative.
This is not a leadership “program.”
It is a redefinition of what it means to lead — with moral authority, strategic precision, and human credibility — in a world that demands nothing less.
Welcome to Humanistic Leadership Institute
Michael Pirson
Michael Pirson
Michael Pirson
Dr. Michael Pirson is a scholar of humanistic management, which holds that business and commerce ought to protect human dignity and promote societal well-being. He is currently the James A. F. Stoner Chair for Humanistic Management and Global Sustainability at Fordham University, New York. He is the co-founder of the Humanistic Managemen
Dr. Michael Pirson is a scholar of humanistic management, which holds that business and commerce ought to protect human dignity and promote societal well-being. He is currently the James A. F. Stoner Chair for Humanistic Management and Global Sustainability at Fordham University, New York. He is the co-founder of the Humanistic Management Network and the International Humanistic Management Association, global organizations bringing academics from various disciplines together with practitioners, policy makers and media representatives to accelerate the transition towards a life-conducive economic system. Michael is also actively facilitating the transformation of business education to promote positive change making and social innovation, leading Fordham University’s efforts as ASHOKA Changemaker Campus. He is co-leading efforts to humanize business education with global partners such as UN PRME, and IAJBS. He has won numerous awards for his work, including from the Academy of Management, the Association of Jesuit Universities and is a Full Member of the Club of Rome.
Donna Hicks
Michael Pirson
Michael Pirson
Dr. Donna Hicks is an Associate at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard
University. She was the Deputy Director of the Program on International Conflict Analysis and
resolution at the Weatherhead Center. Dr. Hicks facilitated dialogues in numerous unofficial
diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, C
Dr. Donna Hicks is an Associate at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard
University. She was the Deputy Director of the Program on International Conflict Analysis and
resolution at the Weatherhead Center. Dr. Hicks facilitated dialogues in numerous unofficial
diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Colombia, Cuba, Libya and Syria.
She was a consultant to the BBC in Northern Ireland where she co-facilitated a television series,
Facing the Truth, with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. She has taught courses in conflict resolution
at Harvard and Columbia Universities and conducts seminars in the US and abroad on dignity
leadership training and on the role dignity plays in resolving conflict. She consults to
governments, corporations, schools, churches, and non-governmental organizations. Her book,
Dignity: It’s Essential Role in Resolving Conflict, was published by Yale University Press in
2011. Her second book, Leading with Dignity: How to Create a Culture That Brings Out the
Best in People, was published by Yale University Press in August 2018.
Matthew E. Lee
Matthew E. Lee
Matthew E. Lee
Matthew T. Lee, Ph.D., is Professor of the Social Sciences and Humanities and Associate Director of the Institute for Global Human Flourishing at Baylor University. He is also Director of the Flourishing Network at the Human Flourishing Program in the Institute for Quantitative Social Science at Harvard University, where he is appointed
Matthew T. Lee, Ph.D., is Professor of the Social Sciences and Humanities and Associate Director of the Institute for Global Human Flourishing at Baylor University. He is also Director of the Flourishing Network at the Human Flourishing Program in the Institute for Quantitative Social Science at Harvard University, where he is appointed as a Research Associate. In addition, he is a member of the Global Flourishing Study research team, a Distinguished Visiting Scholar of Health, Flourishing, and Positive Psychology at Stony Brook University’s Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care, and Bioethics, and a Visiting Scholar at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. He also serves as a Senior Fellow at the Center for Humanistic Management at the Gabelli School of Business at Fordham University. His research focuses on flourishing, benevolent service, and leadership. His recent books include “Leadership for Flourishing” and “Measuring Well-Being” (both published by Oxford).
Hunter Lovins
Matthew E. Lee
Matthew E. Lee
Hunter Lovins, JD, is a preeminent environmentalist, author, and advocate for sustainable development. She co-founded the Rocky Mountain Institute and serves as president of Natural Capitalism Solutions, a nonprofit focused on creating practical and economically viable approaches to sustainability. With a background in sociology, politic
Hunter Lovins, JD, is a preeminent environmentalist, author, and advocate for sustainable development. She co-founded the Rocky Mountain Institute and serves as president of Natural Capitalism Solutions, a nonprofit focused on creating practical and economically viable approaches to sustainability. With a background in sociology, political science, and law, Lovins has spent over four decades advising governments, corporations, and communities on energy, climate, and environmental policy. Her work spans consulting for international organizations, Fortune 500 companies, and local initiatives worldwide.
An accomplished educator, she is a founding professor of Bard College's MBA program in sustainability and has taught at institutions globally. Lovins has authored several influential books, including Natural Capitalism and Climate Capitalism, which have shaped global dialogues on corporate environmental responsibility. She has received numerous accolades, including the Right Livelihood Award, the Lindbergh Award, and recognition from Time magazine as a Hero for the Planet.
Lovins is celebrated for combining visionary thinking with actionable strategies, emphasizing collaboration among citizens, businesses, and governments. She continues to lecture internationally, mentor emerging social entrepreneurs, and champion solutions that align ecological stewardship with economic prosperity, inspiring generations to pursue a sustainable and resilient global future.