Sister Laura Baritz, affectionally known as ‘Sister Pepsi’, is a Dominican nun who left a leading position with global food and beverages company PepsiCo to embrace religion.

She now teaches the Christian Social Principles in Economics (KETEG) course which she co-founded at Corvinus University of Budapest in Hungary. The course uses the Church’s Social Teaching (CST) principles to inject a “more logical, more human-centred and more viable” approach to economics, according to Sister Laura.

Sister Laura explains that Christian Social Teaching envisions an economic order built on moral principles, human dignity, cooperation, solidarity, subsidiarity, justice and the common good—where profit serves as a means to create value rather than the ultimate goal.

“This way of thinking attracted me, giving more meaning to economics than I had before,” she tells QS Insights Magazine.

Teachings from the Convent

Sister Laura's course exemplifies the growing trend of integrating spirituality into business education. A 2024 study published in the Journal of Business Ethics by Soledad Moya, a senior lecturer at Spain’s ESADE, and Nuria Toledano, an Associate Professor at University of Huelva also in Spain, reviewed literature from 1996 to 2023 to explore how religion and spirituality have been integrated into business, management and entrepreneurship (BME) education.

Analysing 51 articles, they found that incorporating religious and spiritual wisdom can enrich discussions in BME courses, especially in the context of business ethics. Similarly, religious teachings can emphasise principles such as integrity, responsibility and compassion, helping to shape more socially responsible leaders.

While the consideration of religion and spirituality in BME education has become part of educational practices in some universities and business schools, the researchers note that as a field of research, it is still at an emerging stage.

“For some,” write the researchers, “there is no doubt that religion and spirituality have a space in a more humanistic BME formation. For others, however, this issue remains controversial, especially in multi-faith environments in which BME education is provided, such as most public universities in the West”.

The researchers attribute this scepticism to institutional and ideological barriers – business education often prioritises rationality and profit maximisation at the expense of religious principles.

For Sister Laura, however, these barriers are simply challenges to overcome. She views her course as a way to offer students a broader and more meaningful approach to economics—one that aligns with the deeper moral dimensions of human behaviour.

“The principles we teach on courses can be acceptable for atheists or non-believers because they speak of the social, economic, political life of the human community that is more sustainable than the one today,” says Sister Laura.

In her teaching, Sister Laura offers students a grounding in theology to help them better understand the spiritual side of economics. She discusses values, virtues, ethical issues and moral principles, often debating the meaning and notion of ‘good’, and philosophical ideas. Her aim is to teach CST-based economics on a human level, integrating the spiritual principles into business education that are relevant to all students, whether they are religious or non-religious.

Speaking about religious principles implicitly is one way to overcome scepticism, Sister Laura reveals. She finds profit is a good tool to speak about economics in relation to CST. “For example, cooperation brings more fruit than dog-eat-dog competition,” she says.

Philosophy, too, is often referenced in the KETEG course. “Sometimes philosophical groundings precede theological ones and give preliminary impulse to theology,” she reveals, naming Aristotle as a non-religious philosopher whose beliefs helped to ground religious principles.

In some occasions, however, ‘God’ and ‘Christ’ must be talked about. “On these occasions, I begin with ‘According to the Christian teaching’ showing that I do not expect it from the audience that they must think the same way,” Sister Laura explains.

The KETEG course has been well received by the students at Corvinus University. According to Sister Laura, students have been open and engaged, asking logical and profound questions. “The level of ethics brings them rather to a common understanding, but to speak about moral theology is interesting to them too,” she notes.

“I read and hear that there is a renewal of spirituality in economics, not only Catholic, but many other religions as well,” says Sister Laura. “CST has an upward tendency as many CST economists are listened to in the public and are influential people.”

Understanding spirituality in a business context

There are many ways spirituality can be defined, particularly when it’s applied in a business context. Professor Himanshu Rai, Director at IIM Indore in India, defines spirituality as “the development of one’s conscience through understanding one’s own self, one’s purpose in life, and one’s relation with the universe around oneself, and by extension one’s obligations”.

In a business context, this means integrating the principles of mind, body and soul into leadership and organisational practices, he explains. It’s about focusing on inner balance, ethical decision-making, and having a sense of purpose – for self, for the team, and for the organisation as a whole.

At IIM Indore, spirituality is practiced inside and outside the classroom. The institute goes beyond traditional management education by offering courses on yoga, well-being and stress management, teaching students how to stay grounded and make thoughtful decisions, even in high-pressure environments.

The campus also provides spaces and gardens that encourage reflection and introspection. These serene environments encourage students to pause and connect with themselves amidst rigorous academic schedules, Professor Rai explains.

“This holistic approach ensures that IIM Indore graduates and programme participants are prepared to lead with clarity, empathy, and a sense of purpose, no matter where they come from or where they go,” he reveals.

In the classroom, inclusivity is encouraged and celebrated. Academics create open discussions, fostering a respectful environment where students can explore spirituality in their own way, finding meaning and application that resonate with their unique perspectives.

Spirituality must be framed as a universal concept focused on self-awareness and growth, not tied to specific beliefs, says Prof Rai. It’s a philosophy for life, and the elements of spirituality should complement academic rigor. Integrating spirituality with leadership training highlights its relevance in real-world decision-making, fostering purpose-driven leaders.

“By weaving these elements into the curriculum, business schools can create holistic learning experiences that prepare students for the complexities of modern leadership,” he says.