Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant - Leadership

What Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant - Leadership does

The Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership is a nonprofit organization founded in 1964 by Robert K. Greenleaf, originally as The Center for Applied Ethics, to advance the awareness, understanding, and practice of servant leadership. It is headquartered at Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey, and operates with a small staff of approximately five people plus a Board of Trustees and Trustee Emeriti. The Center serves as the authoritative steward of Greenleaf's intellectual legacy, including his seminal 1970 essay "The Servant as Leader," and offers a portfolio of educational programs through the Greenleaf Academy, organizational consulting via the Outside Engagements Portfolio, a monthly Coffee With Webinar Series, an academic Scholars Program, and the Next Generation Initiative for students. It also convenes an annual Servant Leader Hall of Fame ceremony and an annual Public Policy Lecture.

The Center's product portfolio is built around servant leadership philosophy and curriculum rather than technology, comprising the $465 Foundations of Servant Leadership virtual course (delivered via Microsoft Teams), an e-commerce publication catalog ($4.99-$30 per item), tailor-priced organizational workshops, and $2,500 annual awards to Greenleaf Scholars. Customer segments span organizations (Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, Johnson & Johnson, MetroPower, PSEG, City of Newark), academic scholars, working professionals, and pre-college students. No proprietary technology platform, AI/ML capabilities, or app-based delivery are documented; the Center's infrastructure relies on standard webinar and e-commerce tooling rather than custom software.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit funding structure combining earned revenue (course tuition, publication sales, Hall of Fame sponsorships and tickets), philanthropic support (donations with corporate matching programs), and institutional backing through Seton Hall University. The Center reaches customers through a community-led and event-driven go-to-market motion: monthly webinars, annual awards ceremonies, multi-channel content marketing across web and social, and direct organizational sales for consulting engagements. Notable organizational customers span behavioral health, healthcare, education, government, and consumer goods sectors, with documented training outcomes including 6,500+ employees trained at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health.

Name

Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant - Leadership

Legal name

Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership

Website

https://greenleaf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership is a 1964-founded nonprofit that advances servant leadership philosophy through courses, publications, academic scholarships, organizational consulting, and annual recognition events, serving professionals, organizations, scholars, and students globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leadership Development & Nonprofit Education

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Civic Education & Community Engagement (Voting, Local Government) (EDAAAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Center Education Programs (EDAAAFAB)

Keywords

• Servant leadership training
• Leadership development programs
• Nonprofit education services
• Organizational consulting workshops
• Leadership philosophy research

Headquarters

HQ city

South Orange

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Educational Program Fees: The Center generates revenue through tuition fees for the Greenleaf Academy's Foundations of Servant Leadership course ($465 per participant) and fees for tailored organizational consultations and workshops through the Outside Engagements Portfolio.
2. Publications and Bookstore: Sale of Robert K. Greenleaf's original essays and writings including The Servant as Leader, The Institution as Servant, and Trustees as Servants, along with supplementary materials such as the Voices Series and contemporary servant leadership works.
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The nonprofit accepts donations to support its mission of advancing awareness, understanding, and practice of servant leadership. Corporate matching programs are also available.
4. Hall of Fame Sponsorships and Tickets: Revenue generated from event sponsorships, advertisement purchases, and ticket sales for the annual Servant Leader Hall of Fame ceremony.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership is a nonprofit organization that sells education, publications, and consulting services around the servant leadership philosophy originated by Robert K. Greenleaf. Its core offerings include the Foundations of Servant Leadership virtual course, the Outside Engagements Portfolio of tailored organizational workshops, the Greenleaf Scholars Program, the Coffee With Webinar Series, the Next Generation Initiative for students, and Robert K. Greenleaf's original essays and supplementary publications.

Product overview

The Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of educational products and programs centered on servant leadership philosophy. Its core offerings include educational courses (Foundations of Servant Leadership), publications (The Servant as Leader, The Institution as Servant, Trustees as Servants, and the Voices Series), webinar programming (Coffee With Webinar Series), academic support (Greenleaf Scholars Program), youth development (Next Generation Initiative), organizational consulting (Outside Engagements Portfolio), public policy engagement (Public Policy Lecture), and recognition (Hall of Fame). The Center operates Greenleaf Academy as its primary educational platform, with programs administered through Seton Hall University.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Greenleaf Academy: An online learning platform offering courses on servant leadership principles and practices, including the 'Foundations of Servant Leadership' course.
• Greenleaf Scholars Program
• Coffee With Webinar Series
• Next Generation Initiative (NGI)
• Robert K. Greenleaf Public Policy Lecture
• Hall of Fame

Products and services

• The Servant as Leader Robert K. Greenleaf's seminal essay that coined the phrase 'servant-leader' and launched the modern Servant Leadership movement, describing characteristics and activities of servant-leaders including listening, foresight, and persuasion. Sold for $11.99 physical, $4.99 digital.
• The Institution as Servant Robert K. Greenleaf's second major essay articulating what is often called the 'credo,' challenging conventional wisdom about hierarchical organizational structures and arguing for a 'first among equals' model. Sold for $11.99 physical copy.
• Foundations of Servant Leadership A virtual course experience providing professionals with the fundamentals of servant leadership practices. Participants attend four weekly 1.5-hour sessions via Microsoft Teams, submit a 5-8 page reflection paper, and complete four group discussions. Tuition is $465.00 and includes a certificate upon completion.
• Outside Engagements Portfolio Tailored and private consultations for companies and organizations seeking to develop servant-minded leaders. The consulting process shapes culture through four core categories: Robert Greenleaf Legacy, Characteristics & Behaviors of Servant Leaders, Exemplars, and Sustaining the Servant First Ethos. Delivered on-site or virtually for organizations.
• Next Generation Initiative An experiential learning opportunity designed to immerse high school and college students in servant leadership concepts, emphasizing characteristics and practices for creating a more just and caring society. Delivered through partnerships with educational institutions including Seton Hall University's Upward Bound Program.
• Servant Leader Hall of Fame An annual awards program recognizing individuals and organizations demonstrating longstanding commitment to placing well-being of others first, resulting in measurable impact on individuals, communities, organizations, and society. Includes annual ceremony since 2022, with sponsorship and ticket revenue.
• Robert K. Greenleaf Public Policy Lecture An annual lecture convening thought leaders and issue experts to assess societal challenges through the lens of Robert Greenleaf's credo of building a more just and caring society, examining policy alternatives for marginalized communities.
• Publications and Books An extensive catalog of publications covering servant leadership including essays, books, eBooks, and the Voices Series. Products include 'Trustees as Servants', 'The Contemporary Servant as Leader', 'The Wisdom of Servant Leadership', and more. Prices range from $4.99 to $30.00.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 6,500 employees trained through organizational servant leadership programs at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Starbucks Green Apron Alliance Alumni NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 May 2024A network of former Starbucks company executives, managers, and employees (formerly known as Green Apron Alliance) partnered with the Center for servant leadership collaboration. Howard Behar, former President of Starbucks International and Hall of Fame honoree, connects this partnership.
• MetroPowercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetroPower, a prominent southeast regional electrical and mechanical contracting company, partnered with the Greenleaf Center for a leadership dialogue workshop focusing on servant leader practices. The session explored realities of compassionate leadership prioritizing employee and customer needs.
• LaGrange CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaGrange College hosts The Wilkinson Family Servant Scholars program, a premier leadership program. The Greenleaf team visited campus to engage Scholars on incorporating servant leadership principles in workplace and community settings.
• Seton Hall University (Upward Bound Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Seton Hall University's Upward Bound Program to bring servant leadership philosophy to high school students in a college classroom setting. Students learn principles and practices over a four-week period with servant leader exemplars as guest presenters.
• Felician Sisters of North AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Center conducted an in-person workshop for 35 young ladies at the Seeds of Hope annual summer youth leadership retreat in Holly, Michigan. Participants were drawn from states throughout the nation, Canada, and Mexico.
• Seton Hall UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Greenleaf Scholars Program is administered through Seton Hall University. The university hosts the Center's headquarters and provides administrative support, academic connections, and institutional infrastructure.
• Kenyan CabinetminorOthersExecutive Director Reginald Lewis and Project Manager Gabrielle Kuper hosted Kenyan Secretary to the Cabinet, Mercy Wanjau, presenting tokens of appreciation including copies of Robert K. Greenleaf's original essays.
• University of Illinois at ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple Greenleaf Scholars are affiliated with UIC's College of Business Administration, including Jihye Han (PhD candidate), Yue Wang (PhD candidate), and Dr. Joseph Kim (Assistant Professor). Dr. Robert Liden serves as Professor and Associate Dean on the Board of Trustees.
• PSEGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRichard T. Thigpen, Esq., Senior Vice President of Corporate Citizenship at PSEG, was inducted into the Hall of Fame 2025, representing servant leadership practice within the organization.
• Johnson & Johnson Global ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPaola Castro from Johnson & Johnson Global Services provided testimonial about the servant leadership training experience, noting how sessions on listening, empathy, and consensus-building made a difference in understanding being a leader who serves.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• National Urban Fellows: A nonprofit leadership development organization offering fellowships and training to emerging leaders in public service and civic sectors. Comparable to Greenleaf in operating a Scholars-like program for leadership development, but focused on public-sector leadership pipelines.
• The Ken Blanchard Companies' Lead Like Jesus (or similar faith-rooted leadership orgs): Smaller mission-driven leadership training organizations offering philosophy-based programs to faith-based and nonprofit audiences. Comparable to Greenleaf as a niche, values-driven leadership training provider but with a smaller footprint and different philosophical anchor.
• Larry C. Spears Center for Servant Leadership (or Spears-related orgs): Other servant-leadership-focused organizations and academic centers (e.g., Spears' servant leadership writings and affiliated centers at various universities). Direct philosophical competitors that propagate servant leadership through their own training and publishing channels.

Direct peers

• Points of Light: A nonprofit focused on civic engagement, volunteerism, and service leadership, offering programs, recognition (Presidential Honor Roll legacy), and corporate volunteering consulting. Comparable to Greenleaf as a mission-driven nonprofit promoting a service-oriented leadership philosophy and recognizing exemplar leaders/organizations.
• Ken Blanchard Companies: A leadership training and consulting company built around a named founder's management philosophy (situational leadership), analogous to how Greenleaf built an organization around Robert K. Greenleaf's servant leadership philosophy. Both sell books, courses, and organizational consulting anchored in a specific leadership framework.
• Toastmasters International: A nonprofit educational organization that builds leadership and communication skills through a global member-based learning network. Comparable to Greenleaf as a nonprofit whose mission is leadership/communication skill development, sustained by membership, donations, and educational programming rather than commercial sales.
• Center for Creative Leadership: A nonprofit research and education organization focused on leadership development across sectors. Comparable to Greenleaf in being a mission-driven, education-oriented leadership organization offering training programs, research, and assessment tools to organizations seeking leadership culture change.
• Dale Carnegie & Associates: A long-established leadership and professional development training organization offering courses, organizational consulting, and published materials. Comparable to Greenleaf in combining tuition-based individual training with tailored organizational engagements and a content/publishing business.

Broad incumbents

• Development Dimensions International (DDI): A global leadership development firm providing assessment, training, and consulting to enterprises. Comparable to Greenleaf in selling leadership training and culture-change consulting to large organizations, but operates at enterprise scale across many industries without specializing in a single philosophical framework.
• FranklinCovey: A large, established leadership and organizational performance firm offering enterprise training, content, and consulting built around proprietary frameworks. Comparable to Greenleaf in selling philosophy-based leadership training to organizations, but operates at much larger scale across multiple frameworks rather than specializing in one.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/greenleafcenter
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@greenleafcenter1964
• Facebookfacebook.com/GreenleafCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/greenleaf-center-for-servant-leadership
• Instagraminstagram.com/greenleafcenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant - Leadership