Ethics series kicks off with climate change discussion

In the post-Enron age, the topic of business ethics often is considered in a narrow sense as an antidote to corporate malfeasance. But in today’s complicated business environment, ethics includes a broad range of topics far more encompassing than avoiding wrongdoing, such as climate change, work-life balance and social responsibility.

The Berges Lecture Series in Business Ethics will explore these issues, beginning on Sept. 9 with a panel discussion about climate change from a business perspective. The annual fall lecture series, hosted by the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame, features senior executives speaking about their experiences with the ethical dimensions of business. Lectures are held at 7 p.m. and are free and open to the public.

During the panel discussion, experts will raise questions about implications of climate change for businesses, such as the economics of carbon exchange markets and the ethics of marketing based on sustainability efforts. Panel participants include Mark McCready, professor and chair of chemical and biomolecular engineering; Patrick E. Murphy, marketing professor and co-director of the Institute for Ethical Business Worldwide; and Gerard Pannekoek, management professional specialist and former chief executive officer of the Chicago Climate Exchange.

The complete schedule for the 2008 Berges series is:
Sept. 9: Panel discussion, “Climate Change: Technical, Business and Ethical Implications,” Edward J. DeBartolo Hall, Room 141
Sept. 15: Robert Nyhuis, senior program manager for Herman Miller, “Values and Decision Making,” Mendoza College of Business Jordan Auditorium
Oct. 2: Cathie Black, president of Hearst Magazines and author of “Basic Black: The Essential Guide for Getting Ahead at Work (and in Life),” Mendoza College of Business Jordan Auditorium
Nov. 11: Joe Loughrey, president and chief operating officer of Cummins Inc., “Ethical Leadership in Business,” Edward J. DeBartolo Hall, Room 141

The Berges Lecture Series, sponsored by the John A. Berges Endowment, is presented by the Center for Ethics and Religious Values in Business and Institute for Ethical Business Worldwide. For more information, visit www.nd.edu/~cba/BergesLectureSeries or contact Patrick E. Murphy at (574) 631-9092 or Patrick.E.Murphy.72@nd.edu.

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