Get the latest delivered to your inbox
Privacy Policy

Now Reading

Corporate Power, Purpose, Personality and Performance to be Addressed at Conference on June 1-2 in London

Corporate Power, Purpose, Personality and Performance to be Addressed at Conference on June 1-2 in London

Published 04-15-05

Submitted by Reuters Events Sustainable Business

LONDON, April 14 2005 - Leading thinkers on the role of business in modern society will gather in London for Ethical Corporation's annual conference on June 1-2.

The conference promises not to be all the usual suspects on show at most CSR conferences.

The theme for the event, now in its fourth year, and which is Europe's largest conference for senior corporate responsibility strategy managers and practitioners, is focused around core issues faced by large companies.

The full conference programme can be viewed at: www.ethicalcorp.com/europe2005.

On the theme of "Power" leading thinker John Kay will begin the event by discussing the correct role of companies' in lobbying governments.

Following this will be a top level discussion on the subject of how large a business can be before it becomes anti-competitive, and breakout sessions on fundamental issues such as water rights, fair trade, tax avoidance and supermarket supplier relations.

Under the theme of "Purpose", the conference will tackle issues such as the "business case" for corporate responsibility and looks at what happens when there's no money in doing the right thing? And asks "can the business case survive?"

Later in this session, Professor Mary Kaldor, Director of the Global Civil Society programme at the London School of Economics will address the issue of 'what else pushes business to act if not the business case?' and 'What is civil society, and how is it changing?'

In breakout groups under the same theme other vital issues will be debated, such as: 'Mainstreaming social and environmental risks in investment decisions', 'Emissions trading - a success in pricing-in external costs?', 'Pricing-in irreplaceable beauty and cultural pollution: the case of mass tourism', and 'Corruption and conflict: reassessing the business case for responsibility in weak governance zones'.

The second day of the conference will focus on both corporate "Personality" and "Performance".

Under these headings, the conference will debate the questions of 'what kind of corporate personality does the legal environment create?', and look at 'Middle aged men in black: women and the responsible company board'.

Following this are breakouts on internal ethics engagement and communication, implementing the Davos commitment on corruption, NGO engagement and advancing ethics in the business school curriculum.

Finally, under the heading of "Performance" the conference will cover issues like: 'Cracks in the credo - building culture that adapts and lasts' and features breakout sessions on:

'Aligning incentives with corporate virtue, from the board to the basement', 'Measuring the unmeasureable: how might the media sector measure their "Brain print"?', Crisis management, and how firms are preparing for the new UK Operating and Financial Review requirements in reporting.

Some of the speakers for the conference so far include:

  • John Kay, Economist, Author: "The Truth About Markets" and Financial Times Columnist

  • George Washington University Law School, Professor of Law, Lawrence Mitchell, Author: Corporate Irresponsibility, America's Newest Export

  • London School of Economics and Political Science, Director of the Global Civil Society programme, Professor Mary Kaldor

  • ABN Amro, Senior Vice President, Stakeholder Engagement & Business Development, Vincent van Assem

  • Adnams, Chairman, Simon Loftus

  • The Guardian, Executive Editor, Jo Confino

  • Microsoft, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, Elena Bonfiglioli

  • Chubb and Son Inc., Senior Vice President and Managing Director, World-Wide Operations, Donna Griffin

  • Citigroup, Director of Community Affairs EMEA, Una Gallagher

  • International Herald-Tribune, Global Economics Correspondent, Economics Columnist, The New York Times, Daniel Altman, Ph.D.

  • The Hewlett-Packard Company, Director of Diversity & Inclusion - EMEA, Josefine van Zanten

  • Transparency International, Member of the Board, Jermyn Brooks

  • BSkyB, Group Head of Internal Communications, Hamish Haynes

  • Achilles Group ltd, Chief Executive Officer, Colin Maund

  • TNT Express, Director, Corporate Sustainability, Bob Allen-Turl

  • Cafe Direct, Chief Executive Officer, Penny Newman

  • Boots plc, Head of CSR, Richard Ellis

  • Statoil, Country Analysis, Social Responsibility, Michael Price

  • The BBC, Head of CSR, Michael Hastings

  • First Choice plc, Manager, Substantive Tourism, Jane Ashton

  • British Gas plc, Corporate Responsibility Manager, Diana Montgomery

  • George Washington University, Professor of Strategic Management and Public Policy, Senior Associate Dean, Jeff Lenn

  • Morley Fund Management, Head of SRI, Clare Brook

  • European Commission, Deputy Head of Unit for Social Dialogue, Directorate General for Employment and Social Affairs, Dominique Bé

  • US Council on Foreign Relations, Senior Fellow, Business and Foreign Policy, and former senior vice president of Global Affairs, Gap Inc, Elliot Schrage

  • Fairtrade Foundation, Deputy Director, Ian Bretman

  • Insight Investment, Head, Investor Responsibility, Craig Mackenzie

  • Forum for the Future, Director of the Business Programme, Dr Sally Uren

  • 10 Downing St. Senior Policy Advisor, Vicky Bakhshi

    The full list of confirmed speakers is available at: www.ethicalcorp.com/europe2005/speakers.shtml.

    For information on how the register visit: www.ethicalcorp.com/europe2005 or call +44 (0) 207 375 7561.

  • Reuters Events logo

    Reuters Events Sustainable Business

    Reuters Events Sustainable Business

    Reuters Events Sustainable Business has a mission to help businesses around the globe do the right thing by their customers and the world. We believe this is not only how to guarantee a future for all, but makes good business sense. We serve CSR, compliance, risk and governance communities with topical and insightful business intelligence and meeting places.

    We provide business intelligence to more than 3,000 multinational companies every year. Our customers are also NGOs, think-tanks, academia, governments and consultancies. We publish the leading responsible business magazine, website, and research reports. Our conferences are widely recognised as the best in the field.

    More from Reuters Events Sustainable Business

    Join today and get the latest delivered to your inbox