There was no shortage of responsible business issues in the news during 2018 and the Dhillon Centre for Business Ethics at UBC Sauder had opportunities to share its expertise and insights on topics as diverse as ethical investing, pro-social consumer behaviour, the implications of the #metoo movement for business, and obligations of companies to stakeholders.
In February, the Centre’s Executive Director Christie Stephenson authored an opinion piece in the Globe and Mail entitled “How women and millennials will redefine ethical investing”. That month Carol Liao, the Dhillon Centre’s UBC Sauder Distinguished Scholar, was quoted in a Financial Post article “How Bell Let’s Talk Became a Triple Win for BCE, Consumers, and the Mental Health Cause”.
In March, Liao authored a Globe and Mail opinion piece entitled “Why We #PressforProgress in Corporate Boardrooms” and Stephenson was quoted in “A New Age of Impact Investing: Why IROs Should Take Shareholder Activism and Engagement to Heart” in the Canadian Investor Relations Institute’s trade publication IR Leader.
In April, Stephenson was quoted in a Business in Vancouver article “Rise of risks shaking up business world in B.C. and beyond” and the following month her comments were featured in CBC Radio World Report news coverage of Kinder Morgan Shareholders’ meeting.
UBC Sauder Professor Katherine White became the Centre’s Academic Director in June and was quoted in the Sustainable Brands article “Frameworks to SHIFT Behavior, Create Maps for Product Marketing”. That month, Liao was featured in “Can Legal Theory Help Women in the Boardroom?” in Global Network Perspectives Magazine and Stephenson quoted in the CBC article “Report urges B.C.'s public sector pension funds to divest from fossil fuels”.
In July, Stephenson’s comments were included in a Star article “Seniors’ groups say Greyhound should operate out of ‘goodwill’” and in September, she was quoted in another Star article “As Trans Mountain sits in limbo, will more people divest from fossil fuels?”.
In October, Liao authored a Globe and Mail opinion piece “B.C. MLAs should recognize ‘benefit corporation’ is an American branding exercise” and Stephenson was quoted in the story “Companies struggle with Saudi question amid growing international condemnation” in the Globe and Mail.
The year wrapped up with Stephenson being quoted in print and on-air in the month of November. Her views appeared in “Advocates demand Canada Pension Plan stop investing in prison operators that detain migrants” in the Star, she was quoted on-air for CBC Radio news story about the circular economy, as well as in the CBC article “Ikea, Eileen Fisher make business case for reduced waste”.
According to Stephenson, “One of the pillars of the Dhillon Centre is outreach and engagement with the business community and public to advance discussion related to business ethics and values. The year, we’ve had tremendous opportunity to raise the profile of responsible business through the media. It’s encouraging that the business press has continued to address these issues in the public domain and we’ve been happy to contribute”.
