Paul M. Minus
President
Council for Ethics in Economics

David C. Smith
Executive Vice President
Council for Ethics in Economics

After this first conference, participants felt that they had only scratched the surface of the weighty issue of global business ethics, and so the learning and study continued. Teams formed in Oslo, San Francisco, London, Prague, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, ad Columbus to continue the study. Other interested individuals and organizations are also working with us, so that the Council has become the hub of an international network of individuals and organizations concerned about business ethics. Business is the primary focus of our search for a global ethic, but some individuals with academic and religious backgrounds are also joining in.

There are several important facts that drive this second conference effort:

• The increased globalization of business
• The increasing concern of consumers around the world that business is not addressing the ills of the human family. Consumers expect business to address issues such as homelessness, aging, and the environment. Thus the "business of business" is becoming tied to the larger problems of society. This begs the question: How far can and should business go in addressing these concerns?
• The decrease in governmental control and regulation of business. An extreme example is the privatization of the former Soviet states, but change is also occurring in Western countries. What will business do with this new opportunity for self regulation?

These facts converge to raise several questions: What will be the rules of the game for the global business enterprise as we move into 21st Century? How will business conduct itself, given the above developments? What can we do--constructively, creatively, proactively--in the remaining years of 20th Century to build the ethics of business in a global economy?

Many people from around the world are looking to the Council for help in answering these questions. The conference itself will have an expected attendance of 300 people. These will be mostly business executives with a small contingent of academic ethicists and religious leaders. The Council will extend conference invitations to individuals from nearly 100 countries. Conference leaders will include Stanley Gault, Chairman and CEO of The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company; Earnest Deavenport, Chairman and CEO of Eastman Chemical; and Ryuzaburo Kaku, Chairman of Canon, Inc. Daniel Schorr, Senior News Analyst for National Public Radio, will act as moderator.

The Council has received financial support from over 12 corporations, such as DuPont, United Technologies, Nationwide Insurance, and Honda. Thanks to this generous support, the registration costs for participants are expected to be lower than in 1992, making it accessible to more people. This second conference will make more use of small group study, devoting the entire second day to this work. Case studies on key business ethics issues are being developed by the international teams, and will allow the participants in the small groups to discover the underlying commonalities in how we deal with ethics in business. Their work will "map the business world inductively." These case studies will discuss issues such as: Levi Strauss’ decision to pull out of China; the privatization of a formerly state controlled Czech chemical company; chemical manufacturers working together with the inhabitants of a community dominated by several large chemical plants; and an Argentinean case dealing with bribery.

Dialogue will allow participants to talk with experts on issues tied to the overall the theme of conference.

A group of ethicists, acting as rapporteurs, will listen in on small groups sessions. Another listening group will meet througout conference to determine general tone of the discussions. Each will report their findings to participants during the last conference session, and suggest what may be the repercussions of the conference work for the future.

A new event this year is the CEO Forum, sponsored by Price Waterhouse. The Forum brings together a select group of business leaders from around the world. During the sessions, they will decide on ways that the Council and their organizations can continue to work together on key conference issues in years to come.

Overall , the conference will explore four themes: (1) developing a corporate framework for understanding and managing ethical business practice, (2) formulating and implementing an environmental ethic for corporations, (3) developing the "culture of responsibility" necessary for the success of Central and Eastern European market economics, and (4) facilitating understanding between Japanese and U.S. executives on the multiple ethical responsibilities of business.

Other events will include a reception and banquet in Ohio State House Atrium. During this reception, The Governor of the State of Ohio, George V. Voinovich, will give his thoughts on business ethics in a global economy. We will also reprise a program begun at the first conference: attendees will once again be invited into homes of local families for dinner and socializing.

The Council expects several products to come out of the conference, including a collection of case studies for educational use and videotapes of key conference sessions.

Council for Ethics in Economics
125 East Broad Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215-3605 U.S.A.
(614) 221-8661
FAX: (614) 221-8707

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