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Organizational Governance, Ethics and Sustainability: The Essentials - Short Course

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Course timetable and cost:

The course will span over 2 weeks, taking place on following dates: Tuesday 2 September, Thursday 4 September, Tuesday 9 September and Thursday 11 September. Each session will be scheduled from 18:00 - 20:30, on-campus. Information on the in-person location for each session will be provided in due course. The full course cost is £400. 

We offer a 20% discount to those who are members of Birkbeck's alumni community. Please contact us if you are a member and wish to activate this discount. 

Course description:

On this Short Course, Organizational Governance, Ethics and Sustainability, we explore the complex and changing relationships between organizations, their stakeholders and the socio-economic environments within which they operate.

Indicative course content:

  • Session 1 - Introduction
    This session will introduce the presenters and provide an overview of the course. It will then locate organizational governance, ethics and sustainability in its socio-economic context at both the macroeconomic and microeconomic levels of analysis. Traditional measures of performance will be considered before turning attention to measures that take into account sustainability, soci-economic development and progress.
  • Session 2 - Environmental Sustainability 
    ESG (environmental, social, and governance) investing has gained popularity in recent years as more shareholders and institutional investors recognize that environmental and social issues may be financially significant for companies. Is ESG everywhere? This session will provide a clear background to this question. It will begin by discussing the ways by which different market participants influence companies’ ESG disclosure. Attention will then turn to the investment process and the ways investors incorporate ESG factors into their own investment decisions.
  • Session 3 - Governance, Ethics and the Law 
    In this session, we will consider the question of organizational governance and ethics: Is the Law in relation to governance ethical? To what extent and do organizations focus on the letter of the law or the spirit of the law? How do global organizations make ethical decisions? In the law governance has both mandatory and voluntary codes which often underpin the decision-making processes of organisations, making it difficult for organizations to bring questions of ethics into the debate. In this session, we will consider these issues in more detail.
  • Session 4 - Public Governance, Institutional Accountability and Sustainability
    In this session we discuss the impact of public governance in creating a more just and sustainable world. We will explore the crucial role of institutional accountability in shaping sustainable public governance and fostering trust. Through global case studies and key frameworks, we will examine how accountable institutions contribute to SDG 16 (Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions), promoting fair decision-making, and strengthening public confidence in governance.

Learning objectives:

On this short course, you will gain insight into:

  • Organizational governance, ethics and sustainability in the private, public and third sectors
  • Social, environmental and ethical responsibilities of organizations and how they implement, communicate, measure and address sustainability issues
  • The crucial role of government effectiveness in achieving sustainable development goals and how corruption weakens institutions, disrupts economies and widens inequalities

Why choose this course?

  • It addresses the social, environmental, political and moral aspects of organizations’ relationships with stakeholders and society and is ideal if you wish to engage critically with the policy aspects of organizational governance, ethics and sustainability.
  • The course explores international perspectives, recognizing the increasing globalization of organizations and finance and investigating the wide variety of cultures and governance systems within which organizations operate worldwide.
  • It is ideal if you wish to gain a better understanding of the regulation of private, public and third sector organizations, the management or trusteeship of pension and other investment funds or the field of organizational, social and environmental sustainability.
  • It benefits from the involvement of leading academics in the field.

Course lecturers:

Sue Konzelmann is Professor of Economics at Birkbeck, University of London. Her research interests include the political economics of austerity, corporate purpose, and the “variety” within liberal capitalism that became apparent in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. Recent work in this area explores the alternatives to austerity, including industrial strategy, social policy and financial reform, with the aim of informing theory and practice as well as policy. Most recently, she has been investigating the dynamic inter-relationship between liberal capitalism, austerity and fascism between the wars, and the lessons this might have for today. Sue is co-executive editor of the Cambridge Journal of Economics and Contributions to Political Economy, Research Associate of the Cambridge University Centre for Business Research, and a Council Member of the Progressive Economy Forum. Further information can be found at: https://www.bbk.ac.uk/our-staff/profile/8009369/sue-konzelmann. 

Ellen Pei-yi Yu is a Senior Lecturer at Birkbeck, University of London. Her research interests revolve around environmental finance and sustainable finance. Her publications have appeared in journals such as the Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Business Strategy and the Environment and International Review of Financial Analysis. She was invited to share her research results with managers and investment professionals, including those at the World Federation of Exchanges and the US Conference Board. . Further information can be found at: https://www.bbk.ac.uk/our-staff/profile/8740444/ellen-pei-yi-yu 

Luca Andriani is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) of Economics at Birkbeck Business School, founder Co-Director at the Centre for Political Economy and Institutional Studies, and founder Director of the Video Podcast 5-Minute. Luca is convenor and organiser of the international seminar series “Governance, Institutions and Sustainability” hosted by the Birkbeck Business School. Luca's research revolves around exploring the role of social norms, values, and trust on the governance of the state-citizens relationship. Furthermore, he delves into the cognitive aspects that influence individual attitudes towards corruption and tax evasion. His publications appear in several top field journals including the Cambridge Journal of Economics, Economic Systems, Kyklos, the Journal of Institutional Economics, Spatial Economic Analysis, the Journal of Economic Issues, Strategic Change, and the Review of Social Economy. Currently he is working on the role of government capacity and government effectiveness in sub-Saharan Africa and on the role of extreme shocks such as terroristic attacks on citizens’ tax compliance and trust in public institutions. Further information can be found at: https://www.bbk.ac.uk/our-staff/profile/8008798/luca-andriani 

Dr Arron Phillips is a Lecturer in Corporate Governance and Business Ethics at Birkbeck, University of London. Arron completed his Bachelor of Law at Middlesex University before joining the Law Department as an Academic Assistant. During this time, he completed his Masters in Employment Law, also at Middlesex University. After a short break from academia Arron undertook doctoral study at Greenwich University focusing on Whistleblowing: The Role of Trade Unions. During this time Arron joined Birkbeck where he is currently based in the Business School. His teaching focuses on three areas with significant interplay, Legal Perspectives on Governance, International Business Ethics and Employment Law. Alongside teaching Arron's research draws on these fields with a focus on whistleblowing. His interests focus on the role of agents in supporting the whistleblower and whistleblowing process. Arron has presented and published on whistleblowing and is co-editor of a two-volume book on whistleblowing expected to be released later this year. Further information can be found at: https://www.bbk.ac.uk/our-staff/profile/9177563/arron-phillips

 

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