Our events calendar is populated with a mixture of NIBE events or events from partner organisations and our wider network. All events profiled are connected to general business ethics or hone in on a contemporary ethical topic or concern. These events occur across the North East and are an opportunity to learn, reflect, debate, share best practice and most importantly, connect and network with others.
At NIBE, we guarantee a warm welcome and we look forward to meeting you at a future event.
The North East Initiative on Business Ethics (NIBE), is promoing ethical business across the North East. Working with the business community, the five regional universities and secondary-schools we are raising awareness and spreading the message about the benefits of ethical business practice.
Join us on this year’s Global Ethics Day to celebrate with leading North East companies to hear what they are doing to develop and promote ethical business.
The perils of speed: how could the slow movement help us treat ourselves and others better – Di Gates, Stick Theory
About the seminar
The Slow Movement is not about doing everything at a snail’s pace. It’s about seeking to do things at the right speed; doing things as well as possible, not as fast as possible. In this talk, I’ll outline the basics of The Slow Movement and invite the audience to consider how it could help us design our lives and businesses better, so that we focus more on our own human needs and those of people around us. I’ll share examples of the Slow Movement in practice, but the real focus will be on understanding the principles of slowing down, and how these could help us think differently and make more human-centred decisions about our own organisations.
About the speaker
Di has been running businesses and developing growth strategies for national and international clients for 20+years. From 2001 – 2009 she ran one of the North of England’s biggest creative agencies, growing the company to 20+ employees and £1.4 mil turnover, with a national reputation for social change campaigns. On exiting to an investor in 2009, she founded collaboration consultancy, Stick Theory, developing brand and commercial strategies for a range
of clients from ambitious investor-backed startups to global household consumer brands.
Companies have been on a steep learning curve in 2020 – from adapting to survive to re-imagining the workplace. Some have fared better, perhaps due to the sector they are in versus others, or by their approach. Management has been tested, just as have supply chains, all set against dealing with the complexity of Covid.
Philippa will lead an open discussion on these and other issues as an introduction to 3 breakout sessions to look at:
1. How will companies draw up the employment model of future without losing the corporate culture?
2. What is the role of investors in monitoring corporate culture?
3. The fragility of many supply chain models has been exposed, so what next?
Speaker: Philippa Foster Back CBE
Philippa began her career in Corporate Treasury and Finance, prior to her appointment as Director of the Institute of Business Ethics in 2001 from which she stepped down in April 2020.
In June 2020 she was appointed a Director of the Financial Markets Standards Board (FMSB Limited). Other current appointments include being a member of the BEIS/FRC Coalition Group looking at Corporate Governance in Large Unlisted Companies; a member of the Advisory Board of the D Group; a member of the PRCA Global Ethics Council; a member of the Finance Leasing Association (FLA) Stakeholder Advisory Panel; and Director of Barrier Biotech Ltd. Philippa is also Chairman of the UK Antarctic Place-names Committee
An event to officially launch NIBE’s Business Ethics Toolkit, aimed at businesses interested in ethical business
The event will be centred around a facilitated discussion on business ethics and how the toolkit can help
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Welcome to NIBE and the thinking behind the toolkit
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A view from business – Jim to facilitate?
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How the kit can be used online – Adam
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Supporting interested companies
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Close
Women, Migration and Labour Markets – Prof Mary Silles, Northumbria University
About the Seminar
Women with more children tend to have lower labour supply and earnings. Why is this? There are two broad explanations. One is a selection story: women with more children would work less even in the absence of their children. Another story is one of causation: childcare will make you a different type of employee, and children will lead to lower labour supply and earnings. Distinguishing between these scenarios is the objective of this study. Using the birth of twins this research carefully examines the impact of children on women’s labour force participation and earnings. The birth of twins is an important innovation to tackle problems that arise because fertility is largely a matter of choice for women in the United Kingdom. This research is interesting because it provides deep insights into women’s labour market behaviour following the transition into parenthood.
About the Speaker
Mary Silles is Professor of Economics and Head of the Economics Subject Group at Northumbria University. Before moving to Northumbria in 2020, she held previous appointments at the University of Hull, University of Chicago, the University of Copenhagen, the National University of Ireland, and the International Monetary Fund. In 2002, she received a doctorate in economics from the University of Oxford. She is a labour economist with an ongoing research programme in the economics of education. Her work in this field features some of the most advanced research in economics and has generated many important insights into practical questions in education. Her study of adopted children in the United States is the largest evaluation of adopted children’s educational success in the world.
Professor Silles say: “My research is a deep source of personal satisfaction, the greatest pleasure of my academic life is teaching. Over the years I have benefited greatly from rigorous discussions on important economic issues with many of my students. I am very proud of all my students many of whom have gone on to have successful careers in economics, finance and academia.”
Non-Executives in the dock – Tom Harrison, International Centre for Connected Construction
About the seminar
Public confidence in companies and organisations has been rocked by a slew of failings in management and oversight – Northern Rock Building Society – Oxfam – Carillion Construction – Durham County Cricket Club – North Cumbria NHS Trust and more – There is a need to understand in simple common sense terms why organisations run into problems and fail. The value of trust has risen and many especially those of the quietest, least influential and most dispensable stake their lives, livelihoods and security on the basis of reputation, experience and expertise. But who is really safeguarding their interests – What is the difference between management, regulation and governance – What do non-executive directors, trustees and governors do – How are they judged?
What are the core issues – What impact have these failures had on individuals and communities – What does good practice look like and where can it be found – Is there still a place for a moral compass in all of this?
About the Speaker
Tom is the current Chair of IC3 – International Centre for Connected Construction. He provides strategic advice to businesses in the private and voluntary sectors both in the UK and overseas. Including overview, reviewing operational performance, planning for growth and enhancing profitability and sharing best practice regarding organizational development, business processes and considering areas for improvement following mergers and acquisitions. Tom
was formerly the Chief Operating Officer of Turner & Townsend Plc, Global Construction Consultants and was one of the influencing forces behind its growth into a global business.
AI and Ethics – Dr Marta Rocchi and Dr Angus Robson Dublin City University; Northumbria University
TBA
Lessons from 30 years of ethical banking Patricia Alexander or Kerrey Baker Shared Interest
Detail TBC