Burnsville, Minnesota - April 24, 2012 - On April 17, the
Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) along
with the University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business convened
the first-ever Business Ethics Summit. The Summit, part of the
BBB's year-long Centennial Celebration, was an all-day event in
downtown Minneapolis which brought together more than 100 business
owners, ethics officers from leading firms, academics and students
for an interactive dialogue on the importance of ethics in the
marketplace. It was moderated by KSTP's Tom Hauser.
"We expected that this event and the discussions it generated would
prove fruitful," said Dana Badgerow, President and CEO of the BBB.
"It did more than that, exceeding even our high expectations. With
panelists this accomplished, skillful moderators and the broad
range of age groups involved, all of the ingredients were there for
a truly special day."
The event kicked off with the announcement
of the winners of the Ethics: Uploaded student video
contest. The contest, which was open to all high school and college
students in Minnesota and North Dakota, asked young people to
consider how the decisions they make each day impact their lives,
as well as their futures.
Christopher Puto, Dean of the Opus College of Business, officially
opened the Summit by saying, "The purpose of business is to be a
good business. The reward for being a good business is profit."
Afterwards, during a lively and thought-provoking Business Ethics
Panel discussion, Dr. Christopher Michaelson, a professor at the
University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business, said he asks his
business students, "Who are you at your core?" and then encourages
them to bring that into their work. General Mills' Senior Manager
of Ethics and Compliance, Chris Collin, later added, "Business
decisions need to be based on objectivity, fairness and
trust."
The afternoon breakout sessions - Building a Culture of
Ethics and The Ethics of Social Media - offered a
broad range of experienced panelists and presenters touching on
real-life ethical dilemmas businesses have faced and discussed
well-publicized examples where companies had failed to remain true
to their stated values. Ron James, CEO of the center for Ethical
Business Cultures, encouraged businesses to make sure their actions
followed their values, and cautioned them against getting fixated
on short-term objectives at the cost of their long-range plans. Amy
Lilly, Director of Ethics and Compliance for CenterPoint Energy,
reminded business owners and students alike that organizations have
to rely on their values to guide employees in the decisions they
make.
The spirited discussions focused mostly on the positive and spoke
to the importance, for both businesses and individuals, of making
ethics a frontline priority and everyday concern.
Panelists and presenters included: Christopher Puto, Dean of the
University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business; Paul Blom, Right
At Home; Tim Brunelle, Hello Viking; Chris Collin, General Mills;
Gina Debogovich, Best Buy; Bryan Del Monte, Del Monte Agency;
Kathleen Edmond, Best Buy; Dr. Ron James, Center for Ethical
Business Cultures; Amy Lilly, CenterPoint Energy; Dr. Christopher
Michaelson, University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business; Dr.
Michael Porter, University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business;
Jeff Taxdahl, ThreadLogic; and Kathy Tunheim, Tunheim.
"We're planning to make both the Business Ethics Summit and
Ethics: Uploaded annual events," said Badgerow. "As so
many of our accomplished panelists noted at the Summit, ethics must
constantly be reinforced. When they're not, that's when problems
can so easily occur."
The Business Ethics Summit was supported by the BBB's Centennial
sponsors: Best Buy, CenterPoint Energy, Think Mutual Bank, Del
Monte Agency, K102, KOOL 108, KFAN, NewsTalk Radio, Business
Journal, Pioneer Press, Prairie Business, Gray Plant Mooty, ABRA
and Financial Concepts.
About the Better Business Bureau
The mission of the Better Business Bureau is to be the leader in
building marketplace trust by promoting, through self-regulation,
the highest standards of business ethics and conduct, and to
instill confidence in responsible businesses through programs of
education and action that inform, assist and protect the general
public. Our hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through
Friday. Contact the BBB at bbb.org
or 651-699-1111, toll-free at 1-800-646-6222. Visit the BBB's
Centennial website at bbbis100.org.
About the University of St. Thomas Opus College of
Business
With a vision to educate highly principled global business leaders,
the University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business is the only
private university in Minnesota accredited by the AACSB. It offers
undergraduate concentrations in 13 fields and master's degrees in
seven programs, including day and evening MBA programs. The school
enrolls another 4,300 participants annually in executive-education
classes.
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