U.N. secretary-general invites Father Williams to leadership summit

Rev. Oliver Williams, C.S.C., a business ethics expert at the University of Notre Dame, has been invited by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to participate in the 2007 Global Compact Leaders Summit from July 5 to 6 (Thursday to Friday) in Geneva, Switzerland.

The director of Notre Dame’s Center for Ethics and Religious Values in Business, Father Williams was invited as a member of the four-person board of directors of the Foundation for the Global Compact. Established last year, the foundation helps fund the work of the U.N. Global Compact, an initiative that challenges international business leaders to adhere to 10 principles related to human rights, labor rights, corporate corruption and concern for the environment.

The theme for this year’s Global Compact Leaders Summit is “Facing Realities: Getting Down to Business.” Chaired by Ban, the conference will address specific issues and solutions related to the compact’s principles to ensure that globalization delivers the widest possible benefits to all. It is open by invitation only to chief executives, corporate officers, board members and others, such as Father Williams, associated with the U.N. effort.

An associate professor of management, Father Williams specializes in understanding how the ethics of virtue might inform the ethical conduct of managers. He is the author or editor of 14 books in the field.

In April 2002, Father Williams hosted the first U.S. meeting devoted to discussion of the Global Compact. Co-sponsored by Notre Dame and the United Nations, the meeting brought together scholars, corporate leaders and U.N. representatives to advance knowledge of the compact and its implementation among U.S. corporations and higher education.

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