Business Ethics series to focus on work culture

The 2021 John A. Berges Lecture Series in Business Ethics, sponsored by the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, kicks off Oct. 27 with the first of three thought leaders who will discuss critical topics at the center of work culture: values, honesty and leadership.

The talks are free and open to the public. Visitors must wear masks in keeping with the University’s COVID-19 health and safety guidelines.

Since 2005, the Berges Lecture Series has featured both executives bringing real-world ethical issues to campus as well as academics who apply their expertise to emerging ethics problems or issues. “We’re delighted to be joined by three excellent speakers who bridge the gap between theory and practice,” said Brett Beasley, associate director of the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership.

Ellen Hunt, one of the most respected leaders in the ethics and compliance profession, will share her wisdom and expertise on building ethical cultures. Christian Miller is a world-renowned expert on character, and his book “The Character Gap” was chosen by the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership as one of the best books of 2018. Luke Burgis, author of the new book “Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life,” will share insights he has gained both as an entrepreneur and an expert on the philosophy of René Girard.

All events start at 4 p.m. ET. The schedule and locations are as follows:

Oct. 27: Ellen Hunt, award-winning ethics and compliance professional, “Culture Clash: When Corporate Values and Actions Collide”; Jordan Auditorium, Mendoza College of Business.

Nov. 18: Christian Miller, A. C. Reid Professor of Philosophy at Wake Forest University and director of the Honesty Project, “Honesty at Work”; 215 McKenna Hall, Notre Dame campus.

Dec. 2: Luke Burgis, entrepreneur-in-residence at the Ciocca Center for Principled Entrepreneurship at Catholic University of America and founder of Fourth Wall Ventures; “Transcendent Leadership in a Mimetic World”; Jordan Auditorium, Mendoza College of Business. (The first 50 attending will receive a free copy of Luke Burgis’s new book, Wanting.)

The annual Berges Lecture Series features senior executives, academics, entrepreneurs and other thought leaders speaking about current issues of business ethics that impact a wide range of stakeholders, including employees, investors, consumers and society as a whole. For more information, visit the website or contact Crystal Boser (cboser@nd.edu).