February has been a busy month for the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility (CESR). CESR hosted its annual Business Ethics Case Competition (BECC), and on February 29th, Leeds MBA students will be hosting the international (NICC) finals at in Boulder! Keep up with CESR鈥檚 exciting events this spring by subscribing to our .听
Net Impact Case Competition
The preliminary round of NICC was hosted virtually in the fall of 2019, with over 55 teams participating from locations all over the world. The competition focused on questions of how to improve diversity and inclusion in a corporation with a bad track record for considering these issues. NICC finals will be held on February 29th at in Boulder, Colorado, and all are encouraged to come watch the competition!听
鈥淪pectators will have a chance to watch the competitors present their innovative sustainability solutions as well as an opportunity to network with them,鈥� says Mike Hilgendorf, co-president of NICC. 鈥淲e believe this is a great opportunity for students to learn from and meet future business leaders and enrich their understanding that sustainability and profits are not mutually exclusive.鈥�
Community members and students who attend will not only learn from the presenting teams, but will also have the chance to hear from Ksenia Keplinger, a Scholar-in-Residence at the Leeds School of Business, about her research on diversity and inclusion and leadership at the opening reception. Further your education in sustainability by taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the final round of NICC. Register today!
Business Ethics Case Competition Breakdown
Congratulations to the winning team of this year鈥檚 BECC, and thank you to our judges , , , , , and .
Joycelin Appiah, Grace D. Kroeger, Michael Bortnowski and Josue Mendez-Sanchez
鈥淏eing able to participate in an ethics competition with teammates not only taught the importance of diversity of thought but challenged us to apply our ethical standards in a tactically difficult business situation,鈥� says Grace Kroeger. 鈥淎nd in the process, I forged friendships with amazing people, and I am incredibly proud of our commitment to excellence.鈥�
In this year鈥檚 competition, students were asked to evaluate the moral and financial implications of a large tech company鈥檚 use of an application that collected mass amounts of data from its users without permission. For the final round, students were given a twist to the case, inviting them to consider the need for an independent body to oversee the internet industry as well as the implementation of standards for industry members to follow.听
鈥淭he topic of tech ethics the students tackled in the competition was extremely relevant, wickedly complex and addressed one of the most dangerous human rights risks of our time; people unknowingly being treated as digital commodities rather than respected as humans. I was honored to judge this event and heartened for our future with the dedication of students like these coming forward with real solutions,鈥� says Ariel Snapp.
For more information on upcoming events and opportunities, visit our website.