Maguire Center for Ethics Blog

Our Financial System is only as Strong as Our Confidence, says Terry Smith, CEO of Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas

Steve Lee — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:12:35 +0000

“Tell It Like It Is: The Ethics of Financial Transparency” is the first panel session today at the Ethics, Trust & Transparency conference and features Terry Smith, President and CEO, Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, with Allan Sloan, Senior Editor-at-Large, Fortune.

“I believe the most important lesson the recent financial crisis taught us is that our financial system is only as strong as the confidence it instills in those that rely upon it.” says Terry Smith. “Market participants lost faith in the accuracy of the information they were receiving from both the private sector and government. The level of uncertainty created by the resultant distrust of any clear, transparent information related to the condition of major corporations and potential government responses led to the near-collapse of global capital markets.

“For America to continue to be the home of the most dynamic and resilient financial system in the world,” Smith adds, “we must restore basic market confidence in the information that market participants require to make decisions. And that can only be done if financial transparency is a driving force behind the activities of corporations, investors, market makers and every other market participant.”

The Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility hosts the Ethics, Trust & Transparency conference today, November 2, 2011 in the Jim Collins Conference Center on Southern Methodist University’s Dallas campus.

The entire conference will be video streamed on the Maguire Center’s website at http://www.smu.edu/Provost/Ethics.aspx beginning at 8:20 am today, November 2, 2011.

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Good Capitalism Lifts People and Raises Happiness, says Doug Levy

Steve Lee — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:23:54 +0000

Speaking at the Ethics, Trust and Transparency conference this week, Doug Levy is the CEO of imc² believes strongly in the power of capitalism and the importance of preserving the ethics within capitalism.

When asked, Levy explained that the main point he wishes to express when he joins the “Responsible Business Leadership” panel session is that capitalism is good. “It lifts people from poverty, increases lifespan, and raises happiness. And, when business is practiced in a more conscious and purpose-centric way, it produces greater benefits for employees, customers, society and investors.”

The Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility will host the Ethics, Trust & Transparency conference on Wednesday, November 2, 2011 in the Jim Collins Conference Center on Southern Methodist University’s Dallas campus. Registration to attend the conference is open to the public. For more information and to register online, click here or copy and paste this URL in your web browser.

http://www.smu.edu/Provost/Ethics/NewsRoom/Events/EthicsTrustTransparency.aspx

The entire conference will be video streamed on the Maguire Center’s website at http://www.smu.edu/Provost/Ethics.aspx beginning at 8:20 am Wednesday, November 2, 2011.

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The Difference in Transparency and Disclosure from Allan Sloan of Fortune

Steve Lee — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:01:28 +0000

On Wednesday at the Ethics, Trust and Transparency conference, Allan Sloan the Senior Editor at Large for Fortune will speak on a panel dealing with financial transparency.

“There’s a huge difference between transparency and disclosure,” says Sloan. “Companies, especially companies doing business on Wall Street, make endless disclosures-but they’re not necessarily of any use to anybody other than the company and the people who get paid big bucks to create opaque documents.

“Disclosure is when you bury information in widely separated places in a 400-word document filled with small type. Transparency is when you tell people what they need to know in simple terms in readable type on the cover of a document or within the first few pages.

“Disclosure is a legal obligation. Transparency is an ethical obligation.”

http://www.smu.edu/Provost/Ethics/NewsRoom/Events/EthicsTrustTransparency.aspx

The entire conference will be video streamed on the Maguire Center’s website at http://www.smu.edu/Provost/Ethics.aspx beginning at 8:20 am Wednesday, November 2, 2011.

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We cannot rely purely on rules to govern ethical behavior, says conference speaker Judy Nadler

Steve Lee — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:54:08 +0000

Senior Fellow in Government Ethics for Santa Clara University, and speaker at this week’s Trust, Ethics & Transparency conference, Judy Nadler explains, “The law is the floor, not the ceiling. Just because something is legal doesn’t mean it is ethical. It is critical to view ethics from a values-based perspective.”

Ethics is everyday, explained Nadler. “While many people believe they are faced with ethical dilemmas only in certain high-pressure situations, we face and make ethical decisions every day in our personal and professional lives.” Being mindful of this, she added, leads to practicing good ethical decision-making daily, which makes it more likely that you will “do the right thing” when a serious ethical dilemma occurs.

“While both business and government are expected to act ethically, there is a higher standard for people in public service.” Nadler says, “we entrust our elected officials with the authority to set policy, spend tax dollars wisely, and put the public interest above their own personal, political, financial, or any other interests.”

http://www.smu.edu/Provost/Ethics/NewsRoom/Events/EthicsTrustTransparency.aspx

The entire conference will be video streamed on the Maguire Center’s website at http://www.smu.edu/Provost/Ethics.aspx beginning at 8:20 am Wednesday, November 2, 2011.

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Ethics and Trust is Not a “One and Done” Activity, says Best Buy Chief of Ethics

Steve Lee — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:10:10 +0000

Ethics is something that needs to continuously nurtured, invited and discussed says Kathleen Edmond, Chief of Ethics for Best Buy and speaker at the Maguire Center’s Ethics, Trust & Transparency conference.

In an interview, Edmond said “One of the things that is imperative is we have to listen and invite the conversation” of ethics, trust and transparency in the business setting.

When asked what was the one thing she wanted the audience at Wednesday’s conference to take away, she said “There’s also a piece about being a person that is approachable, even if you feel like you don’t want to hear it or it’s difficult.” Edmond then added that you must quiet yourself or have the person come to you in a time where you can hear. People will try to bring things forward and if you are not receptive, you are shutting it out, just as if you heard it and did not do anything about it.

http://www.smu.edu/Provost/Ethics/NewsRoom/Events/EthicsTrustTransparency.aspx

The entire conference will be video streamed on the Maguire Center’s website athttp://www.smu.edu/Provost/Ethics.aspx beginning at 8:20 am Wednesday, November 2, 2011.

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Transparency and Accountability are Essential in Business, says Keven Ann Willey

Steve Lee — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:00:03 +0000

What is the purpose of business? That’s the question Keven Ann Willey, Vice President and page editor of The Dallas Morning News, will answer while speaking on transparency and accountability at this week’s Trust, Ethics & Transparency conference.

“We will be discussing what the purpose of business is,” said Willey. “To maximize profits for shareholders? To provide desired goods and services for mutual benefit?”

Willey will also speak about what steps can be taken to encourage the more consistent application of core values. “Greater transparency and accountability are key,” said Willey.

http://www.smu.edu/Provost/Ethics/NewsRoom/Events/EthicsTrustTransparency.aspx

The entire conference will be video streamed on the Maguire Center’s website at http://www.smu.edu/Provost/Ethics.aspx beginning at 8:20 am Wednesday, November 2, 2011.

Trust is Key to Business Development, says Keynote Speaker Matthew Harrington

Steve Lee — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:05:19 +0000

The state of trust today across all institutions, whether government, business, media or non-governmental is extremely fragile says Matthew Harrington, CEO and President of Edelman and keynote speaker at this week’s Trust, Ethics & Transparency conference.

“In this environment it behooves any organization to make building trust a priority,” said Harrington, “because trust, the belief that an individual or enterprise will do what is right, is what provides the license to operate.”

When asked what he wanted conference attendees to take away from the event, Mr. Harrington eloquently replied “When trust exists there is the ability to move forward, to make progress. Conversely, distrust erodes confidence to invest in long-term value creation, making our economic malaise self-fulfilling.” He went on to say in a relationship between companies and individuals, it is fundamental to have trust to operate. If not, no progress and development can be made.

http://www.smu.edu/Provost/Ethics/NewsRoom/Events/EthicsTrustTransparency.aspx

The entire conference will be video streamed on the Maguire Center’s website at http://www.smu.edu/Provost/Ethics.aspx beginning at 8:20 am Wednesday, November 2, 2011.

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Dallas City Council Headed to “Trust, Ethics & Transparency Conference

Steve Lee — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 03:28:38 +0000

The Dallas Morning News reported in a City Hall Blog story Sunday that the Dallas City Council may attend this week’s Ethics, Trust & Transparency conference en masse. “File this under ‘can’t hurt’,” says reporter Rudolph Bush in the story. Bush also plans to attend. The story also quotes Rita Kirk, director of SMU’s Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics & Public Responsibility, as calling the council’s decision “a bold statement about our community’s commitment to ethics.” You can read the entire story at: http://cityhallblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/10/dallas-council-to-attend-ethic.html The Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility will host the Ethics, Trust & Transparency conference on Wednesday, November 2, 2011 in the Jim Collins Conference Center on Southern Methodist University’s Dallas campus. Registration to attend the conference is open to the public. For more information and to register online, click here or copy and paste this URL in your web browser. http://www.smu.edu/Provost/Ethics/NewsRoom/Events/EthicsTrustTransparency.aspx The entire conference will be video streamed on the Maguire Center’s website at http://www.smu.edu/Provost/Ethics.aspx beginning at 8:20 am Wednesday, November 2, 2011. ###

“Ethics, Trust & Transparency” Conference Will Be Streamed

Steve Lee — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 20:21:55 +0000

Next weeks Ethics, Trust & Transparency conference on the SMU campus just got easier to attend with the announcement that the entire event will be streamed on the web.

Every minute of the conference, beginning at 8:20 am, Wednesday, November 2, 2011 will be video streamed free-of-charge on the main page of the Maguire Center’s website at http://www.smu.edu/Provost/Ethics.aspx

http://www.smu.edu/Provost/Ethics/NewsRoom/Events/EthicsTrustTransparency.aspx

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Ethics, Trust and Transparency Conference Less than a Week Away

Steve Lee — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 22:29:23 +0000

Register now for the “Ethics, Trust and Transparency” conference scheduled next Wednesday, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Crum Auditorium at the Jim Collins Executive Center on the SMU campus.

At a time when confidence in government and business leaders has been rocked by scandal and questionable decisions it will be both healthy and interesting to hear presentations from business, government, news and academic leaders about ethics and responsibility.

Registration is $40 and open to the public. For more information on the conference and the Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility, click here.