2020-2021 Annual Report

Message from the Director

Dear Friends, 

It is my honor to report on the outstanding growth and influence of LMU’s Institute for Business Ethics and Sustainability (IBES). IBES aims to be a center of excellence that promotes ethical reasoning and principled business leadership, with an emphasis on advancing sustainable development and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  

During this past year, IBES has strengthened its core initiatives, meaningfully engaged the significance and impact of both Covid-19 and the demands for racial justice, and has expanded its network of collaboration and partnerships to inform the work of the institute moving forward. 

Highlights

• Submitted on behalf of CBA our inaugural Sharing Information on Progress Report as a signatory to the United Nation’s Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME). 

• Oriented program content to honor the IBES Statement of Solidarity with Black Lives Matter: 
  IBES, expressing the mission and values of the College of Business Administration, stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and those calling for justice in our society and our world. We also stand in solidarity with the multiple voices of business leaders who recognize the social responsibility of business and the unique role business has at this time to be a force for good:
  • Dreier Chair in Accounting Ethics Distinguished Speaker Series, which presented corporate best practices in DEI leadership 
  • The Business as a Force for Good Annual Ethics Symposium, which hosted “Resilience and Grit: Stories from Black Female Entrepreneurs”  
  • Reset the Room, a student-led quarterly program developed in response to the annual symposium 
  • The Promotion of Justice Challenge pilot program, in which student teams use media arts to tell stories of business practices that advance justice and equity

• Transitioned the International Business Ethics and Sustainability Case Competition (IBESCC) to a virtual format. Dozens of schools across the globe partook in this annual competition, implementing ethical reasoning to business matters and their influence on the goals of the SDGs.  

• Significantly expanded our network of partnerships to inform and strengthen the work of IBES: 
  • Participated in the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) – PRME Chapter Talks – North America Tools of Engagement highlighting how IBESCC enables students to apply ethical reasoning to business practices and sustainable development goals 
  • Established our Sustainability Advisory Committee and increased our Faculty Advisory Committee, with a focus on Los Angeles-based sustainability leadership in both the private and public sectors
  • Broadened the relationship of CBA with the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative, becoming full partners of this global network, with CBA governance roles on the Board of Trustees and Guardians of the GRLI Council 

IBES is also proud to honor and recognize student accomplishments this year:  

• Christian Jackson and Dezmin Hemmans, from the LMU student group Brothers of Consciousness, received the PRME Recognition Student Award for Excellence in SDG Impact for the collective impact of their work around equity and justice.  
• Two student-led groups won 2021 Flourish Prizes for stories about Pacha Soap Co. and Dave – Banking for Humans, profiling their business models and innovations that advance economic prosperity while contributing to a healthy world and human well-being.  

With each of these initiatives, our priority has been to: 

• Emphasize ethics, applied ethics, and ethical reasoning.
• Highlight environmental consciousness, social responsibility, and sustainability for the 21st-century organization. 
• Generate channels for professional impact, student development, and business collaboration. 

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has participated and collaborated with IBES and look forward to engaging with new supporters! 

Jeff Thies 

Director, Institute for Business Ethics and Sustainability