Report to Members & Friends
May 1999
Planning Update: The Joint Initiative Planning Committee completed a national leadership survey tapping the experience of 22 leaders from business, resource centers in ethics and corporate responsibility, and academia. The key message: This Center must focus and develop in-depth expertise. Also underway: an inventory on the research interests of the faculties at the University of St. Thomas Graduate School of Business and the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management. Next up: interviews with a sample of MCCR member companies to learn more about business ethics issues and organizational challenges.
Annual Multi-cultural Forum: On February 24, more than 630 registrants heard Bill George, Medtronic Chairman and CEO, speak on The New Face of the Multi-cultural Organization. MCCR Program Director David Rodbourne delivered a workshop on the links between Work/Life and Diversity. Beverly Mills-Novoa from Medtronic offered a workshop on flexibility as a work/life and diversity strategy. Mills-Novoa is active in the Center’s Work«Life NetworkSM. The day concluded with an inspiring speech by Myrlie Evers-Williams, Chair Emeritus of the NAACP Board of Directors. MCCR is a co-sponsor of the Annual Multicultural Forum. The Forum is organized by the University of St. Thomas Graduate School of Business and the National Black MBA Association, Twin Cities Chapter.
MCCR Speaks: David Rodbourne spoke at two recent business meetings. On April 7, he presented an overview of MCCR and its new strategic plans at the "Good Morning St. Paul" meeting of the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce. On April 14, he keynoted a business forum on work/life and childcare organized by the Albert Lea Chamber of Commerce and the Parenting Resource Center in Austin. Rodbourne also represents the Center on the United Way’s Steps to Success committee and on the Advisory Council to the Children, Youth and Family Consortium at the University of Minnesota.
MCCR Board Members Are Community Leaders: MCCR Board members Jim Campbell, Judy Corson, Jim Renier and John Turner were recognized for their leadership contributions at the United Way of the Greater Minneapolis Area’s Annual Meeting on April 12th. A national United Way award has been created to honor Renier’s leadership on behalf of children; Corson will chair the United Way Board; Campbell chaired this year’s Annual Campaign; and Turner and his wife will co-chair next year’s.
Business Ethics NetworkSM: Twenty members of MCCR’s Business Ethics Network met on April 30 at Allina’s headquarters hosted by David Orbuch, Associate General Counsel for Allina. The subject of alternative training methods and tools in the field of business ethics triggered spirited discussion and set the agenda for the network’s next session. Network members also reviewed a draft mission statement for their work together. Network participation is by invitation. Co-chairs are Ken Ross of Bowman and Brooke and Lisa Dercks of Honeywell.
Small Business and Ethics: On April 8 the Center co-sponsored a workshop organized by the Small Business Administration on "Corporate Compliance & Business Ethics for the Small and Mid-Size Company." The co-chairs of the Center’s Business Ethics Network – Ken Ross, of the law firm Bowman and Brooke, and Lisa Dercks, Ethics Officer for Honeywell, – were major presenters at the workshop. Ross planned the program and also teaches business ethics at William Mitchell College of Law. Other presenters included: Thomas Heffelfinger from Bowman and Brooke and Laura Powell, Deputy State Auditor.
Miami Ethics Summit: The Center was featured as an example of a leadership organization at an April 30 Ethics Summit in Miami sponsored by a number of community organizations, including the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. Information about MCCR was included in conference materials.
Membership Report: Welcome to our newest member, Department 56 Inc. MCCR’s 1998-99 membership campaign is drawing to a close and Board Chair Jim Renier and Acting President Mike Evers will be contacting companies that have not yet renewed their support for the Center.
Mark Your Calendars!
The Work«Life NetworkSM - Special Meeting on June 14 from 3 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.: The Center for Women Policy Studies in Washington, D.C. will present No More Business As Usual, their report on a national survey focused on women of color and work/life. Network participants and guests will have an excellent opportunity to discuss the interaction of three key facets of business culture: women in business; diversity; and, work/life. American Express Financial Advisers participated in this study and will host a special invitation-only roundtable on the following day. We thank American Express for making this opportunity available to the Network.
Travels with Bob: MCCR President Emeritus, Bob MacGregor, has set up shop in Beirut, Lebanon where he is now serving as President of the INDEVCO Corporate Foundation and Country Director for the Inter-national Executive Service Corps. As expected, Bob is off and running in both of his new jobs. He is representing MCCR and speaking at the First Enterprise Summit, sponsored by the State of the World Forum, held in early May in Dublin, Ireland and Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Recent Publications: The most recent edition of The Leading EdgeTM, the Center’s publication of statements on ethics and corporate responsibility, features a speech, Human Rights and Business Ethics by Anand Panyarachun, Thai business leader, former ambassador to the U. S. and former Prime Minister. The most recent Executive Summary TM is Creating a Company Culture That Works by Allan L. Schuman, President and CEO of Ecolab Inc. Center publications may be useful tools for training in business ethics, work/life issues and corporate citizenship. Additional copies are available.
Civility in the Marketplace – Problems and Solutions: On April 27th, 250+ individuals participated in the Ninth Annual Stakeholder Dialogue featuring keynote speaker Stephen Carter, author of the book Civility and Professor of Law at Yale University. This year’s program focused on the disintegration of civility and the adverse effect of this trend upon our social and moral fabric. The Rev. Dennis Dease, President of the University of St. Thomas and Kristine Johnson, former Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Medtronic, offered commentary. The dialogues are sponsored by the University of St. Thomas Koch Endowed Chair in Business Ethics with collaboration from MCCR.
The Natural Step (TNS) Business Seminars: MCCR is co-sponsoring a series of workshops focused on a creative new approach for improving performance and profits, gaining strategic advantage and achieving environmental responsibility. For information, call the Alliance for Sustainability at phone (612) 331-1099.
Upcoming Publications: An Executive Summary TM by Stanley S. Hubbard, Chairman, President and CEO of Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc. is at the press and should be in the mail shortly. The Leading Edge TM will feature a speech given by StarTribune columnist Misti Snow to the 1998 Working Family Support Awards Breakfast, sponsored by Ceridian Corporation and the Working Family Resource Center.
MCCR WEB Site: Check out MCCR’s WEB site at www.stthomas.edu/mccr If you are looking for the Principles for Business you can find them on MCCR’s site or try the Caux Round Table (CRT) site which is managed by MCCR at www.cauxroundtable.org The Principles for Business are on-line in several languages.
Novosibirsk Contact: MCCR is arranging a meeting May 18 for the Siberian Center, a nonprofit in Novosibirsk. Discussion will focus on how business can work to develop a healthy nonprofit sector.
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