Legal Ethical Issues In Sustainability

Sustainability focuses on meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. The concept of business sustainability comprises three pillars: economic, environmental and social (Human & Labor) - also known as people, planet and profits. (Investopedia https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/sustainability.asp_). The focus recently (including by regulators) has added a fourth pillar - governance (anti-bribery and corruption).

Organizations in the pursuit of profit have been implicated in a number of scandals involving bribery & corruption, fraud, labor and human rights abuses, and environmental degradation. What role does law and ethics play in holding companies and individuals responsible for such scandals? How can companies ensure that they pay attention to social, environmental and governance factors and remain profitable? How do individuals and organizations decide what is the right thing to do? This course will require students to understand broad business sustainability issues and to apply ethical reasoning processes to decision making.

As sustainability, anti-corruption and corporate social responsibility ("CSR") issues gain recognition as fundamental to strategy and execution in all organizations, this course will examine the measures we can take to ensure sustainability. Initiatives & laws such as Anti-Bribery and Corruption (e.g., the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), the UK Bribery Act), the Sustainable Development Goals, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Global Compact will be considered, along with practical examples of implementation or lack thereof. The focus will be on best practices in addressing sustainability/CSR challenges and opportunities faced by all entities/organizations.

Entities that incorporate sustainability practices into their operations benefit directly and indirectly, including but not limited to, productivity gains, improved image and enhanced reputation, and attraction and retention of human capital.

We will discuss some international and local laws that are relevant to doing business in Singapore, Asia and globally. We will refer to industry codes and/or case studies to identify practical examples of corporate implementation of good governance, or lack thereof. We will examine the elements of an effective compliance program as a tool to risk management.

At the completion of this course, you will gain an understanding of the importance of incorporating legal, ethical and sustainability practices in your careers and how these benefits entities in productivity gains, improved image and enhanced reputation, and attraction and retention of human capital and in stakeholder management.

All students will benefit from the content - whether they chose a career in for profit or not for profit companies or in government. These skills are relevant to everyone and cut across all industries and professions and are necessary in your personal as well as professional life. Ethical leadership is becoming a fundamental success factor in today's dynamic external environment.