Ethisphere Announces 12th Annual Global Ethics Summit with a Breakthrough Virtual Exp., Guided by an All-Star Steering Committee: Kimberly-Clark, BMO Financial Group, and More

NEW YORK, February 16, 2021 (Newswire.com) - The Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, today announced that the 12th Annual Global Ethics Summit will take place virtually April 13-15, 2021, and this year's innovative digital experience will improve on previous years.

To learn more and to register, visit https://globalethicssummit.ethisphere.com

Ethisphere's annual Global Ethics Summit is the premier place for companies and delegates to learn, develop, and share ideas that elevate the field of business ethics and compliance. This year's Summit will showcase more companies and feature additional points of view while bringing together a larger community of leaders. This year's Summit will provide attendees, faculty, and sponsors with 50+ hours of content, interactive workshops, and on-demand content for all company leaders throughout 2021.

"A virtual Summit presents an exciting moment for us with a completely new blueprint for remodeling our flagship event—one of the most important in its field. While there is no replacement for the relationships developed in person, a professional digital experience will improve upon the ways we can distribute shared knowledge and support a larger base of leaders," said Kevin McCormack, Senior Vice President and Executive Director of the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance. "Our 2021 theme acknowledges more than a year of unprecedented challenges, and it will feature companies that are leading a surge of spirit and solutions to become better and more capable on the other side of the pandemic. This could be our most important Summit yet."

In an effort to build upon Ethisphere's tradition of offering one of the most compelling platforms for leadership connectivity and diverse, pan-industry voices, Ethisphere also assembled the 2021 Global Ethics Summit Advisory Committee, consisting of transformational companies who have modeled an earnest commitment to raise the bar for global integrity.

"The global pandemic combined with the social and racial injustices we witnessed in 2020—and the real-time challenges confronting the business community to respond appropriately—make the 2021 Global Ethics Summit more important, practical, and meaningful than ever before," said Lucy Fato, EVP, General Counsel & Global Head of Communications and Government Affairs, AIG, and Global Ethics Summit Advisory Committee member. "The events of the past year have permanently codified that risk responsibilities, vulnerabilities, and accountabilities exist everywhere in the corporate world, which is why hearing about experiences directly from company leaders is so valuable. These leaders will share what they've learned, where they've had successes, and where they've fallen short. We all want to do our very best as we strive to navigate a completely changed world."

"Operating in a digital world is not new for LinkedIn, but the pandemic has forced us and every other business to re-evaluate how we do business in a digital economy. It's certain that the transformation of our economies, politics, and society as a whole will no doubt influence the regulatory and compliance landscape in unprecedented ways," said Amyn Thawer, Vice-President, Global Compliance and Integrity, LinkedIn, and Global Ethics Summit Advisory Committee member. "In addition to the challenges, there also opportunities to be uncovered. As part of the 2021 Global Ethics Summit's Advisory Committee, I'm delighted that we're exploring new and novel ways to share insights and best practices at scale. Including more leaders than ever before will undoubtedly help us cross-pollinate ideas and solutions and improve our leadership in these unprecedented times." 

Mike Kolloway, SVP, and General Counsel, Parsons Corporation, and Global Ethics Summit Advisory Committee member said, "A strong ethical foundation is critical to business success and growth. As a global company, Parsons often deals with complex situations that could impact our reputation and business without a strong commitment to ethics, integrity, and compliance. I am excited to join the Global Ethics Summit Advisory Committee, and, along with my fellow board members, I am committed to advancing best international practices in the compliance and ethics arena. Companies can maximize the 2021 Global Ethics Summit's digital platform to participate in interactive knowledge-sharing sessions, supplemented with on-demand content throughout the year—more than ever, it is this continuous engagement that we rely on. Moreover, the digital 2021 Global Ethics Summit will enable more people from around the world to register and take part, which will make for more robust discussions and an even better Summit experience." 

The full list of business leaders that will be responsible for providing guidance in directing the tone and content at the 12th Annual Global Ethics Summit include:

• Amber Kagan, Vice President, Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer and Global Head of Labor & Employment Law, General Electric Company
• Amyn Thawer, Vice-President Global Compliance and Integrity, LinkedIn
• James Merklinger, President, ACC Credentialing Institute
• Kurt Drake, Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, Kimberly-Clark
• Lucy Fato, EVP, General Counsel and Global Head of Communications and Government Affairs, AIG
• Lynn Haaland, Chief Compliance and Ethics Officer, Zoom Video Communications
• Lynn Usdan, SVP, Ethics and Compliance, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton
• Mike Kolloway, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Parsons Corporation
• Regina Jones, Chief Legal Officer, Baker Hughes
• Scott Schools, Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Stephen Storey, Head of Group Ethics and Integrity, Rio Tinto
• Tom McDaniel, SVP, Chief Auditor and U.S. Compliance Officer, Aflac
• Tom Pfennig, Global Head of Compliance and Data Privacy, Bayer AG
• Ula Ubani, Chief Ethics and Conduct Officer, BMO Financial Group

"Every year we're honored to be able to collaborate with such an impressive and knowledgeable group of leaders to help shape the Global Ethics Summit into something that is memorable and inspiring for those that participate," said Stefan Linssen, Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer, Ethisphere. "This year we will be focusing on how companies can take the lead in addressing the big challenges we face today as businesses and as one global society, collectively working together to tackle some of the most pressing challenges."

Now in its 12th year, the three-day digital Summit experience will provide:

• An extended Global Ethics Summit experience: With programming beginning in February, this year's Global Ethics Summit will go beyond content and thought leadership opportunities throughout 2021.
• 80+ faculty: A combination of CEOs, corporate directors, CLOs, Chief Compliance Officers, and Chief Ethics Officers will anchor numerous sessions with everything from thought-provoking insights on societal progress to tactical programmatic changes to better address risk in this business climate.
• 50+ hours of content: Through an "ask the experts" function, attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and receive immediate feedback from company leaders on pressing issues. The "ongoing company showcase" feature will allow attendees to see real-time examples and engage with the other teams.
• Expert panels with pan-industry insights: Senior executives from top multinational companies will set the tone during our keynotes alongside topically focused panel sessions with leading ethics and compliance leaders sharing insights and experiences on key components of successful programs.
• Interactive workshops: A series of small, intimate, knowledge-sharing sessions structured to encourage group video discussions around key topics and challenges companies are facing today.

"Given what has taken place in our world over the past year, along with the increased public scrutiny of corporate actions, smart companies cannot put a price on the value of a strong corporate ethics and compliance focus. In fact, they could easily pay a steep price for not prioritizing these initiatives," said Emily Rickaby, Director of Shared Expertise, Ethisphere. "Companies realize that the risks are greater than ever before. Platforms like the Global Ethics Summit, which offers knowledge-sharing sessions and peer-to-peer connections where experts can hear real-life stories from leading companies, are exactly what the business community needs to initiate, build, and improve their programs."

In addition to the virtual Global Ethics Summit, Ethisphere serves the business community through its member-driven Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA). This association of more than 315-member organizations worldwide illustrates Ethisphere's strong commitment to helping organizations better engage in business ethics, compliance, and governance, a key component of business success in today's environment. Many of these member companies are heavily involved with the Global Ethics Summit and are hands-on with their support of the BELA community, as they learn from some of the world's most respected industry leaders.

Registration is now open for the 2021 Global Ethics Summit, with early bird rates for tickets and team passes in effect. Complimentary passes are available to BELA members. Registration is available here: https://globalethicssummit.ethisphere.com.

Follow the conversation on Twitter under the hashtag #GlobalEthicsSummit21.

About Ethisphere

The Ethisphere® Institute is the global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices that fuel corporate character, marketplace trust, and business success. Ethisphere has deep expertise in measuring and defining core ethics standards using data-driven insights that help companies enhance corporate character. Ethisphere honors superior achievement through its World's Most Ethical Companies® recognition program, provides a community of industry experts with the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA), and showcases trends and best practices in ethics with Ethisphere Magazine. Ethisphere is also the leading provider of independent verification of corporate ethics and compliance programs that include Ethics Inside® Certification and Compliance Leader Verification™. More information about Ethisphere can be found at http://www.ethisphere.com.

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Ethisphere Media Contact
Aarti Maharaj
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@Ethisphere

Source: The Ethisphere Institute