Oct. 18, 2012

On Monday, Oct. 22, and Tuesday, Oct. 23, the Department of Business and Economics at Catholic University will co-host an international colloquium on business ethics with the Markets, Culture and Ethics Research Center of the Pontifical University of Holy Cross in Rome.

The colloquium, which will meet for the third time, will explore how the principles of Catholic social teaching relate to contemporary business practices. Sessions will take place in Catholic University's Edward J. Pryzbyla University Center. The organizers hope the conference assists attendees with the application of the Gospel toward the construction of a more just society, in light of the challenge Pope Benedict XVI issued in Caritas in Veritate .

Plenary sessions at the conference will explore the following topics: Do Solidarity and Sustainability Make Sense in a Free Economy? Love, Sustainability, and Solidarity: Philosophical and Theological Roots; How Can Solidarity and Sustainability be Fostered within Economic Activity? and How Can Solidarity and Sustainability Be Integrated into Business Education?

"Good business leaders know that a true theory of business is in fact ethical at the core," says Andrew Abela, chair of the business and economics department. "Most senior executives I've spoken with know that a successful, long-lasting business is one that cares about its people - its customers, employees and the communities it operates in."

Catholic University President John Garvey will speak at the opening of the conference, along with Monsignor Martin Schlag and Juan Andres Mercado, chairpersons of the colloquium.

Among the international scholars and social entrepreneurs presenting are:

  • Valentine Sendanyoye Rugwabiza, deputy director-general of the World Trade Organization
  • Arthur Brooks, president of the American Enterprise Institute
  • Russell Hittinger, incumbent of the William K. Warren Chair of Catholic Studies at the University of Tulsa
  • Amitai Etzioni, university professor at The George Washington University and founder of the Communitarian Network
  • Andrew Abela, chair of the Department of Business and Economics at Catholic University
  • Rafael Gomez Nava, dean of El Instituto Panamericano de Alta Direccion de Empresa (IPADE Business School) in Mexico City
  • Roger Huang, Kenneth R. Meyer Professor of Global Investment Management and interim dean for the Mendoza School of Business at the University of Notre Dame

Read more about the speakers and their backgrounds at http://www.mceproject.org/images/stories/Speaker_Bios_Washington.pdf .

Students are welcome to attend the conference lectures, but registration and payment are required for those who plan to attend meals. For more information, to register, or view the full program, visit http://universitysantacroce.us / or call the Department of Business and Economics at 202-319-6286.

MEDIA: To cover the event, contact Katie Lee or Mary McCarthy Hines in the Office of Public Affairs at 202-319-6972 or cua-public-affairs@cua.edu .

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