Category Archives: Ethics

The Continuing Evolution of the Ethics and Compliance Profession

Scientific Committee of the International Reviewof Compliance and Business Ethics By Keith T. Darcy, PresidentDarcy Partners Inc. Introduction As an organized profession the ethics and compliance world is arguably not more than six decades old. The pattern for its growth and development of the profession is clear – a series of corporate or government scandalsContinue reading “The Continuing Evolution of the Ethics and Compliance Profession”

Ethics in the Age of Disruptions – Cahill Lecture

In 2021 I was chosen by the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership to deliver the annual Cahill Lecture on Ethics, entitled, “Ethics in an Age of Disruptions.” The lecture was attended by the board of the Center, faculty, and Notre Dame Deloitte scholars.

University of Illinois – Business Ethics Pioneers

In mid-year 2000, the University of Illinois undertook a project to interview a small group of individuals who pioneered and nurtured the nascent and still evolving  ethics and compliance profession. I was privileged to be among the individuals chosen to share our experiences. Driving this project was the effort to capture some of the acquired wisdom for posterity before theContinue reading “University of Illinois – Business Ethics Pioneers”

A New Era of Stakeholder Activism: Why We Are Disoriented and What to do About It

By Morgan Hamel and Keith Darcy Part 1 Background In 1970, Alan Toffler and his wife, Adelaide Farrell, wrote a best-selling book, Future Shock, wherein he defined the title of the book as “disorientation due to premature accelerated change.” Toffler wrote that the speed of change leaves us confused and disoriented. Looking back, however, theContinue reading “A New Era of Stakeholder Activism: Why We Are Disoriented and What to do About It”

Ethics and Compliance in a Pandemic Environment

The life-threatening pandemic, along with the global economic collapse, raise significant new risks for organizations everywhere. Ethics and compliance executives are challenged to deal with these new (ab)normal conditions, while facing considerable pressure to do “more with less.” This article explores these issues, and calls attention to how and where risk managers need to prioritize their time and activities in order to manage against a tsunami of increasing risks.

A Commencement Address

The world is a mess. A still-surging life-threatening virus has brought the entire planet to its knees. Health systems and front line warriors are completely overwhelmed and at risk. In our attempt to respond to COVID-19 by sheltering-in-place we face a global economic collapse not seen since the Great Depression. Particularly hard hit by theContinue reading “A Commencement Address”

The New (Ab)Normal

Author Mary Higgins Clark once noted there are only three places in the world that begins with the article “The” – The Hague, The Vatican, and The Bronx (also known as Da Bronx). My journey began in that colorful, closely-knit bedroom borough north of Manhattan comprised mostly of lower/middle and middle class people from various ethnic backgrounds, spread among numerous apartment houses and single-family homes.

A Defining Moment: Dealing With Disruption

For most of my career, my routine was predictable. I awakened early, well before dawn. After showering and getting dressed, I’d pour a cup of coffee into my travel mug, get into my car, and begin the 50 mile drive to my office in lower Manhattan. Upon arrival I would check my in-box, and reviewContinue reading “A Defining Moment: Dealing With Disruption”