the 2014/15 Annual Report as a PDF.

THE
ETHICS
CENTRE
Annual Report 2014–15
Contents
01
14
16
18
36
46
54
56
58
60
62
Introduction
Chairman’s Letter
Executive Director’s Letter
Navigating Complexity
Creating a Safe Space
Sparking Social Change
Looking Ahead
Governance
Our Board
Our Supporters
Financial Overview
From the toughest choices around
conception and birth to those arising
at end of life, unpredictable and
life-changing ethical challenges abound.
BIRTH
Should I terminate a pregnancy that’s putting
my health at serious risk, even though abortion
is considered unacceptable in my community?
02
END OF LIFE
Should my father who is suffering greatly at
the end of his life be able to end it?
03
INDIVIDUALS
Is it okay to tell a painful truth to my friend
who has a history of mental illness?
04
FAMILIES
Should my children have a relationship with
my ex-partner even though our relationship
was an abusive one?
05
ORGANISATIONS
How do I satisfy my shareholders’ desire to
relocate our business overseas without firing
loyal local staff?
06
INDUSTRIES
If my medical research will save lives but
could also be used to create bioweapons,
should I destroy it?
07
COMMUNITIES
How should we balance law with moral
responsibility when refugees cross borders
to seek safety?
08
CULTURES
How do I keep faith and pride in my beliefs
in the face of extremism and persecution?
09
OUR WORLD
How do I obey the ethics and laws of war
when my enemies do not?
10
OUR FUTURE
If artificial intelligence has no capacity for
empathy, will it be a danger to our humanity?
11
Not every ethical question has one right answer.
Not every ethical challenge has one right path.
Within this tension life becomes complex, and
distress and anxiety can arise.
The Ethics Centre
The Ethics Centre (formerly known as St James Ethics Centre) is an
independent not-for-profit organisation that has been working for over 25 years
to improve lives and support communities built on strong ethical foundations.
Our primary role is to relieve distress faced by those struggling with
complex ethical challenges, and to alleviate personal and community
suffering caused by ethical failure. By creating a safe space for people
to work through their most difficult ethical issues, we help them gain the
insight and tools to navigate complexity and move beyond uncertainty,
to make sound ethical decisions.
The Ethics Centre remains the only organisation in the world providing
practical guidance on complex ethical issues across all levels of society.
Within communities and across continents, we work with individuals
and families, organisations and industries, militaries and governments,
to help people embed ethics at the centre of their decisions and actions.
The widespread need for our services directly informs how we work.
We design unique modes of engagement appropriate to the diversity,
complexity and scale of those needs. These range from our free phone
counselling service and mediation work through to ethics consulting,
education programs, events, publications and advocacy campaigns.
Across all our work, the same goal drives what we do: to bring people
together, create a safe space for open and honest dialogue, and provide
the guidance, wisdom and support to equip people to live ethically.
The world is shaped by the choices people make. By learning to navigate
and recover from the most distressing ethical challenges, individuals and
organisations acquire the insights and tools to make ethical decisions
throughout their daily lives. In this way, our work relieves the symptoms
of ethical failure – while also helping to prevent its causes, empowering
people to shape our world for the better.
13
Celebrating 25 Years
Chairman’s Letter
Highlights & Achievements
This year The Ethics Centre issues its 25th Annual Report – quite an
extraordinary milestone for an organisation that has endured with little
financial capital throughout.
The organisation came to life in the late 1980s in response to the
widespread ethical failure of that era, culminating in the stock market
crash of 1987. It was apparent to many at that time that the world needed
those who would champion higher standards and values in all sectors of
society. From its first day, the Centre's core purpose was to help those
suffering the distress of unethical behaviour; to provide a framework
for better leaders, better decision-making, and better personal and
corporate behaviour, in order to lead positive change in a challenging
world. We are proud of our founding story as St James Ethics Centre
and indeed of all its founders. Having changed our name this year to
The Ethics Centre, the narrative is now being embraced by ever-widening
circles of collaboration and inclusion.
Over the past 25 years The Ethics Centre has helped countless individuals
and organisations. We’ve provided advice and assistance to the widest
possible cross-section of Australian society. Over time, as the world has
become more complex, the need for the Centre’s work has increased
dramatically. We have responded by creating new methods of communicating
and helping those who need us most. The very existence of The Ethics Centre
is a catalyst for ongoing change and a resource for those who are sufficiently
courageous to challenge unthinking custom and practice.
14
2014–15 has been a year of remarkable growth and change. We welcomed
new team members who have brought a fresh momentum and sense of
possibility. We have provided ethics consulting to some of Australia’s
leading organisations and achieved ground-breaking changes for corporate
culture. We helped many individuals to make critical life decisions, and started
thousands of important conversations through our articles and events.
In the year to come we hope to extend our reach even further, seeking to
provide positive thought leadership on values and ethics, help people from
all walks of life to make better decisions, and provide relief to those harmed
by unethical acts.
I’d like to thank everyone who works at The Ethics Centre, including our
wonderful volunteers, facilitators and consultants. We have great leadership
from Dr Simon Longstaff and Ed St John. Their complementary skills are a source
of dynamism, encouragement and inspiration. I’d like to also thank all of our
clients, including the many people who asked for our help via Ethi-call. And
finally, I’d like to thank our members, Catalyst donors, committed volunteer
directors and supporters. We couldn’t do any of this without your unstinting
assistance. We may be short of financial capital but we are rich in social capital.
Today The Ethics Centre is an exciting, agile and innovative organisation.
We look forward to playing our part in an increasingly dynamic, confident
and creative nation.
Peter Joseph AM
Chairman, The Ethics Centre
2014–15 Highlights
1,000
430,000
3,371
Over 1,000 volunteer
hours delivered on the
Ethi-call service.
430,000+ staff across
17 organisations provided
with direct access to our
Ethi-call service.
3,371 people participated
in tailored professional
ethics workshops.
350
215
$1.25M
5,342
$1.25M received to fund
critical ethics-based
programs building
trust and integrity in
the financial sector.
Record crowds attended
the Festival of Dangerous
Ideas with 5,342 people
reached in 2 days.
350 Australian military
personnel received ethics
training ahead of duty
in Iraq and Afghanistan.
215 political candidates
signed our Politician's
Pledge calling for better
standards in politics.
118%
4,800
118% increase in our
Facebook community.
4,800 Ethics Quarterly
magazines distributed
covering issues from the
death penalty to extremism.
73%
73% increase in
subscribers to our
monthly ethics-based
E-News content.
10
1,000
69 organisations benefited
from ethics consulting
services impacting the
working lives of tens of
thousands of employees.
1
1 refined name
reinforcing the
all-inclusive nature
of our work.
15,200
15,200 people attended
32 public forums on
issues from anxiety to
gender identity.
09
9 services created to provide
distinct ethics counselling,
consulting and education
programs to answer the need
across all levels of society.
25
25 years of ethics
counselling and
support to society –
and many more ahead!
15
Reflection on 2014-15
Executive Director’s Letter
A Year of Extremes
As I write this, a bunch of totalitarian thugs have attacked the innocents
of Paris in a vain attempt to impose medieval theocracy on the inheritors
of the European Enlightenment. A month before, the mighty Volkswagen
company proved, yet again, how to destroy trust and value by divorcing
technical mastery from ethical restraint. At home, we have seen further
evidence of corruption in politics and the union movement, of the abuse
of children in institutions that were supposed to care for them, and of
unconscionable conduct by some within the financial services industry.
In each instance, these disturbing events tear at the very fabric of society,
eroding our trust in others and our faith in the institutions that were established
to protect us. Each is a case of loss. Each raises ethical questions that are not
merely of intellectual interest – they affect the lives and vital interests of people
who need and deserve care, compassion and solutions.
16
I would like to say such events are stark exceptions, but I can’t. We live in
extreme times – extremes that come before, and go beyond, the period of
this report.
Australia has been playing its part in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, sending
Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel to fight, train and support.
We have seen what Daesh is capable of and know that every outrage
is a calculated attempt to provoke an indiscriminate or disproportional
response from our side. We know that our one point of real vulnerability is
our need to retain moral authority. The ADF has a fine record of maintaining
its ethical core in the face of extreme provocation. To do so is not easy and
is part of the burden borne by those who are deployed. The Ethics Centre
provides practical support to many of them – reinforcing the ethical foundations
they rely on in the most testing of environments.
Our Purpose
Our Role
A catalyst and enabler for society to think, debate and act in good conscience,
particularly in the face of uncertainty or ambiguity.
To help people who have been harmed by ethical failure, and equip them
to solve complex and confronting problems.
Our Mission
Our Vision
To encourage and assist individuals and organisations to include
the ethical dimension in their daily lives.
A better world where people have the capacity to do the right thing.
Questions of life and death are not just part of the soldier’s world.
They touch us all – no more closely than when we are called upon to
help decide the fate of those who are near death and cannot speak
for themselves. At such times, critical distinctions come to the fore:
“Are we prolonging life or are we merely causing a loved one to die
slowly? Are we acting for their sake or for our own?” The Ethics Centre
assists people facing questions of this kind.
The harm that people experience is rarely captured in headlines.
For example, we have been working within the financial advice
industry where people have lost their homes and life savings because
of unethical corporate practices, and advisers lost their jobs or found
their life’s work discredited. The Ethics Centre convened the people
and resources needed to cater for the deep needs of all who have
been affected.
People come to us from across the nation, seeking a safe place to
address issues that cut to the heart of their lives – as individuals,
as families, as communities. Many come to The Ethics Centre by way
of our free counselling service, Ethi-call. Others seek help through
our consulting service – especially when the symptoms of distress can
only be relieved by treating the cause of harm or concern.
So what are we to do? There will be no end to the extremes. There will
be no end to the need for help. We can but draw on what resources we
can gather for the task – and stand ready.
Simon Longstaff AO
Executive Director, The Ethics Centre
17
NAVIGATING
COMPLEXITY
Our Focus
"WHAT SHOULD I DO?"
Ethics is at the core of everyday life and at the centre of being human.
It’s not just an exercise for philosophers or intellectuals – we ask ethical
questions whenever we think about how we should act. Often there are
times when those questions become challenges that we can’t resolve alone.
Complex ethical problems do not discriminate between everyday
Australians and our leaders or public figures, and may affect one person
or many. They can be individual and private or widespread and systemic,
involving groups, organisations or whole communities. The distress
these challenges cause is real and pervasive, leaving people stuck and
struggling, anxious or broken.
To help people navigate the complexity and uncertainty of difficult ethical
issues, we deliver innovative programs and services, designed to bring
ethics to the centre of professional and personal life, and align actions
with values. From counselling clients through our Ethi-call helpline and
delivering tailored ethics guidance to military personnel deployed overseas,
to advising leaders in some of the world’s largest companies, our work
guides people through highly sensitive and difficult decisions.
Our ethics-based counselling, consulting and education programs offer
a framework to critically examine complex situations, understand multiple
viewpoints and explore possible solutions. By equipping people with insight
into values and principles and challenging unthinking bias, we support them
to be consistent and ethical in their decisions and actions.
19
ING
Ethics Counselling,
Consulting & Education
Ethical Leadership
IC
ETH
UN
S CO
Ethics Counsel
S E D U C AT I O N
Everest Program
Ethical Literacy
ETHIC
Ethi-call
SELLING & CONS
U LT
Ethical Framework
Design
Ethics Coaching
Ethics at Work
Ethics Mediation
Organisations do not exist as isolated entities. They are ecosystems of
meaning, made up of people who work within them and those they directly
and indirectly affect – including clients, suppliers and shareholders.
They are also the context within which people encounter some of the
toughest ethical challenges of their lives. In some cases, the suffering of
one person can only be relieved by removing its cause – often embedded in
the wider culture. When ethical failure occurs, organisational systems can
fracture and break down, causing far-reaching effects on psychological,
professional, financial and social wellbeing.
In 2014–15, we further developed our ethics counselling, consulting
and education programs and consolidated our offering into nine distinct
products. We designed and delivered a range of services, providing
progressive advice and practical support to develop ethical capabilities
at the individual, organisation and industry levels.
20
This support includes:
+ p
roviding counselling, education and mediation to guide people through
difficult and distressing ethical problems
+ empowering organisations with the information and tools to embed
ethics within their cultures and systems
+ convening industry groups and diverse stakeholders to resolve
industry-wide problems and build higher standards of ethical integrity.
AT A GLANCE
69
Delivered ethics services
to 69 organisations across
the corporate, government
and not-for-profit sectors.
44%
44% of our work is
with the private sector.
34
Delivered 34
workshops to 3,371
participants.
43%
43% of our work is
with not-for-profits.
84
Delivered 84
presentations to industry
and community forums
nationwide.
13%
13% of our work is
with the public sector.
70%
Worked with 7
of the ASX Top 10.
55%
Worked with 11
of the ASX Top 20.
Ethi-call
Moving Beyond Uncertainty
When people face difficult ethical decisions in their work, family or social
lives, it can be hard to know which way to turn. Friends and colleagues
may offer conflicting advice. Other doors may be closed. At these times,
it helps to have access to an objective, experienced voice that can provide
guidance through the complexity, help relieve distress and assist in moving
beyond uncertainty.
Ethi-call is our free, national helpline available to everyone, delivered by
highly trained volunteers. It provides a confidential and safe space for
people to explore ethical challenges and seek support to make sound,
ethical decisions. As a truly independent service, we are able to offer
impartial, objective guidance within callers’ own values, principles and
consciences, taking account of their unique situations.
Ethi-call is the only service of its kind in the world. Callers come from
diverse backgrounds, occupations and locations. The problems they
face may be related to work, community, family or friends.
We have delivered this vital service since 1991, and it directly complements
the support we provide through our ethics consulting and education
programs. Ethi-call also allows people to continue the conversations and
reflections sparked during our public events or through our publications.
22
This year a boost in national coverage across print and online media and
on radio resulted in a direct increase in the number of calls we received.
People called with a wide range of complex problems and concerns
that were causing significant stress, anxiety and sometimes anguish.
These problems included: suspected fraud and theft, negligence in
aged care, breaches of privacy, drug addiction, suspected child sex
abuse, personal relationship breakdown, health interventions that
contradict religious codes, prostitution, family violence and children
of asylum seekers in detention.
Throughout the year we conducted a three-stage review to ensure Ethi-call
remains a valuable, practical and accessible service. Our research found
that Ethi-call is unique and highly valued in the marketplace and our
model of intervention is robust and in line with current research. We have
identified a number of areas for extension and improvement which we will
implement over the next year, including using new technology to improve
user experience and accessibility.
1,000
Over 1,000 volunteer
hours delivered on the
Ethi-call service.
57%
57% of callers to
Ethi-call are female.
56%
56% of callers are
aged 35–50 years.
22%
22% of callers are
under 35 and 22%
are over 50.
60%
29%
5%
6%
60% of callers faced
an ethical dilemma
in their workplace or
professional life.
29% of callers were
struggling with a
personal problem.
5% of callers were
facing a communityrelated challenge.
6% of callers were
struggling with a
combination of these
problems.
COMFORT
HOPE
CLARITY
INSIGHT
Sara and her partner Karim had
been planning a baby through
IVF for some time, when Karim
was killed in an accident. Sara
desperately wants to have the
child they’d planned together
using Karim’s frozen sperm,
and believes Karim would have
wanted this. Karim’s parents are
strongly opposed. How can she
decide what to do?
Tom heads a community group
that delivers weekly food boxes
to needy families. The service is
working really well. Recently, Tom
was told in confidence that one
of his best volunteers served
a prison sentence for a violent
crime. Should he disclose this,
and to whom?
INTEGRITY
SUPPORT
OBJECTIVITY
FAIRNESS
Noah has worked alongside Eva
for many years. Eva was recently
charged with manslaughter
after someone she injured while
drink driving later died of related
complications. Eva is very afraid
and wants Noah to be a character
witness at her trial. Noah knows
Eva is essentially a good person,
but he also knows she’s had a
long-term drinking problem that
she’s made no effort to fix. Noah
is worried that if he’s asked about
Eva’s drinking habits in court,
it might make things worse for
her. He also empathises with the
victim’s family. What should he do?
25
Ethics Counsel
Empowering People to Make Ethical Choices
1
26
2
3
4
REFLECTION
RELATING
DECISION-MAKING
LEADING
A process of reflection
on the situation and
circumstances of the
unethical behaviour.
Understanding the
connections and
relationships between
ourselves and others.
Recognising the challenges
and the ethical implications
of everyday decisions.
Forging a new path by
taking responsibility and
ownership and moving
forward with purpose.
Sometimes good people make bad decisions and the fallout can be
devastating. Victims of unethical behaviour can suffer financial loss,
health problems or acute emotional distress. Professionals who behaved
unethically may face an enquiry, fines and restricted or suspended practice.
These consequences can derail careers and livelihoods, with potentially
serious mental health and family impacts.
This year a number of individuals undertook the program and reported
that the process offered them self-insight and growth. By the end of
the program they had moved from a very limited understanding of their
breach to a much deeper understanding of themselves and their behaviour
and a more confident engagement with professional and personal
responsibilities.
Throughout the year, we continued to run our nine-week Ethics Counsel
program designed for those required to undertake ethics remediation
due to a professional, organisational or public enquiry into their behaviour.
The program provides a space for reflection, understanding and education
about the transgressing behaviour, with the aim of fostering greater
self-awareness, and improving ethical alertness and decision-making.
Ethics Counsel is continually updated to reflect current research and
adapted to the personal circumstances of individual applicants.
Finding a Positive Way Forward
Our experienced counsellors, educators and mediators draw
on ethical decision-making frameworks, conflict resolution and
communication skills to enable people in conflict to see others'
perspectives, find common ground and discover different ways
to achieve mutual goals and outcomes.
“No matter how good a job we did, or how hard we tried, we were always at fault. I felt trapped as I was single,
58 and still paying off my mortgage. The “whipping boy” culture led me to a very dark place. The harassment was
continual and took many forms. I couldn’t get the matter taken seriously. I reached breaking point after several years
and couldn’t tolerate any more. I didn’t feel I could just resign as it would leave my team members open to even
more abuse. I submitted a formal complaint expecting to be dismissed. I also expected that I would need to sell
my home as a result of being unemployed. It was at this point that The Ethics Centre became involved. The Centre
was tasked with surveying the company to do a cultural assessment. By this time I was coming apart and could not
function. It was the support and involvement of The Ethics Centre that helped me stay to see the outcome.”
Alex*, an employee working within a company that sought our assistance with organisational culture.
27
Everest Program
Strengthening Organisations
INTE
GR
I
W
Y
SA
T
PEC
ES
Jud
gem
ent
Wis
dom
p
Perce
i ng
ness
less
-ta
k
S
Fea
r
Heroism
I LI E NCE
H RES
UG
RO
G
sk
SO
N
LU
TIO
TIO
NS T
OVA
H ROUG H I N N
rit
INSIGHT
E
pi
O
RO
W
RP
TH
PU
S
Bra
very
RAG E
COU
SS
I TH
ry
rit
y
Daring
TY
R
MEA
NW
HA
T
IT Y
E
DE
LIV
E
W
N
DIG
SUC CE
pe
os
Pr
to
Vic
ent
hm
ess
ph
Trium
r
Prog
is
mpl
Acco
ACH I EVE M E NT W
Achievement
Advancement
"I S IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE
SHARED VALUES ACROSS THE
WHOLE ORGANISATION THAT
CAN BE LIVED BY INDIVIDUALS?"
R
ITH
tue
Vir
iple
inc
Pr
ty
nes
Ho
Co
urt
es
y
ity
gn
Di
Re
sp
ec
Si
t
nc
er
ity
Tru
st
Ri
tion
recia
App
m
tee
Es
Open
ness
Authe
ntici
ty
Transp
aren
cy
tion
Intelli
ce
gen
Innovation
A robust culture based on a well-understood ethical framework unifies
employees around a common purpose, encourages ethical, values-aligned
behaviour and helps ensure compliance with industry regulations.
When there is a gap between an organisation’s espoused principles and
its actions – a gap between what it says and what it does – significant
damage can occur. This has the potential to impact the organisation’s
ecosystem of employees, customers and other stakeholders, causing a
ripple effect across entire communities.
Through our Everest Program, we help organisations build and maintain
robust ethical cultures. Our work identifies where formal systems, culture
and behaviour are misaligned with values and principles, and provides
practical advice and guidance to help recalibrate them. The diagnostic
process itself relieves ethical distress. We act as an interpreter and a guide
for both those who want change but are disempowered, and those who
can effect change but are unaware of unethical behaviour. This makes real
change possible.
In 2014–15, we developed a significant innovation in our research
and analysis process, which helped guide a ground-breaking project we
conducted for the Commonwealth Bank.
28
One Organisation
Far-reaching Impact
over
10,000,000
52,000
employees
customers
throughout
Australia and
overseas
800,000
personal
shareholders
“…above all our business is about trust. In a business of our scale, if 99.9% of people behave with impeccable values,
that still leaves 50 people who don’t. And their efforts can undermine the actions of their 50,000 passionate,
dedicated colleagues. We keep working on integrity, accountability, collaboration, service and excellence.
For over a year, we have been working with The Ethics Centre on identifying specific actions we can take as a
leadership team and through the business to continue to strengthen the culture.”
I an Narev
CEO, Commonwealth Bank of Australia
CBA Annual General Meeting, 17 November 2015
29
Ethical Literacy
Reinforcing a Shaken Industry
WHICH WAY WILL YOU GO?
The financial planning industry has been in a state of crisis following recent
cases of poor financial advice, unethical practices and bad decision-making.
The public has lost trust in the industry and many financial planning clients
have suffered greatly, both financially and emotionally. There are of course
many ethical practitioners, but they have suffered too, facing reputational
damage and a backlash against their profession. We have encountered,
first-hand, the costs endured by both groups.
In response to this, The Ethics Centre developed Ethical Literacy, an education
and training program for employees affected by these unethical practices.
This cutting-edge program draws on contemporary research in philosophy,
moral psychology, behavioural ethics and neuroscience, and was created to
help relieve and prevent the related distress felt by people working in the
financial advice industry and their clients. People who are ethically literate
are better able to see the bigger picture, and to contribute authentically and
meaningfully to a culture that supports an organisation’s purpose and principles.
30
WAYM AK E R
EXPLORE FURTHER
MAK E B ET T ER D ECI S I O N S
TAKE A CHALLENGE
>
Designed and developed in consultation with key industry leaders
including AMP, ANZ, BT Financial Group, Commonwealth Bank and
Macquarie Bank, the pilot program is already producing great results.
Ethical Literacy gives participants the insight and tools to:
+ better understand other people’s perspectives
+ build stronger relationships with customers and colleagues
+ better handle challenges, pressures and conflicts of interest
+ feel more confident in their decision-making ability
+ make responsible and ethically sound decisions.
Innovation in Ethics: Waymaker App
To supplement our Ethical Literacy program we have developed an online
learning platform and an innovative smartphone app. These tools allow us
to deliver deeper engagement in the program through a mix of digital and
face-to-face learning.
Our mobile app, Waymaker, invites the user to solve a range of challenging
ethical dilemmas to uncover their own personal ethical decision-making style.
TH
E VIRTUOSO
TH
E C U O DIAN
ST
THE
A CTIVIS
T
TH
E CHA MPION
Your ethical style guides how you navigate and resolve tough decisions.
Understanding your strengths and weaknesses bolsters your capacity for
sound ethical decision-making.
The app and online learning platform allow us to deliver high-quality, personalised
training and support to individuals, while being able to easily scale to reach
greater numbers of people, enabling us to benefit entire industries.
TH
E D I P L O M AT
TH
E O RIE NTEER
TH
E C A TA K E R
RE
THE
REFEREE
“When culture is rotten, it often is ordinary Australians who lose
their money. Markets might recover, but often people do not.”
Greg Medcraft
Chairman, Australian Securities and Investments Commission
Sydney Morning Herald, 29 May 2015
31
30%
6%
30% of our work was with
the financial & professional
services sector.
13% of our work was with
the public sector.
6% of our work was with
the sport industry.
Financial & Professional Services
Public Sector
Sport
When there is ethical failure in
financial services – as has been
well documented in recent years
– the first victims are clearly the
customers, who in many cases have
lost their homes, their security and
life savings. For some, this distress
results in mental health issues,
drug and alcohol abuse and even
suicide. The cost to society, including
compensation payouts, is enormous.
Public sector employees work hard
to serve the needs of a diverse
community. Through policy settings
and the delivery of essential services,
they hold the lives and wellbeing
of countless individuals in their
hands. But the public service faces
significant ethical challenges.
In Australia, sport is constantly in
the spotlight, often for the wrong
reasons. Scandals within the
profession and in the personal
lives of players highlight an ethical
minefield that encompasses drugs,
violence, cheating, abuse, competitive
pressure and toxic team cultures.
We hold young athletes to high
standards but give them few tools
to cope. The Drugs In Sport inquiry
demonstrated the extraordinary
pressure these factors place on
players, staff and even fans.
Such scandals also impact the
professionals who work in the sector
who feel tarnished by the actions
of a minority. They speak of deep
levels of shame and mental anguish,
of damage to their reputation. Some
have been horrified by the hypocrisy
and double-standards of their
employers. Others who have taken
a stand against unethical behaviour
have found themselves ostracised.
32
13%
Recent media reports show that
governments can have significant
bullying and harassment issues
within their departments. Last year
the taxpayer spend on public sector
bullying and harassment claims
reached over $80 million. These cases
erode trust in and respect for the public
sector, adding further stress and anxiety
to a difficult job. They impact the very
people the sector is there to help.
Helping sportspeople to find their
moral compass – to make better
decisions – saves good people from
catastrophic situations. If sporting
heroes display ethical behaviour,
it can have a positive effect on
thousands of fans.
A Widespread Need
+
Health Services
$
+
Media
Financial Services
Emergency Services
Sport
Education
Our Clients
Actuaries Institute
AFL Players' Association
Aftercare Australia
AMP Services
ANZ
Audrey Page & Associates
Australian Defence College
Australian Dental Council
Australian Nuclear Science
and Technology Organisation
Australian Rugby Union
Australian Rural Leadership
Foundation
BHP Billiton
BT Financial Group
BVN Architecture
Centric Wealth
Charles Sturt University
Commonwealth Bank of
Australia
Curtin University
Department of Defence
Griffith University
Health Consumers NSW
Infant Nutrition Council
ING Bank Australia
Institute of Internal Auditors
Australia
Insurance Australia
Group
Insurance Council of
Australia
Kennards Group
Leichhardt Municipal Council
Macquarie Equities
Macquarie Group Services
Australia
Media Group Ukraine
National Australia Bank
Nestle Australia
NSW Police Force
NSW Rural Fire Service
Origin Energy
Our Community
Prinz
Reconciliation Australia
Relationships Australia
Reserve Bank of Australia
Responsible Gambling Fund
Royal Australian and
New Zealand College of
Radiologists
Santos
Senate Procedure Office
Scentre Group
St Catherine's School
Strata Community Australia
Study Group Australia
Sunshine Coast Sports
Federation
Sydney Community Foundation
Tasmanian Leaders Inc
Telstra
The Benevolent Society
The Climate Institute
The Greens NSW
Transparency International
Australia
Triathalon Australia
Tyro Payments
UniSuper Management
University College
University of Sydney
Urban Growth NSW
UTS
VicRoads
VicSuper
Victorian Funds Management
Corporation
Web Profits
Westpac Banking Corporation
Zurich Financial Services
Australia
33
Coming together to talk openly and explore the
issues that matter equips us with the insight and
skills to address difficult situations, answer urgent
questions and make informed decisions about
how we live.
In the early days of The Ethics Centre, philosopher and Executive Director
Dr Simon Longstaff set up a humble circle of chairs in the centre of
Sydney’s bustling CBD and invited people to join a conversation.
Everyone was welcome. It was a safe place to talk about the things that
matter – issues of concern, large and small, that cut to the heart and
centre of being human.
The Ethics Centre was founded to be a centre for applied ethics and
remains unique in the world for its practical support that is accessible to
all, and its ability to offer a truly independent, non-judgmental space for
reflection. The essence represented by that circle of chairs remains the
same today, and underpins all that we do. Encouragingly, our forms of
engagement have diversified, and in line with our original aims, the circle
has grown exponentially to encompass widespread and diverse audiences.
To complement our ethics counselling, consulting and education programs,
we have developed a series of events and forums created to bring people
together to work through some of the toughest ethical issues of our time.
To offer support to as many people as possible, we have also launched
an engaging online environment to disseminate ethics-based content,
and created various forms of interactive digital media that allow us to extend
our reach and scale the delivery of our programs.
At its core, The Ethics Centre remains committed to injecting a pause into
the centre of public life and allowing people to stop, connect with others
and explore the complex ethical challenges we face. From those early days
to now, one thing shows itself time and time again: when we offer people
the space to talk about the things that matter and reflect on their place in
the world, we equip them with tools to navigate complexity, and be better
citizens in a better world.
35
CREATING A
SAFE SPACE
Growing Our Reach
"WHERE DO I TURN?"
Our world is changing at a rapid rate, constantly throwing us new
ethical questions. And while we have more ways to connect than ever
before, our work consistently shows us that people often feel emotionally
disconnected, isolated and left grappling with problems alone.
Our ethics-based events, publications and online platforms are open
forums designed to support meaningful dialogue and spark debate,
challenge preconceived notions and empower, inform or comfort in the
face of difficult ethical challenges.
Connecting with other people and having honest conversations about the
difficult issues we face can give us the tools and insight to work through
current and future ethical challenges in our personal and professional lives.
Having the space for reflection can help illuminate the path forward in
times of uncertainty.
Often complex ethical issues that cause anguish or concern are glossed
over. Our public forums and articles delve into topics from poverty,
addiction and racism, to international security and healthcare – helping
people to make sense of them. As well as raising awareness and
understanding of the Centre’s services, these activities provide a gateway to
help when it is needed. Rather than waiting for people to find us, we reach
out to those seeking support with difficult situations, through our face-to-face
events, publications, articles and online communities.
37
Events & Forums
Our most popular event topics in 2014–15:
Happiness & the Brain
The Ethics of Anxiety
The Ethics of Online Dating
The Ethics Centre runs an innovative program of events that allow
people to explore the most challenging ethical issues we face today.
Created to be an inclusive and accessible forum for diverse voices,
our events help people find their way through the complexities and
stresses of modern life. Events are critical to our public engagement,
education and advocacy work. They also help us raise awareness of
our counselling and consulting services.
We aim to produce events that are unlike any others – original talks,
workshops, discussions and experiences that encourage rich dialogue
about complex ethical issues that are on the collective mind.
38
Love & the Brain
Society Would Flourish
Under Female Rule
We are Becoming Enslaved
by Our Technology
Our events, designed as intimate, interactive open forums held in our
event space at The Ethics Centre, focus closely on issues at the centre
of being human. While the program will be fully rolled out in 2016,
this year we ran 15 in-house events engaging an audience of over 1,100.
These events delved into far-ranging subjects – from politics and genetics
to belonging. Our new Thought Experiment series examined happiness,
love, enhancement and the brain. The success of these new events
demonstrates that people need and want to talk over these complex human
issues, and that The Ethics Centre has a vital role to play in bringing people
together to facilitate this important dialogue.
AT A GLANCE
The Ethics of Anxiety was our most
popular event and was held twice
due to overwhelming demand.
Anxiety is considered a natural
part of life. There are some who
experience brief moments of inner
turmoil and those who suffer
from a constant, painful hum
that makes daily life a struggle.
Speakers included a psychotherapist,
a professor from Sydney University’s
Brain & Mind Research Institute,
a philosophy teacher and a
self-professed anxiety sufferer.
The significant interest in this
topic showed that people relate
ethical dilemmas with anxiety and
are looking for ways to reduce the
distress they bring.
ANXIETY
23
15,200
23 distinct ethics
events and forums
delivered in 2014–15
15,200 attendees at
our in-house events,
our IQ2 debates
and the Festival of
Dangerous Ideas
1M+
Millions of viewers and
listeners through TV and
radio broadcasts
39
IQ2 Intelligence Squared Debates
40
The Ethics Centre’s IQ2 Intelligence Squared events provide a large, public
forum for live debate that raises the level of discussion on some of the
more confronting issues we face today. The primary aim of these events is
to explore different viewpoints, challenge individual and collective bias and
allow people to examine their values, principles and beliefs, with the goal of
forging greater insight, empathy and understanding.
During the year we held five IQ2 debates, attracting more than 4,000
attendees and a viewing audience in the millions thanks to the broadcast
support of ABC and BBC World.
Our most popular debate for the year, with an audience of over 1,200,
was the fiery ‘Society Would Flourish Under Female Rule’ on 28 October
2014. The debate explored changes in gender roles and identity and the
turmoil that can be felt as a result. Speakers included social commentator
Jane Caro, sociologist Eva Cox and broadcaster Helen Razer.
28/10/14: Society Would Flourish Under Female Rule
IQ2 debates in 2014–15:
12/08/14: We are Becoming Enslaved by our Technology
31/03/15: Only the Wicked Need Fear Government Spying
12/05/15: Good Riddance to the Media Dinosaurs
Festival of Dangerous Ideas
Dangerous ideas are unsettling, inspiring and disruptive; they have the
potential to shake up every aspect of our lives. Proudly co-curated
with the Sydney Opera House, the annual Festival of Dangerous Ideas
brings together leading thinkers and culture creators from around the
world. They take the stage to challenge the status quo, start important
conversations and push boundaries.
The Festival of Dangerous Ideas aligns with our mission to provide a safe
space in which people can encounter ideas that challenge their deepest
held beliefs. Internationally renowned and attracting thousands of attendees
each year, the Festival also provides a fantastic opportunity for us to reach
new and diverse audiences and raise awareness of our services.
Held on 30 and 31 August 2014, this was the sixth annual Festival of
Dangerous Ideas, and once again it was a huge success. It prompted
us to question our view of ourselves and our place in the world with
speakers including Salman Rushdie, Steven Pinker, Nadezhda (Nadya)
Tolokonnikova and Maria (Masha) Alekhina from Pussy Riot, Lydia Cacho
and John Pilger. Topics ranged from surrogacy and free speech to artificial
intelligence and divestment.
During the weekend, we established a space within the Sydney Opera
House for people to continue discussing and challenging new ideas.
Across the two days, FODI-goers filled our Ethics Lounge and over 800
attendees signed up to our Ethics E-News to learn more about the Centre.
We asked these new subscribers which ethical issues they wanted to
explore. The top five issues were gender equality, politics, technology,
environment and education. The results informed much of our work this year.
41
Online Engagement
115,000
115,000 visits to our
website in 2014–15.
53,600
53,600 Twitter impressions
in May 2015 – up from 7,000
impressions in July 2014.
Online content and communities give a broad spectrum of people open
access and unique opportunities to engage with each other on complex
and controversial topics, and access to the wisdom and experience of a
broad range of experts.
The Ethics Centre has a growing online community looking to explore life’s
tough decisions. To provide support and insight to help make sense of
these situations, we produce thought-provoking, accessible online content
featuring a range of topics – from extremism and bullying, to racism and
freedom of speech.
42
2,356
2,356 Facebook followers –
an increase of 118%.
6,247
73% increase in subscribers
to Ethics E-News – from
3,601 to 6,247.
In line with our intent to be a truly inclusive and accessible centre,
throughout the year we worked to engage with new audiences by
improving our website, social media and email communications.
In May 2015, we employed a full-time Marketing & Communications
Curator, with digital engagement a key part of that role.
Expanding our online engagement has allowed us to reach younger
people from culturally diverse backgrounds in Australia and around the
world. As a result of our efforts, we engaged with more people online
than ever before.
Publications & Media
59
59 thought leadership
articles on pressing
ethical issues.
20,268
20,268 unique reads
of our article on the
ethics of birth.
Ethics is at the centre of many of the day’s news stories. Opinion pieces
provide a variety of options for what people should think, but there is less
material teaching people how to think about contentious issues. The Centre
fills this gap by producing high-quality content that helps readers explore
ethical paths and in-depth thinking. As an independent organisation, we can
provide fair and balanced commentary, without fear or favour.
In 2014–15, we published 59 thought leadership articles attracting 8,211
unique visitors to our website. An article on women’s rights to choose
how they give birth attracted a year record of 20,268 unique reads and
a charge of online comments and discussion.
Four issues of our Ethics Quarterly magazine were published throughout
the year and distributed to approximately 4,800 readers. Articles ranged
from animal experimentation to the executions of Andrew Chan and Myuran
Sukumaran. In May 2015 we decided to suspend production of Ethics
Quarterly and redirect our limited resources into growing our flourishing
online platform, which allows us to reach a much larger and more diverse
audience. The majority of our members strongly supported this decision
and continue to engage with our articles online.
268%
268% increase in the number
of print and online clips that
reference The Ethics Centre.
100+
Over 100 media articles
and interviews covering the
Centre’s work.
The Ethics Centre actively engages in all forms of media, providing
comment for news stories and writing articles and opinion pieces.
Media coverage has had a positive knock-on effect in helping us reach
people in distress. For example, media mentions of Ethi-call, our free ethics
helpline, consistently result in a spike in the number of calls received.
In March 2015, we engaged Professional Public Relations to help us
manage media requests and increase media outreach. Our key objectives
were to drive more calls to Ethi-call, increase the number of organisations
we assist through our ethics consulting and education services, and be
the first point of contact for journalists when decision-making is called
into question.
From March to August 2015 we saw a 268% increase in the number
of print and online clips that referenced The Ethics Centre, compared to
the previous six months. Our media efforts resulted in more Ethi-call calls,
higher attendance at our events and a greater awareness of the work we do.
In the 2015–16 financial year we expect a sharp increase in the quantity and
reach of our articles, thanks to the creation of a new Content Producer role.
43
In our increasingly complex world, one thing shows
itself time and time again: when we have the
impetus, insight and tools to make sound ethical
decisions, good will grow.
1989
The Ethics Centre is
established.
2009
1991
Ethi-call, the only free
ethics counselling
helpline in the world,
is launched.
The Festival of Dangerous
Ideas is founded by
The Ethics Centre in
partnership with the
Sydney Opera House.
2009
1991
The first edition of
our quarterly ethics
magazine is published.
The Ethics Centre brings
the United Nations Global
Compact to Australia,
the world's largest initiative
for principles in human rights,
labour, environment and
anti-corruption.
1994
The Vincent Fairfax
Fellowship program,
designed to foster
ethical leadership
in the Australian
community, is created.
2010
Primary Ethics is
established to provide
ethics education in
urban, regional and
rural primary schools
in NSW.
1998
Formal training of
volunteer ethics
counsellors begins.
2010
2007
$2 million received from
Treasury to implement
the National Responsible
Business Practice project,
including the Global
Reporting Initiative to help
organisations understand
their impact on climate
change, human rights and
corruption.
The Banking and
Finance Oath is
established as the first
major initiative of The
Banking and Finance
Ethics Panel.
2012
BBC begins broadcasting
the IQ2 debate series
in Australia to an
audience of 70 million
across the globe.
2013
The Ethics Centre
settles into its first
permanent home,
at the historic Legion
House on Castlereagh
Street, Sydney.
2014
The Ethics Centre
celebrates 25 years.
2008
The global IQ2
Intelligence Squared
debate series is
brought to Australia.
45
SPARKING
SOCIAL CHANGE
Raising Awareness
"WHY BE ETHICAL?"
All forms of culture are built on an ethical foundation that ultimately
explains the choices that are made on a daily basis. From education
systems to the way countries are governed, sometimes the only way to
transform lives and relieve people’s suffering in the wake of large-scale
unethical behaviour is to effect ethical change at a systemic level.
As a self-funded not-for-profit organisation, our independence affords
us valuable convening power – an ability to bring diverse or contesting
parties together in a safe space to discuss common issues, resolve
shared challenges or commit to higher standards of integrity. This unique
convening power has led to the establishment of major social impact
initiatives that continue to thrive today.
These include Primary Ethics, which delivers vital ethics education to schools
across New South Wales, and The Banking and Finance Oath, which works
with key industry leaders to build trust and integrity in that sector.
Our work seeks to place ethics at the centre of public life – as a shared
impulse to live in line with values and principles. In collaboration with
passionate individuals and organisations around the world, we create and
contribute to projects and campaigns designed to spark positive social
change, advance the position of ethics in the community and guide people
at all levels of society to act ethically. These unique initiatives also serve
to raise awareness of the support on offer through our ethics consulting,
education and counselling services.
47
Primary Ethics
29,000
29,000 students
attended Primary
Ethics classes.
383
1,800
Classes were run in
383 schools.
1,800 trained
volunteers taught
ethics classes to
children from K-6.
Our fundamental values, principles and ethical standards are shaped by
the lessons we learn as children.
To equip children with critical-thinking and decision-making skills,
and help build strong, ethical communities, The Ethics Centre founded
Primary Ethics in December 2010. This charity organisation designs and
delivers ethics lessons to children in NSW Government primary schools
as an alternative to religious instruction or quiet supervision. Trained and
dedicated volunteers teach children to reflect on their own values,
principles and behaviour, and develop skills such as ethical decision-making,
considering the interests of others, understanding consequences and
judging what is right and wrong.
3,000 parents were reached
through the Primary Ethics
newsletter.
This year, 29,000 students in 383 schools attended Primary Ethics classes –
up 52% on 2014. Classes were taught by 1,800 volunteers – up 41% from
the previous year.
In 2014–15 Primary Ethics developed a curriculum for Kindergarten students,
upgraded e-learning infrastructure and worked towards finalising the full
Kindergarten to Year 6 curriculum. The program expanded into a number of
new schools in Greater Western Sydney and large regional towns. To build
direct relationships with parents, the primaryethics@home newsletter was
launched and sent regularly to around 3,000 parents. The newsletter includes
updates on classroom discussion and exercises and activities to reinforce
learning at home.
Primary Ethics began life as an initiative of The Ethics Centre. It is now a separate and independent entity consolidated with The Ethics Centre for annual reporting purposes.
48
3,000
Politician’s Pledge
#TAKETHEPLEDGE
In the lead-up to the NSW state election in March 2015, it was clear that
many people had lost their faith in democracy. The level of trust in politicians
was at an all-time low, and voters felt cynical, disillusioned and helpless.
We saw an urgent need to give voters the opportunity to demand better
standards across Australian politics, so in early March we launched
our Politician’s Pledge initiative in partnership with the Sydney Morning
Herald. This state-wide campaign gave voters a platform to ask their
representatives to pledge to lead with integrity, keep their promises and
advance public interests before personal interest.
We ran a high-profile media campaign which was extended to metro and
regional media outlets.
Campaign results:
+ 215 candidates (23% of all those standing) signed the pledge in just
over two weeks
+ S
ignatories included 111 candidates from the Labor Party, three Liberals,
33 Greens, 15 Independents and 53 from eight minor parties
The Pledge
As originally conceived, the practice of politics is intended to be a noble calling.
Yet, without voluntary, ethical restraint, the pursuit and exercise of power risks
becoming personal, brutal and self-serving; coarsening the polity, bringing public
institutions into disrepute and damaging the common good.
So, consistent with the highest ideals of our profession, I promise that:
In the pursuit of power, I will:
+ Act in good conscience;
+ Enable informed decision-making by my fellow citizens;
+ Respect the intrinsic dignity of all;
+ Refrain from exploiting my rivals’ private failings for political gain; and
+ Act so as to merit the trust and respect of the community.
In the exercise of power, I will:
+ strong support from voters
+ G
ive effect to the ideals of democratic government and represent the
interests of my electorate as a whole;
+ extensive coverage on Twitter and Facebook
+ Abide by the letter and spirit of the Constitution and uphold the rule of law;
+ media impressions in excess of 850,000.
+ Advance the public interest before any personal, sectional or partisan interest;
+ Hold myself accountable for conduct for which I am responsible; and
+ E
xercise the privileges and discharge the duties of public office with
dignity, care and honour.
49
The Banking & Finance Oath
“Finance depends on trust. In fact, in the end, it can depend on
little else. Where trust has been damaged, repair has to be made.”
Glenn Stevens
Governor, Reserve Bank of Australia
AFR Banking and Wealth Summit, 8 May 2015
In the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis and subsequent financial
services scandals, the banking and finance industry has struggled to regain
public trust. Many people suffered financial and emotional distress at the
hands of the industry, and those working within the sector must now repair
the damage done to the reputation of their profession.
Launched in 2012, The Banking and Finance Oath (BFO) is an industry-led
initiative developed to reassert the ethical foundation of the sector. This unique
initiative asks people to take an oath to be accountable for their behaviour.
The Ethics Centre played a pivotal role in bringing competing organisations
across the finance industry together under the shared values and principles
of the oath.
The BFO plays an important role in promoting integrity, ethics and trust
in the banking and finance industry, both within the industry itself and
the wider community. By creating a network of signatories, The BFO
strengthens workplace cultures and facilitates positive change that looks
beyond regulation. It also supports and develops future industry leaders
who are equipped to make ethical decisions.
This year The BFO played a vital governance role in helping to shape
The Ethics Centre’s new Ethical Literacy program, which has received
strong support from the industry.
Highlights from 2014-15:
+ 220 industry members took the Oath.
+ 100% of people who attended BFO events signed the Oath.
+ The BFO raised its profile in the public eye and became a thought
leader in media.
+ The BFO developed a number of new programs, including:
– t he Elders program, which helps current and future members of the
industry connect with industry leaders
– the Young Ambassadors and Industry Young Ambassador programs,
which aim to create a closer alliance with universities, students and
future leaders
– 100% Committed program, which recognises companies that
encourage all staff to sign The BFO
– the Like-Minded Lunch Series, which aims to establish a network of
like-minded individuals, and recognise not-for-profit groups that have
a shared focus on building the ethics, integrity and trust of the sector.
The Banking and Finance Oath began life as an initiative of The Ethics Centre. It is now a separate and independent entity consolidated with The Ethics Centre for annual reporting purposes.
50
“This Centre occupies a unique position in Australia’s social
and intellectual landscape – leading and framing national
conversations, not only about who we are, but about who
we want to be, where in our finest moments we want to go.”
Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO
Former Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia
00
25 years, one focus: to improve lives by supporting
individuals and communities to make sound ethical
decisions. Our world is in a constant state of flux,
and the need for resilient ethical cultures has
never been greater. At the centre of this need is
where we aim to be.
An Exciting New Chapter Begins
In June 2015 we officially changed our name from St James Ethics Centre
to The Ethics Centre.
Our name change followed a significant review of our communications,
which we undertook as we celebrated our 25-year anniversary in
November 2014. As an organisation that has been operating for a quarter
of a century, we wanted to know how people perceived us so we could
continue to evolve and grow.
The review was carried out by research and communications strategists
Glider. In-depth interviews were conducted with representatives across
our complete stakeholder ecosystem from our core team and executive
leadership, our board, strategic council, funders, members, current and
growth audiences as well as a survey sample of the general public – over
800 people in total.
Consistently, many people identified our name – particularly the ‘St James’
element – as a real issue of concern, believing it suggested an affiliation
with religion or implied the role of a ‘moral policeman’ – neither of which
is true. The review found that a new name that proactively includes people
from different backgrounds and cultures, would expand our ability to build
new or diverse audiences and opportunities to extend services, providing
support to more people.
Although our name has changed, our mission remains the same. We are
committed to developing ways to reposition ethics at the centre of
everyday life, and relieving the anguish and anxiety that can result when
ethics are not upheld.
53
LOOKING AHEAD
Strategic Priorities
Our primary goal is to help those who need us most: people who are struggling with major ethical dilemmas, or who are suffering the devastating effects
that arise from unethical behaviour. We will achieve this goal by focusing on four key priority areas.
NEW AUDIENCES
NEW BENEFICIARIES
To increase our impact we must extend our
reach to an ever-growing community of
beneficiaries, clients, supporters, followers,
subscribers, readers and audience members.
TELLING OUR STORY
01
A particular focus in 2015–16 is to reach
younger audiences, and to work harder to
extend our reach and impact beyond Sydney.
Over time, by mobilising the power of social
media, media advocacy and digital content,
we’ll reach a culturally diverse community of
all ages from all over Australia.
An important project in 2015–16 will be the
upgrade of our Ethi-call service to optimise
the user experience and improve accessibility.
We will also undertake an extensive audit of
all our technology needs – IT, audiovisual,
broadcast, CRM system – in order to futureproof the Centre and take bold next steps
towards building our online service delivery
and advocacy capabilities.
In 2016 we will continue to progress this year’s notable
gains in communicating our work, using new and
traditional channels to give a louder, clearer voice to
ethics in the national conversation. Raising our profile
will also help us attract increased philanthropic support
so that we can extend our critical social impact.
OUR VISION
A better world where
people have the capacity
to do the right thing.
UPSCALING THROUGH
INNOVATION
We will continue to invest in technology and
skilled staff. This will enable us to leverage our
offline services and resources, allowing us to
better utilise the assets we have, and to realise
new opportunities for growth.
02
03
Much of our work is subject to client confidentiality,
which makes it difficult for some to understand what we
do or to appreciate its full impact. It’s vital that we find
ways to demonstrate the life-changing power of ethics
guidance and counselling through thought-leadership,
public advocacy and improved digital content.
BUILDING OUR
RESOURCE BASE
04
Our success – or social impact – depends to a
large degree on disciplined management, strong
culture and consistent revenue streams. This relies
on the capabilities and collaborative effort of a team
of committed people, our human capital. We have
already invested heavily in hiring high-calibre talent
across multiple disciplines and our future depends
on our ability to leverage the team to create an agile,
responsive and genuinely innovative organisation.
2015–16 will see a renewed focus on fundraising
as we design and execute a sophisticated new
strategy that will deliver needed increases in revenue
over the coming years.
55
Governance
“The Ethics Centre was founded 25 years ago by a small group of
passionate individuals who were ambitious enough to dream of
a more ethical world. Our circle has grown immeasurably in that
time, but what remains the same is the commitment and passion.”
Peter Joseph
Chairman, The Ethics Centre
The Ethics Centre is a not-for-profit association and was incorporated
in February 1990 under the NSW Associations Incorporation Act, 1984.
The Centre is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors.
The Ethics Centre's Constitution requires 10 directors to be appointed,
– in June 2015 there were 10. Directors are elected by the Centre’s
members at the Annual General Meeting. One third of the directors must
retire each year, being those longest in office since they were last elected.
Directors delegate the day-to-day management of the business to the
Executive Director and Executive General Manager.
Director’s Meetings
The number of Board meetings and meetings of its committees held
during 2014–15, plus the number of meetings attended by each director,
are listed in our Annual Financial Report.
Role of the Board
The Board is the trustee of the founding spirit and vision of the Centre,
and responsible for its good governance. It oversees the management of the
organisation and meets six times a year to:
+ approve the strategic direction and policies
+ approve and monitor budgets
+ define appropriate financial and risk management strategies
+ ensure compliance with relevant standards, regulations and reporting
requirements
+ provide accountability to members and stakeholders
+ appoint, support and monitor the performance of the Executive Director
and Executive General Manager.
The Ethics Centre’s editorial views are formed independently of any influence.
The Board plays no role in editorial policy.
56
Members
The Centre is a membership-based organisation. Reflecting the democratic
spirit of The Ethics Centre’s purpose and founders, we aim to have a
diverse membership. Our members form the core of The Ethics Centre’s
community. The Board of Directors is accountable to the members.
Board of Directors
Our constitution specifies that the Board should have
10 directors, each of whom is elected by the Centre’s
members at an Annual General Meeting. The Board
appoints the Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.
Committees
Management and Staff
The Board has established four committees, which report directly to it.
These are the:
The Centre’s executive management is led by Dr Simon Longstaff AO,
Executive Director and Ed St John, Executive General Manager.
+ Public Benevolent Institution Compliance Committee
In June 2015, the Centre had 16 staff and a pool of seven specialist
counsellors and educators. During the year a resource pool of 67 people
volunteered their time and skills to the delivery of our Ethi-call service,
Festival of Dangerous Ideas and other events.
+ Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee
+ Strategy Committee
+ Nominations Committee.
57
Our Board
Peter Joseph AM
Christine McLoughlin
BCom, MBA, FAICD
Chairman
18 April 1997 – present
BA LLB, FAICD
2 December 2010 – 9 December 2014
Peter joined The Ethics Centre Board in 1994 and
became its Chairman in 1997. His career spans over
40 years in business and investment banking.
Peter is the current Chair of The Black Dog Institute and
The Health Science Alliance, UNSW Campus; and a
Director of Tonic Health Media. He is also the former
Chair of St Vincent's Hospital Ltd, Mater Health Sydney
and Riverview College Council.
Christine is a company director and business adviser with
extensive experience across a range of sectors, including
financial services, mining, science and technology,
telecommunications, insurance and health. She is a regular
presenter on corporate governance and stakeholder
management. She currently serves on the boards of
Suncorp Group Ltd, Whitehaven Coal Ltd, NIB Holdings
Ltd, Spark Infrastructure Group and The Smith Family,
and chairs the Australian Payments Council.
Michael Pain
Stephen Loosley AM
MBA – INSEAD, AICD
30 November 2009 – present
BA LLB, FAICD
2 December 2010 – present
Michael is a Managing Director with Accenture Australia,
heading up Accenture Analytics across Australia and
New Zealand. He’s particularly focused on analytics
use in the public sector, mining and financial services.
He is also a Director of Child Fund Australia.
Prior to being elected to the Australian Senate in 1990,
Stephen was the Australian Labor Party’s NSW General
Secretary. During his term, he served as Chairman of the
Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs. Currently,
he serves as the Chair of the Australian Strategic Policy
Institute, Deputy Chair of the Asia Society, a Director
of Minter Ellison Lawyers’ Strategic Council, on the
advisory boards of Thales Australia and the Woomera
Prohibited Area, and the boards of CoverMore and the
Salvation Army Territorial Advisory Council.
Andrew J. Molan AO DSC
Ret Major General
30 November 2009 – present
Jim is a former commander of operational forces in the ADF, Diplomat in
the Australian Embassy Jakarta and Special Envoy to the Prime Minster
for border control. He has been an infantryman, a helicopter pilot, and a
commander of army units from a 30-man platoon to a division of 15,000
soldiers. Jim is currently a commentator on defence and security issues,
and is a Director of the Sir Richard Williams Foundation and Patron of
several NFP organisations.
58
Maria Atkinson AM
BSc, GAICD
26 November 2012 – present
Maria is an internationally recognised leader in sustainability,
green building, corporate responsibility and impact investment.
She was the co-founder and CEO of the Green Building Council
of Australia. She serves as a Director of the Royal Botanic
Gardens and Domain Trust, the US Studies Centre, Lafarge
Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction, Yelloday Pty Ltd
and Agreed Pty Ltd.
Our Board
Stuart Marshall
Michelle Tredenick
BEcon, CA, MBA - AGSM
Treasurer
9 April 2014 – present
BSc, FAICD, FINSIA
28 October 2013 – present
Stuart is a Global Lead Audit Partner at KPMG,
where he coordinates global audits of ASX 50
companies in the real estate and construction industry.
His experience ranges from acquisition, due diligence,
capital raisings, accounting advice, internal audit, risk
management and advisory engagements. He is an
Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants
in Australia and New Zealand.
Michelle is a company director with extensive experience
in banking, insurance, wealth management, education,
health insurance, superannuation and technology.
She has twice been awarded Banking and Finance CIO
of the Year, and is a Fellow of the Institute of Company
Directors. She currently serves as Chair of the IAG/
NRMA Corporate Superannuation Fund, is a Director
of the Bank of Queensland, Vocation Ltd, Canstar and
a member of the University Queensland's Senate.
Rob Wannan
BA(Hons) LLB, FAICD
9 April 2014 – present
Rob is a lawyer and company director with over
35 years’ experience in corporate commercial and
property transactions. He is a former Chairman of
Kemp Strang Lawyers, and currently a consultant at
this firm. His particular expertise is in agribusiness,
rural enterprises, water rights and irrigation. Rob is a
Trustee of the Sydney Opera House Trust, and past
Chairman of the Knox Grammar School Council and
Rock Eisteddfod Challenge Foundation.
Narelle Hooper
Masters Mgt - MGSM
26 May 2015 – present
As former editor of the Financial Review’s award-winning
BOSS Magazine, and with more than two decades in
business journalism behind her, Narelle is highly skilled
at corporate leadership. She is the founding co-chair of
the Australian Financial Review-Westpac Group Women
of Influence Awards, and a Director of the Tasmanian
Development Board and Documentary Australia Foundation.
Geoffrey Cousins AM
6 August 2013 – 18 August 2015
Geoff was CEO of Optus and served on several company boards ranging from PBL to Telstra.
With a successful career as an advertising executive and corporate businessman, Geoff is a
community leader. He is the founding chair of the Starlight Foundation and Sydney's Museum
of Contemporary Art. He is currently a Director of NM Rothschild & Sons Ltd and Rothschild
Australia Asset Management Ltd.
John Dedes
Secretary
10 December 2014 – present
59
Our Supporters
Much of our income is from people who care enough about the work we do to put their hand into their pocket and donate. Individuals, businesses,
trusts and foundations direct their resources to support more people struggling with ethical dilemmas. This generous public and corporate support has
allowed us to expand our services to help more people in more places than ever before, and guards our independence as an advocate for social change.
Without our donors, and the commitment and spirit of our volunteers and pro bono supporters, it would be impossible to do the essential work we do.
Catalysts
John Atkin
Maria Atkinson AM
Matt Bachle
Eleanor Bachle
Anthony Berg AM
Ronald Beslich OAM
John Bevins
Andrew Buchanan
Simon Buckingham
Annie Crawford
Sam Bungey
Cassie Bungey
Darleen Bungey
Alan Cameron AO
David Clarke
Richard Cogswell SC
Anne Collier
David Cousins
Petrina Coventry
Christopher Cuffe
Mark Dempsey
Michael Dobrijevich
Nicholas Fairfax
John B Fairfax AO
Bill Ferris AC
Lea Ferris
Sarah Fielke
60
Donors
Virginia Ford Zink
Caroline Furniss
Gary Gerstle
Penny Gerstle
Bonney Ghosh
David Gonski AC
Kathryn Greiner AO
Judy Haddrick
David Hardy
David Heard
Carolyn Hewson
Peter Hunt AM
Belinda Hutchinson
Justine Jarvinen
Robert Joannides
Peter Joseph AM
Ian Lear
Karen Loblay
William Marynissen
Roger Hutchinson
Wendy McCarthy AO
Robert McDougall
Christine McLoughlin
Sam Meers
Jackie Milijash
Jim Molan AO DSC
Sam Mostyn
Cynthia Nadai
Ian Narev
Henric Nicholas
Fiona Nuttall
Kevin Nuttall
Michael Pain
Julia Pincus
Stephen Roberts
Lenore Robertson
Paul Robertson
Les Schirato
Margie Seale
Adam Simpson
Andy Small
Dick Smith AC
Doug Snedden
Jost Stollmann
Rob Topfer
Michelle Tredenick
Sally Treeby
Rob Wannan
Deanne Weir
Amanda Wilson
William Windeyer ARFD ED
Karen Wood
John Wylie
Marcus Adamson
Paul Ahearne
Emily Albert
Robert Albert AO
Isabelle Baker
William Bartlett
Michele Belfanti
David Blackwell
David Bond
Anna Booth
Kevin Boyce
Jill Brennan
Susan Brennan
Jane Brockington
Kevin Burges
John Butler
Brendan Byrne
John Cameron
Stephen Chivers
Philip Clark
Gillian Corban
David Corby
Michele Cotton
Robyn Croft
Alison Crook
Susan Cunningham
Barry Dale
Jill Dalton
Alan Dawson
Erna de Vries
Ian Dunlop
Bronwyn Evans
Tim Fairfax
Jenny Ferguson
Donata Fiori
Belinda Gibson
Meyrick Gilchrist
Jonathan Gordon
Peter Graves
Colin Gunn
Lorraine Hall
Maurita Harney
Doris Hart
Nigel Hearn
Alyson Hewett
Terry Hewett
Justine Hickey
David Hirsch
Elizabeth Hollingworth
William Houghton
Tess Howard
Michael Hudson
David Hurwood
Victoria Keen
Katherine Kelly
Steve Kerbel
Yarra Korczynskyj
Andrew Lamond
Anthony Lane
Richard Maguire
Marton Marosszeky
Chris Maxwell
Kathleen McCredie
Rod McGeoch
Paul Millar
Hamish Milne
Cynthia Mitchell
Henric Nicholas
Carole O’Brien
Peter O’Neill
Alice Oppen
Keith Palmer
Andrew Parker
Garry Pearson
Ken Powell
Robin Powell
Julie Royle
Jane Sanders
Anna Scott
Terry Sheahan
David Simkin
Ian Simmonds
Adrian Slater
Richard Spencer
Nigel Stoke
Phiona Stone
Norman Taralrud-Bay
Duncan Tchakalian
Chris Tennant
Michael Thompson
Shane Tiernan
Krystyna Topor
Beverley Trevenen
Patricia Wentworth
Phil Wheeler
Sally White
Annie Wicks
Genevieve Williams
Emma Wise
Ted Woodley
Our Supporters
Corporate Members
Pro Bono Supporters
Volunteers
Airservices Australia
ARITA
Ashurst Australia
Australian Institute of Company Directors
Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees
Bluestone Edge
Boardroom Partners
Centric Wealth
City of Sydney
CPA Australia
Curtis Associates
Fuji Xerox Australia
Gilbert + Tobin
Insearch Limited
Institute of Internal Auditors Australia
Leighton Holdings
Lend Lease Corporation
Marinya Capital
National Employment Services Association
NSW Rural Fire Service
Our Community
Pitch Perfect Advisors
Public Service Association of NSW
Quality Occupational Health
Regnan Governance Research & Engagement
Settlement Services International
The NSW Bar Association
TrinityP3
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Banjo
Beppi’s Restaurant
Boyd Properties
Clayton Utz
Commonwealth Bank of Australia
CTPartners
Ernst & Young
First Degree PR
Gilbert + Tobin
Instant Media
John Balazs Lazanas & Welch LLP
Jones Day
KPMG
New Philosopher
Origin Energy
Professional Public Relations
Quay Consulting
Tacklesport Australia
Mark Baxter
Giacomo Bianchino
Raffaella Bianchino
Raymond Brazil
Paige Burton
Chris Cargill
Sarah Clarke
Michelle Cooper
June Crowley
Desmond Daritan
Alexandra Fransen
Kay Freedman
Julie Giannesini
Kathleen Gilbert
Scott Gillespie
Linny Gompes
Diane Green
Rachel Gunn
Kay Hathway
Jessica Heath
Madeleine Hinchy
Michael Jacobs
Madeleine James
Stephen James
Emma Jukic
Simon Kennedy
Jennifer Lee
Gillian Levett
Julia Lipski
Hermione Loofs
Corporate Donors
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
BHP Billiton Sustainable Communities
City of Sydney
Children’s Medical Research Institute
Commonwealth Bank of Australia
Ernst & Young Foundation
Northern Beaches Secondary College –
Manly Campus
Rita Hogan Foundation
Screen Producers Australia
The Greatorex Foundation
Turkey Sandwich Industries
Tyro Payments
Westpac
Patron
His Excellency General
The Honourable
Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd)
Governor-General of the
Commonwealth of Australia
Susan McKerihan
Catherine McQueen Cawsey
Forrest Moebes
Ray Moebes
Carlos Monteverde
Bec Mouy
Trent Moy
Richard Muhs
Cynthia Nadai
Felicity Nelson
Denise North
Riley Owen
Jane Potter
Kalpana Ravichandran
Ben Redan
Tess Robb
Siobhan Rooney
Laura Scalafiotti
Elisabeth Shaw
Renard Siew
Sheenal Singh
Andy Small
Anne So
Michelle TredenickBevan
Tremain
Lucy Tremain
Julian Vanderzee
Nicole Vincent
Stephanie Voight
David Warrell
Philip Wright
61
Financial Overview 2014–15
For the year ended 30 June 2015
The funding sources and how the funding was applied represented in the charts below is in relation
to program activities undertaken by the Parent entity, The Ethics Centre only.
Program revenues
85%
Donations
6%
Sponsorship
6%
Membership
1%
Investment income
1%
Government grants 0.5%
Other
0.5%
Counselling & consulting 64%
Ethics advocacy
7%
Community & education 7%
19%
Fundraising Expenses
3%
Funding Sources:
Program Costs:
Program revenues: $4,851,525
Income received from consulting services, retainers held in relation to consulting, ethics education
learning programs, event-ticket sales and counselling services.
Counselling & consulting: $3,583,496
Includes third party consultants and staff costs in relation to delivery of integrity diagnostic – consulting
programs to organisations, costs in managing and the ongoing development of the Ethi-call service.
Donations: $320,447
Income received from fundraising appeals.
Ethics advocacy: $397,718
Includes staff and third party costs in relation to developing and promoting content, articles and curating
public debates.
Sponsorship: $318,966
Income received from corporate sponsors in support of the programs being undertaken.
Membership: $64,487
Income received from members of The Ethics Centre, as part of the annual membership subscription.
Investment income: $72,190
Income received from bank interest and copyright fees.
Government grants: $29,160
Income received from local government, City of Sydney in relation to IQ2 debates.
Other: $28,814
Income received from room, venue hire.
Total
62
Administration
$5,685,589
Community & education: $366,382
Includes staff and third party trainers in delivering education programs to organisations and public forums
and staff costs associated with research in relation to development towards ethical literacy programs.
Administration: $1,072,063
Operating expenses associated with administration and other costs inherent in running an organisation,
including staff, finance, IT, HR, professional services, telecommunications and general marketing costs.
Fundraising expenses: $143,012
The costs associated with attracting more support through donations, developing funding partnerships
and the administration of fundraising activities.
Total
$5,562,671
Statement of Profit or Loss & Other Comprehensive Income
For the year ended 30 June 2015
Parent Entity
The Ethics Centre
Consolidated
The Group
2015
2014
2015
2014
$
$
$
$
Revenue from continuing operations
Fundraising activities
Program activities
Cost of sales
Investment income
Other incidental income
Management fee from controlled entities
Total operating revenues
Operating expenditure
Surplus / (deficit) from continuing operations before income tax
Income tax expense
Surplus / (deficit) for the year from continuing operations after income tax
(restated)
733,060
627,773
2,611,933
1,819,771
4,851,525
1,007,286
4,852,965
1,007,286
(3,212,460)
(333,241)
(3,212,460)
(333,241)
72,190
53,504
472,844
87,036
3,814
218
4,989
218
25,000
-
-
-
2,473,129
1,355,540
4,730,271
2,581,070
(2,350,211)
(1,975,568)
(3,052,961)
(1,934,745)
122,918
(620,028)
1,677,310
646,325
-
-
(6,200)
-
122,918
(620,028)
1,671,110
646,325
-
-
-
-
122,918
(620,028)
1,671,110
646,325
Other comprehensive income
Other comprehensive income for the period, net of income tax
Total comprehensive income / (loss) for the year
In 2015 The Ethics Centre prepared consolidated financial statements.
Amendments to the Australian Accounting Standard AASB10 Consolidated Financial Statements were revised and became effective for annual periods beginning 1 January 2014, impacting not-for-profit entities.
Upon evaluation it was established that The Ethics Centre was required to consolidate the entities Primary Ethics Limited (‘PEL’) and The Banking And Finance Oath Limited (‘BFO’).
The parent entity of the Group is The Ethics Centre; the parent entity wholly owns the two subsidiaries being PEL and BFO, collectively ‘The Group’.
The 2014 financial accounts have been restated on a consolidated basis for comparative purposes.
63
Statement of Financial Position
For the year ended 30 June 2015
Parent Entity
The Ethics Centre
Consolidated
The Group
2015
2014
2015
2014
$
$
$
$
Assets
Total current assets
(restated)
2,737,073
1,032,372
4,283,088
2,288,570
299,472
184,760
3,311,450
1,770,055
3,036,545
1,217,132
7,594,538
4,058,625
2,168,750
483,822
2,400,665
567,429
121,423
109,856
371,423
339,856
2,290,173
593,678
2,772,088
907,285
Net assets
746,372
623,454
4,822,450
3,151,340
Equity
746,372
623,454
4,822,450
3,151,340
Total non-current assets
Total assets
Liabilities
Current liabilities
Non-current liabilities
Total liabilities
In 2015 The Ethics Centre prepared consolidated financial statements. The parent entity of the Group is The Ethics Centre; the parent entity wholly owns the two subsidiaries being PEL and BFO, collectively ‘The Group’.
The 2014 financial accounts have been restated on a consolidated basis for comparative purposes.
64
Statement of Changes in Equity
For the year ended 30 June 2015
Parent Entity
The Ethics Centre
Consolidated
The Group
Accumulated Funds
Accumulated Funds
$
$
Balance at 1 July 2013
1,243,482
2,505,015
Surplus / (deficit) for the year
(620,028)
646,325
Balance at 30 June 2014
623,454
3,151,340
Balance at 1 July 2014
623,454
3,151,340
Surplus / (deficit) for the year
122,918
1,671,110
Balance at 30 June 2015
746,372
4,822,450
Statement of changes in equity
In 2015 The Ethics Centre prepared consolidated financial statements. The parent entity of the Group is The Ethics Centre; the parent entity wholly owns the two subsidiaries being PEL and BFO, collectively ‘The Group’.
The 2014 financial accounts have been restated on a consolidated basis for comparative purposes.
65
Auditor’s Report
66
Auditor’s Report
67
How You Can Support The Ethics Centre
MAKE A DONATION
To make a valuable contribution to our work,
visit us online at ethics.org.au, contact our
Head of Development, Hilary Blackman on
02 8267 5700 or hilary.blackman@ethics.org.au
or send a cheque made out to The Ethics Centre.
COME TO AN EVENT
Attend one of our events and bring
your friends. Book tickets on our website.
SPONSOR OUR WORK
Ask your organisation to sponsor one of
The Ethics Centre’s initiatives or events.
ENGAGE OUR SERVICES
LEAVE A LEGACY
Consider us in your will. Your gift will
enable us to grow our work and help
more people.
Employ one of our programs to create and embed
ethical culture in your organisation.
The Ethics Centre is an independent, not-for-profit organisation. This vital
independence ensures our work and the guidance we provide are free
from bias or compromise. It allows us to be flexible and responsive to the
ever-changing challenges facing our society and to bring together diverse
or contesting groups around a common purpose for a common good.
While essential to our effectiveness, our independence comes, quite literally,
at a price. We rely on the generosity of our donors and supporters, along
with our consulting and education programs, to fund our services.
68
Much of our work – including our vital ethics helpline, Ethi-call, our pro-bono
counselling, and our ethics advocacy – operates at a loss or generates no
revenue at all. These activities, so central to our mission, could not happen
without this external support.
Growing our earned revenue and philanthropic donations is therefore critical
to our existence. Our not-for-profit status assures that growth is only ever
applied to building our social impact.
THANKS TO YOU
IT IS POSSIBLE
The Ethics Centre Level 2, Legion House, 161 Castlereagh St, Sydney NSW 2000 T 02 8267 5700 E contactus@ethics.org.au
ABN 83 637 740 533
ARBN 094 609 015
ETHICS.ORG.AU