News

Ireland's first business ethicist appointed to DCU's Institute of Ethics

5 April 2011

DCU has appointed Dr Simone de Colle to Ireland ’s only Institute of Ethics as the first lecturer in Business Ethics.

Dr de Colle’s appointment strengthens the Institute’s existing team comprising the Director of Ethics, Professor Bert Gordijn, specialist in bioethics and affiliated scholars, Professor Steven Knowlton, journalism ethics expert, and Dr Dónal O'Mathúna , expert in healthcare ethics.

Speaking on the appointment, Professor Gordijn, Director of the Ethics Institute, said he was delighted to appoint such a high-calibre ethics professional as Dr de Colle to the team.

"This marks an important step in the Institute’s plan to engage with Irish society on integrity, corporate social responsibility and other business-related ethical issues”, he said.

“Dr de Colle’s appointment comes at a time when specialist knowledge in the area of business ethics is high on the agenda in both the public and private arena. Dr de Colle will carry out teaching and research duties within the university, but importantly will also engage with Ireland ’s business community by developing the Institute’s service activities focusing on ethical training, codes of ethics development and implementation, and social and ethical accountability ”, said Professor Gordijn.

Dr de Colle has over fifteen years experience in research, teaching and consultancy in Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility. He has taught in Universities in Europe and the US , and has worked as a professional consultant at KPMG Sustainability Advisory Services in London . He has expertise in the areas of codes of ethics, corporate ethics programmes, corporate social responsibility, socially responsible investing and social entrepreneurship.

In 2010 he co-authored a book, ‘Stakeholder Theory: The State of the Art’ with Professor Ed Freeman, and has published in business ethics and management journals.

Dr de Colle said, “This is an exciting time to take up a post in business ethics, when questions of institutional responsibility, transparency and accountability to stakeholders are on the agenda for public and private organisations. Through my teaching, research and engagement with the business community, I hope to provide insights into the ethical issues which have currently become highly relevant to Ireland

Dr de Colle will also be teaching on the newly established and highly successful MA in Ethics which provides students with knowledge, skills and competencies to examine ethical issues, challenges and dilemmas in professional and public life and to evaluate soundly and confront confidently a range of important contemporary ethical challenges.