Haverford Center for Peace and Global Citizenship Presents "Corporations as Global Citizens: An Alumni Panel"

For-profit corporations, especially those doing business in multiple countries (“multinationals”), have tremendous influence on individuals, markets and governments. How do these powerful entities affect positive social change? How are multinational corporations forces for good in the world? What obligations do they have as global citizens to address inequality, especially in countries where they have a market presence? Three Haverford alumni with deep experience in international business, law and trade will share their insights on these and other questions at a panel discussion hosted by the Center for Peace and Global Citizenship.

David Hackett ‘76 is the current North American Practice Group coordinator for the Banking, Finance and Major Projects Group at Baker & McKenzie law firm. He is recognized as a leading expert in the environmental and climate change field. Lawdragon ranked him among the 500 leading lawyers in the United States for his global environmental expertise.

John Heller ‘89 is a principal in the Heller Group, a commercial real estate company, and is a senior strategy advisor at the Synergos Institute, a global nonprofit that builds partnerships to address poverty and social justice issues. Heller has worked in countries around the world as an enabler of cross-sectoral partnerships to address key human challenges. At the Synergos Institute, he launched an innovative consulting practice that enables global corporations to build sustainable businesses and achieve social impact in developing countries.

Daniel Price ‘77 is managing director and co-founder of Rock Creek Global Advisors, an international economic consulting firm. Under President George W. Bush, he served as the senior White House official for international trade and investment, development assistance, and the international aspects of financial reform, energy security and climate change.

Saleha Jilani (Moderator) is assistant professor of economics at Haverford College. Her research interests include international trade theory and policy, economic growth and development, and foreign direct investment (FDI). At Haverford, she teaches courses on intro economics, economic development, the emerging economies of China and India, and international economics. She is currently working on an examination of the impact of incoming FDI on economic growth.

Topics will include:

• Corporations as Public Actors
• Roles of Business and Government in Emerging Markets
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Business Ethics
• Dichotomies between For-Profit and Nonprofit Sectors

This panel will offer an opportunity to explore the topic of global citizenship and the role of corporations in addressing social issues traditionally associated with governments and the nonprofit community. The goal is for participants to examine these issues in the context of an ongoing dialogue at Haverford on the nexus between commercial activity and social change that includes globalization, sustainable business, impact investing and social innovation.

For more information contact Donna Ruane at [email protected].

This event is hosted by The Center for Peace and Global Citizenship.