99: The Politics of Ethics - Dr. Simon Longstaff

Dr. Simon Longstaff is the Executive Director of The Ethics Centre and one of Australia’s leading philosophers and ethics commentators, regularly appearing on national radio, broadcast and newspapers to comment on politics, business and culture, including on ABC Radio National, Q&A and The Sydney Morning Herald. Simon has been instrumental in advising on ethical change and corporate social responsibility for some of Australia’s biggest organisations from Cricket Australia to Australian banks.

Simon began his working life on Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory of Australia. After a period studying law in Sydney and teaching in Tasmania, he pursued postgraduate studies as a Member of Magdalene College, Cambridge. In 1991, Simon commenced his work as the first Executive Director of The Ethics Centre. The Ethics Centre is a not-for-profit Sydney organisation that aims to bring ethics to the centre of personal and professional life. In 2013, he was made an officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for “distinguished service to the community through the promotion of ethical standards in governance and business, to improving corporate responsibility, and to philosophy. He has a PhD in philosophy from Cambridge University, is a Fellow of CPA Australia and of the Royal Society of NSW, and an Honorary Professor at ANU National Centre for Indigenous Studies.

In the podcast, we discuss:

1. How do you define ethics and its role or relationship to modern society? Has that changed over time?
2. How can ethics be universally agreed or can’t they?
3. What can be done to remedy what seems to be a rampant distrust in government and legal systems.
4. How important is this issue of consent, morally and ethically, why is consent only being made a big deal now?
5. Climate change has been described as a moral and ethical issue not just an environmental concern. How do you see it and how can businesses and leaders grapple with the changing climate, so we can all do the “right thing” for future generations as well as the planet?
6. Take away: What your final takeaway message for us on The Politics of Ethics?

To connect with Simon Longstaff: (16) Dr Simon Longstaff AO FCPA FRSN FARPI | LinkedIn

W: Need Help? Ethi-call is a Free Decision-Making Helpline (ethics.org.au)