Who Cares Wins: The Path to Restoring Trust in Business

It is clear that on the back of the global financial crisis (GFC), the trust that did exist in big business pretty much went out the door. If business is to again be trusted, and so sustain itself, it needs to be both responsible and ethical. The business of business cannot simply be business – and certainly not business divorced from any accountability for its impacts on society. Put simply, business needs an ethical compass in addition to its practical reliance on measures of profit and loss.

This has particular relevance for communicators as they have a critical role in ensuring stakeholder interests and concerns (particularly issues the pose material risks to the company) penetrate the corporate walls and get a look in. Unfortunately, too many communicators end up being the meat in the sandwich. The pressure is enormous to simply do what the bosses want, irrespective of whether it is right or wrong or at worst whether it loads the company with unsustainable and ultimately unmanageable risks. What can be done to get stakeholder and corporate responsibility issues integrated into governance mechanisms and corporate decision making?

Noel will share his experiences as a communicator and as a business leader involved in international reforms initiatives aimed at making capitalism (and big business) more responsible and more resilient.

About Dr Noel Purcell:

Following a distinguished executive career spanning both the private and public sectors, Noel now devotes his time to a range of non-executive director and advisory roles and to strategic consultancy in the areas of corporate governance, responsibility and sustainability.

Noel retired from Westpac Banking Corporation in September 2008 after 23 years in the senior executive ranks.  His achievements included developing and leading Westpac’s globally recognised corporate governance, responsibility and sustainability initiatives, managing the north Asian businesses, and leading its marketing and government, investor and other stakeholder communications functions.

Prior to joining Westpac, Noel had served at senior executive levels within the Federal Public Service within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Office of National Assessments, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Noel currently sits on several boards and is the Chair of the Global Governing Board of the Caux Round Table, Chair of the A&NZSustain Advisory Board, a member of the Tasmanian Government’s Climate Action Council, a Board member of Philanthropy Australia, and a Trustee / Board member of several charitable organisations. He is also an ambassador for Al Gore’s Climate Project global initiative and advises a range of organisations on sustainability and climate change.

Noel’s sustainability and corporate governance achievements were recognised when he was included in Ethical Corporation’s 2007 Best of the Best as one of the top 15 ethical leaders globally.

Noel gained his Ph.D. and MSc from the University of Michigan, having earlier received a BEc from the Australian National University and a BSc (1st Class Hons) from the University of New England.  He also completed Harvard University’s Advanced Management Program, AMP (110), in 1992.

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