Draft:JRD Tata Foundation for Business Ethics

JRD Tata Foundation for Business Ethics, XLRI, Jamshedpur, India, established in 1991, attempts to foster better ethical ambience in industries and corporations with the active collaboration of the academia. It attempts to foster ethical atmospheres by providing teaching resources to B-Schools, organising Management Development Programmes (MDP), conducting In-Company Programmes and providing publication and research opportunities. XLRI, Xavier School of Management, has the distinction of providing Managerial ethics education ever since its inception in 1949, inspired by JRD Tata, one of the Indian pioneers of ethics and business. This venture is sponsored by Tata Steel.

Main Activities
With the aim of producing socially responsible and ethically sensitive leaders, all the students who pass through XLRI undertake any one of the courses in ethics: Business Ethics, Corporate Ethics or Managerial Ethics. Besides these courses, some of the other activities of the Foundation are:
 * Research and Publications
 * Networking with Industry and Academia
 * Facilitating better ethical climate through Management Development Programmes, In-Company Programmes, etc

EthicoSphere
As part of platinum jubilee XLRI, Xavier School of Management, the new venture EthicoSphere has been launched in May 2024, to give further emphasis to ethics in business. Inspired by JRD Tata's ethical leadership and XLRI's commitment to ethics right from its inception (Motto: "Excellence and Integrity" and Tagline: "For the Greater Good"), this venture attempts to link the academic and industry domains leading to better ethical and responsible conduct. It embodies XLRI's collective commitment to fostering a culture of ethical conduct, integrity, fairness, and sustainability in the global business community. Taking into consideration the sustainability of industry and future of humanity, EthicoSphere believes that only an ethically sound and responsible and committed way of doing business can bring wholeness and wellbeing to human beings in particular and humanity in general. Thus EthicoSphere believes that human destiny is dependent on the collective growth of human consciousness, for which business has also a significant contribution to make. Thus we need creative networking, committed endeavours and collaboration with diverse stakeholders to sustain ourselves as a human family.

Publications
The Foundation encourages research and application in ethics and applied areas. Some of the volumes that have come out of its research are:
 * Tata J. R. D., Mascarenhas O. A. &  J. D'Souza D. (2019). J.R.D. Tata: Orations on Business Ethics. ISBN 978-93-5333-568-7  Rupa Publications India. pp. 440. 2019.
 * Mascaranhas, Oswald. (2016). Corporate Ethics at THCM Leverages Sustainable Competitive Advantage. XLRI.
 * Pandikattu, K. (2024).Excellence and Integrity: Fostering the Greater Good as Adding Value to the Business of Life. Written Words. ISBN 978-9360654801 Delhi.  2022. pp. xviii+ 344.
 * Pandikattu, K. (2023). Business Ethics: Textbook of Concepts and Cases. ISBN 978-93-95457-71-2 Written Words.  Delhi.  2022. pp. xviii+254.
 * Pandikattu, K. (2022). Ethics, Artificial Intelligence and Human Destiny: Our Collective Search. ISBN 978-93-95457-42-2 Christian World Imprints.  Delhi.  2022. pp. xviii+306.

Ethics Orations
As part of the ongoing learning process, Ethics Oration takes place every year, usually in the month of November, coinciding with JRD Tata's death anniversary on 29 November. The first one was delivered by the eminent industrialist and philanthropist JRD Tata himself in 1991.

Some of the prominent orators include: Mr Joseph M Sciortino. "Establishing And Maintaining an Ethical Business Climate." February 28, 1992; Rev. Fr Peter-Hans Kolvenbach. "Development and Ethics: A Jesuit Perspective." October 18, 1995; Dr Ramachandra Guha. "The Past and Future of the Environmental Movement: Its Social and Ethical Perspectives." November 29, 2001; Sir Mark Tully. "Ethics And Media." December 17, 2002; Prof. Dr Peter Eigen. "Corporate Ethics and The Bottom Line: Why Fighting Corruption Matters for Business." November 26, 2005; Mr Laxman Narasimhan. "Values and Ethics in a Volatile World." November 19, 2011; Mr Chris Lowney. "Heroic Leaders: Who They Are and How They Live." November 24, 2012; Fr. (Dr.) Frank Brennan, SJ. "The Place of International Law in Seeking Sustainable Development for India: Some Ethical Reflections." November 26, 2016 and Dr Edward Freeman. "Business Ethics and Stakeholder Capitalism." November 29, 2021.

Chair Professors

 * Mr. Prakash L. Tandon (1991-2000)
 * Rev Fr Ignatius Puthiyadam, SJ (2000-04)
 * Mr Sarosh J. Ghandy (2004-2009)
 * Rev Fr Oswald Mascarenhas, SJ (2009-22)
 * Rev Fr Kuruvilla Pandikattu, SJ (2022- )