In conversation with Peter Joseph AM

This article was published in Living Ethics: issue 79 autumn 2010

Peter Joseph am joined the Board of St James Ethics Centre in 1994 and became its Chairman in 1996.

LE: From your perspective as a business leader and Director of St James Ethics Centre, why has there been such a growing interest in ethics in recent years?

I’m not sure. Certainly the instability and uncertainty in the world, over so many issues, has lead to deep self-questioning at the individual, organisational and government level. Generation Y is a good example of this. They are deeply connected and interested in the values and cultures of organisations. Having grown up among global terror threats and corporate downsizing, they are said to be driven by duty, independence and stability. By 2012 this group will represent 40% of the Australian workforce. Confronted with the reality of Generation ‘Why?’ organisations themselves are changing and adapting. In many cases they are going back to basics and constantly asking themselves another question: “What ought one to do?”

This question first asked by Socrates is a catch phrase for St James Ethics Centre. It is certainly Simon Longstaff’s mantra! Had that simple question being asked on more occasions, and thought about more deeply, we may have escaped the global financial crisis and its consequences which I believe are far from over.

Like a slow moving tide, individuals, organisations and governments are trying to work out how to behave, survive and thrive in a globalised and uncoordinated world. There is now a growing need and interest in re-evaluating and discerning the ethical frameworks in which we wish to operate and how that will affect our behaviour. Society has perhaps now accepted that compliance alone is not the answer.

LE: What are the main challenges for the Centre’s Board?

Financial sustainability is our biggest challenge. Somehow the Centre has managed to survive for twenty years with no capital. This has been possible through the ongoing support of our members and the remarkable generosity of many individuals and organisations.

At times this becomes an end of year ‘passing of the plate’ to balance the books. This is not the ideal way to run a railroad! We would dearly love on our twenty-first birthday to find a financial coming of age that will enable a worthwhile legacy to be left for future generations. Our Board strongly believes that the existence of the Centre as a strong independent non-judgemental voice is indeed a force for good in our community.

The relevance of the work done by Simon Longstaff and his terrific team has never been greater. This provides more than enough encouragement to the Board to ensure the work of the Centre continues.

LE: How has your work with the Centre influenced your own decision-making over the years?

One cannot help but be inspired by the stories that reverberate through the Centre as a consequence of its work in the leadership space over seventeen years; through its advocacy on all manner of issues; through its work on military ethics, the Intelligence Squared Australia debates, corporate and social responsibility and the list goes on. The Centre’s free Ethi-Call service is another unique project that provides confidential advice via some wonderful trained counsellors on ethical dilemmas. There is little doubt that in such an environment, you become a more reflective, discerning and listening person. As someone who likes to talk, I found this hard!

The Centre (despite its name) is not a moral policeman and its modus operandi is to engage in civil conversation and to ask questions which in turn make you think about the answers and, as often as not, work out the solution for yourself consistent with your own True North instincts. It takes longer, but is vastly more effective and takes a lot of the emotion out of, at times, challenging issues.

LE: Where do you see St James Ethics Centre in twenty years’ time?

I have no idea. This may sound an unsatisfactory answer but the reality will depend largely on how society values our work and whether we can create scale and succession within the organisation. We will almost certainly have a permanent home in the Sydney CBD by 2012 as the result of a major new office development and the support of the City of Sydney to accommodate not-for-profit organisations such as us. It will provide a twenty-five-year lease at peppercorn rent which makes us very happy!

Peter Joseph AM is Chairman of St James Ethics Centre’s Board. He is also Chairman of the Black Dog Institute and an investment banker and company director.