Jamshedpur, November 8, 2025 : XLRI – Xavier
School of Management, India’s oldest business school with a
76-year legacy of academic excellence and ethical leadership, hosted the 33rd
Annual JRD Tata Oration on Business Ethics at the Tata Auditorium, XLRI
Jamshedpur.
This
year’s distinguished speaker was Dr. Sanjay Pradhan, President of the World
Forum for Ethics in Business (WFEB), who delivered an inspiring oration on the
topic “Business and Ethics: Contradictory or Complementary?”
The
event brought together corporate professionals, academicians and members of the
XLRI community to reflect on the vital role of ethics in shaping the future of
business.
The
event commenced with the traditional lamp-lighting ceremony, followed by an
introduction to the XLRI J.R.D. Tata Foundation for Business Ethics by Dr.
(Fr.) Joseph Mathew, S.J., Chairperson of the Foundation. He emphasized that
the Foundation, established in 1991, continues to promote ethical practices
inspired by Jesuit values and the exemplary conduct of J.R.D. Tata, fostering
research, leadership and global collaboration in ethical business.
Dr. (Fr.) Sebastian George, S.J., Director of XLRI, introduced the orator, highlighting Dr. Pradhan’s distinguished career as President of WFEB and his global contributions to promoting ethics in business, AI governance and anti-corruption.
Delivering
the oration, Dr. Pradhan underscored that ethics is not an impediment to
business success but its very foundation. Through historical examples like
J.R.D. Tata’s corporate stewardship, Johnson & Johnson’s Tylenol recall,
and Patagonia’s sustainability campaigns, he illustrated how ethical conduct
drives long-term value creation. In contrast, he cited corporate failures such
as the Volkswagen emissions scandal and the 2008 financial crisis as reminders
of the cost of moral compromise.
Dr.
Pradhan explained that the World Forum for Ethics in Business represents a
“third wave” of ethical evolution—beyond compliance and CSR, where
conscience-based leadership aligns profit with purpose. He elaborated on WFEB’s
focus on three critical frontiers: AI Ethics, Regenerative Climate Action, and
Anti-Corruption, proposing frameworks like bias audits, watermarking, integrity
pacts, and regenerative business charters. Using a metaphor of a “three-layer
cake,” he linked tangible value creation, leadership transformation, and inner
conviction as key elements of building ethical organizations.
Following
the address, Dr. Sanjay Patro, Dean (Academics), delivered the vote of thanks,
reiterating XLRI’s commitment to nurturing leaders guided by conscience and
competence.