Higher Ground: How to be an Ethical Business in a Divided, Polarized World
On April 24, 2025 the Institute for Corporate Governance + Ethics (ICGE), in partnership with Ethical Systems, hosted a webinar with Ethical Systems Collaborator Alison Taylor titled “Higher Ground: How to be an Ethical Business in a Divided, Polarized World”
In the 2020s, we’ve never been so confused about what it takes to be a ‘good’ or ethical business. The conversation has become polarized, highly confused, and suffused with confounding jargon. Alison Taylor discussed what it means to cut through the noise, set sharp priorities, think holistically about governance, and rebuild trust, in an era of hyper transparency, mistrust and misinformation.
Alison’s book, “Higher Ground: How Business Can Do the Right Thing in a Turbulent World”, can be found here and the video recording can be found below.
Alison Taylor joined New York University Stern School of business as a clinical associate professor in January 2023. Her research focuses on the organizational dimension of corporate responsibility and business ethics. She has expertise in strategy, sustainability, political and social risk, culture and behavior, human rights, ethics and compliance, stakeholder engagement, anti-corruption and professional responsibility. Alison’s first book, Higher Ground, was published by Harvard Business Review Press in February 2024. Her previous work experience includes being a Managing Director at non-profit business network Business for Social Responsibility and a Senior Managing Director at Control Risks. She holds several advisory roles, including with sustainability non-profit Business for Social Responsibility, Venture ESG, Pictet Group and KKR. Alison is also a member of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Good Governance. Alison received her Bachelor of Arts in Modern History from Balliol College, Oxford University, her MA in International Relations from the University of Chicago, and MA in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University.
