Birkbeck student wins prestigious Institute of Business Ethics’ Competition
David Kerr has been announced as the winner of this year’s Institute of Business Ethics (IBE) student essay competition, for his exploration of the ethical questions of tax avoidance.
David Kerr, a BSc Accounting student in Birkbeck’s Department of Management, has been announced as the winner of this year’s Institute of Business Ethics (IBE) student essay competition. The annual essay competition is open to submissions from undergraduate students across the UK and aims to encourage the teaching of business ethics in UK Business Schools and similar teaching departments.
Professor Philip Powell, Executive Dean of the School of Business, Economics and Informatics, extended his congratulations to David, saying: "We are delighted to congratulate David on his recent success in the IBE competition. It is particularly rewarding for us to see our students, who are often balancing the demands of their degrees alongside full-time careers, excel in their disciplines."
The IBE is a registered charity dedicated to promoting the highest standards of business practice based on ethical values. It helps organisations to strengthen their ethics culture through the sharing of knowledge and good practice. David's award-winning work, entitled Tax Avoidance: The Ethical Question For Business, demonstrates the excellent work that is taking place in teaching business ethics at Birkbeck.
David, who is in the second year of a part-time degree, said: “Corporate tax avoidance is an issue which has captured the ethical zeitgeist, requiring examination and informed debate. It is an honour to have won the award, gaining recognition from the respected Institute of Business Ethics for work in this area. At the conclusion of my degree and beyond, I hope to embrace and encourage best ethical practices in work and in life.”
David will present his essay and findings as part of the awards ceremony at the Institute of Business Ethics Office, which will take place on 18 October 2017. The awards will be presented by Ivor Sutherland from the Gordon Cook Foundation, which sponsors the award. Professor Geoff Moore, Professor of Business Ethics at Durham University Business School and lead judge of the competition, will also speak. There will also be a celebratory panel event entitled "How do you Attract and Develop Ethical Leaders?" alongside presentations from the winning students.