
2021-22 Markkula Center for Applied Ethics Annual Report
Our 2021-22 Annual Report is available in digital format and highlights some of the programs and resources the Ethics Center implemented during the past academic year helping to build a more ethical future.
9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Pacific Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023
Who is part of technology development, who funds that development, and how we put technology to use all influence the outcomes that are possible. To change those outcomes, we must – all of us – shift our relationship to technology. Join the High Tech Law Institute for a book talk with Afua Bruce, co-author of The Tech That Comes Next and leader in equitable design and use of new technologies – in a conversation centered around how to ask big questions and make change from wherever you are today.


Ethics Helps Companies Operationalize ESG Reporting
Companies are under extreme pressure from customers, investors, and the government to begin accounting for how they are performing in these non-financial matters, and this new set of resources will help them more efficiently operationalize ESG reporting.
Featured Ethics Spotlights

The gun debate has again reached a fever pitch in the shadow of several horrific mass shootings. Ethics Center staff and faculty interrogate the moral and ethical issues associated with gun use and regulation.

While vaccines provide protection for individuals and communities against severe disease and death, this fight is far from over as we see infection rates climb, especially among children who cannot be vaccinated. Ethics Center staff and scholars analyze the critical questions in this Ethics Spotlight.

Racism and hate are not new to the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, but the onset and spread of COVID-19 has led to massive increases in both. Ethics Center staff and scholars unpack some of the many related ethical dilemmas in this Ethics Spotlight.
All About Ethics: Perspectives From Across the Center

What if, in the future...

ESG investing is impacting how businesses operate, however, critics argue that ESG funds financially underperform and do not seem to deliver better ESG performance.

Algorithms encode individual and societal choices
Nonprofit organizations rely on charitable gifts, but often lack guidance on how to navigate gifts from controversial donors. This guide offers practical and ethical considerations for nonprofit organizations that face increasing scrutiny for gift acceptance decisions.


Materials to Support Donors with Gifting Decisions
Designed to help individual donors and family foundations think through their nonprofit giving decisions and to do it ethically, this guide outlines the steps to take with related ethical considerations and helps donors define their personal mission.
Center News

2021-22 Hackworth Fellow Betty Hou ‘22 discusses her experiences at the NeurIPS ML Safety Workshop and reflects on her fellowship with the Ethics Center.

Ethics Center Advisory Board Member, Joyce Viloria ’03, continues to make an impact on both the SCU and Ethics Center communities.

The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics published its Annual Report for the 2021-22 academic year.
This teaching module for business ethics, leadership and management courses includes two videos, homework assignments, and class discussion, all designed to spark conversation about ethical issues associated with whistleblowers and corporate governance.

Our Culture Self-Assessment Practice recommends approaches to evaluating culture for ethics within companies and other types of organizations. The materials are primarily for members of an organization’s leadership team, including human resources and legal, but designed to engage a cross-section of leaders from various disciplines.
Media Commentary

John Pelissero, senior scholar, government ethics, quoted by The Arizona Republic, featured in AZCentral.com, USA Today, and Yahoo Sports.

Brian Green, director, technology ethics, quoted by FiveThirtyEight.

Sarah Cabral, senior scholar, business ethics, quoted by Communication Intelligence
...often difficult to spot, but noticed by those in search of them.
The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University exists to help people see, understand, and work through ethical problems.
As an introduction to thinking ethically, we have created a framework for ethical decision making.
