CBERN - Naskapi Projects

The Canadian Business Ethics Research Network (CBERN) began working in collaboration with the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach (NNK) in early 2007. This relationship was initiated by former NNK Chief Phil Einish. The goal was to ensure that the Naskapi people benefited from mining on their traditional territories and avoided the negative impacts caused by previous mining activity by the Iron Ore Company of Canada.Funding Program: SSHRC Insight Grant Funding Amount: $469,23

Advisory Board Members

For SSHRC funded projects, the Applicant, now Principal Investigator (PI), has responsibility for the direction of the project and all financial expenditures. Consistent with this requirement, the CBERN/SSHRC proposal contains two Governance elements. First, the Principal Investigator is required to report to an annual meeting whose membership includes co-applicants, now co-investigators, collaborators and partners, on financial expenditures, project activities and strategic planning. In addition, the proposal calls for the establishment of an Advisory Board, which is to meet at least twice yearly, in person at the Annual Meeting and by telephone conference mid-way through the year. Initial membership and structure of the Advisory Board was set out in the proposal

CBERN - The First Six Years: Challenges and Achievements

CBERN was created in 2006. Its mandate was to create a network able to address critically, persuasively and visibly the foundational role of ethics in business and economic development. The task facing the network was significant. The field was fractured by suspicion, hostility and lack of communication and trust between and among people and organizations in the private, public, voluntary and academic sectors. Research was siloed in the four different sectors and a variety of academic disciplines and sub disciplines. What is more, the role of business ethics in management education and academic research agendas was modest and relatively insubstantial. The challenge facing CBERN has been to address these challenges and build the foundations for change.A successful proposal for a $2.1 million Strategic Knowledge Clusters grant in 2006. The proposal was supported by approximately$300,000 in private sector financial and in kind commitments.Since its inception, CBERN has received an additional $152,000 in SSHRC grants with Dr. Cragg, CBERN’s Project Director and Principal Investigator, as the lead applicant;$125,000 in Schulich School of Business and York cash contributions; modest additional private sector funding, and significant additional in kind contributions from partners: firms, research centres, voluntary sector organizations, and volunteer interns. CBERN has been a partner on an additional 1,269,000 in SSHRC grants as well as aResearch & Dialogue in Support of Ethical Business Practices &Economic, Environmental and Social Sustainability 2 25 million dollar Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) grant for the Canadian International Institute for Extractive Industries and Development (CIIEID)

Symposium on Revenue Transparency, Resource Development, and the Challenge of Corruption

Revenue transparency and corruption in the mining industry have long been topics of national and international conversation. Mining plays an important role in the Canadian economy, contributing billions to Canada’s GDP. It is also the only domestic industry in which Canada plays an undisputed leading international role, having major operations in countries around the world. Unfortunately, there is also a dark side to mining. Historically, both in Canada and worldwide, very few local communities, Indigenous peoples, or developing and underdeveloped nations have benefitted from mining development. To the contrary, these communities have typically borne heavy costs associated with mining activities and reaped few long-term benefits. Further, mining in underdeveloped countries with poorly enforced governance and transparency laws presents multiple opportunities for corruption and social unrest. In response, ethically responsible and sustainable mining have become fundamental objectives for leading Canadian mining companies, mining associations, and governments. This symposium aimed to spark an international dialogue on the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, its implementation, its effectiveness, and areas for improvement in promoting revenue transparency and mitigating corruption. As part of its ongoing “Ethics and Mining” related research, CBERN used the workshop to convene a series of meetings and public lectures to assess progress to date on meeting the challenges posed by corruption for resource extraction and to map a ‘next steps’ research agenda. Invited speakers and participants came from Canada, Africa, and the United Kingdom.CBERN received generous financing from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s (SSHRC) Connections grant program which allowed this event to take place

Well-Being Baseline Study Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach –March 2014

This study was modelled after Peter Siebenmorgan and Dr. Ben Bradshaw’s successful work in Northern Ontario. I would like to express my appreciation to the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach, the band office, the development corporation, the McGill Subarctic Research Station, and Atmacinta. Many thanks must go to the steering committee, their willingness to give their time so generously has been greatly appreciated.The Naskapi Nation is a small, isolated Aboriginal community located in northern Quebec near the Labrador Border. Reachable only by air and rail, the community has been affected by major mineral development. Due to the rich mineral area surrounding the community extractive companies have begun to implement plans for further development. This has raised local concerns regarding the range of environmental and socio-economic impacts that may be caused by continued development. The degree of current and proposed mineral activity near Kawawachikamach, and its related impacts upon the Naskapi, has created a necessity to produce a tool to track community well-being over time. This need is best accomplished by using community members at each step and indicators that are meaningful as well as relevant. More than simply describing community change from mining, this evidence establishes a footing for the community; it allows the chief and council to re-examine partnerships, negotiations, and make changes where appropriate. Time series evidence first begins with a baseline of well-being.Study was made possible through funding by the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach, the MRC Caniapiscau’s Pacte Rural Program, Mitacs accelerate internship grant, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)

Building a Canadian Business Ethics Research Network - SKC Proposal

Part I: "A Story of Two Journeys", outlines what has been accomplished with SSHRC funding in phase one, the concept paper phase, and phase two, the interim funding phase, set against SSHRC's assessment criteria. Part II: "Meeting the Objectives of the Strategic Knowledge Clusters Program", addresses a question: "Is it reasonable to expect that a fully functional, well managed, business ethics research network will meet the objectives set out in the work of everyone involved in the development of this proposal through phases one and two, as well as phase three, the preparation of this application. Part III: Describes in detail the activities planned for the network, the management and governance structure that will guide the implementation of our plans, the team of participants who will provide leadership, and our budget

Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) Application

The Canadian Business Ethics Research Network (CBERN) has been invited to apply for a Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) five year grant to fund a research program designed to find values-driven solutions to key challenges standing in the way of economic and social development, particularly in the resource development sector. The Networks of Centres of Excellence is a national research program that funds internationally competitive, leading-edge, multidisciplinary research networks in areas critical to Canadian economic and social development. CBERN is an innovative, collaborative, cross sector and multi disciplinary business ethics research network focused on: finding and implementing creative, solutions to ethical challenges impeding Canadian economic development; fostering leadership development; and stimulating informed public dialogue

Canadian Business Ethics Research Network (CBERN) at a Glance

The Canadian Business Ethics Research Network (CBERN) is an interactive research network with more than 1200 members that draws scientists, social scientist and humanists into interactive engagement with private, public and voluntary sector and also Aboriginal organizations and firms. CBERN’s vision is an economy that is both fair and efficient, where economic relationships nurture justified trust and where economic activity is grounded on respect for the environment and a sense of responsibility for the wellbeing of present and future generations. CBERN fosters innovative and collaborative, cross sector and multi-disciplinary research, creates capacity to implement creative, ethically grounded solutions to challenging real-world problems, builds leadership, and stimulates public dialogue