UditVani, Jamshedpur : XLRI – Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur, successfully concluded the Third International Ethics Conference 2026, organised by the XLRI JRD Tata Foundation for Business Ethics from January 9 to 11, on the theme “Reimagining Business and Leadership: Ethics, Sustainability, and the Future of Responsible Growth.”
The three-day international gathering brought together leading academics, industry leaders, researchers, students and practitioners from India and abroad, creating a vibrant platform for dialogue on ethical leadership, sustainable business, and responsible growth, especially in emerging economies.
The conference opened with a warm welcome by Dr Fr Donald D’Silva, S.J., Dean (Administration & Finance), and was formally inaugurated by Dr Fr George Sebastian, S.J., Director, XLRI, who underlined that authentic leadership is rooted not in ruthless competition but in compassion, ethical discernment and integrity. Dr Sanjay Patro, Dean of Academics, and Dr Fr Joseph Mathew, S.J., Chair, JRD Tata Foundation for Business Ethics, welcomed and facilitated the chief speakers, setting a reflective and collaborative tone for the proceedings.
A pre-conference panel on “Reimagining Leadership for Human-Centred and Ethical Organisations,” moderated by Ms Soni Sinha, Chief Ethics Counsellor, Tata Steel, featured eminent speakers including Shri Anil Sachdev, Prof Vasanthi Srinivasan, Prof Arup Varma, Dr Joseph Marianus Kujur, S.J., Navi Radjou and Ms Pritha Dutt. The panel explored how ethics, inclusion and sustainability must shape leadership in the next decade and what concrete signals reveal genuinely human-centred organisations.
Built around three integrated themes — “Reimagining Leadership for Human-Centred and Ethical Organisations,” “The Ethical Path to Sustainability: Innovation and Frugality in a Resource-Constrained World,” and “Ethical Horizons: Reimagining Inclusive Development and Business Value” — the conference featured keynote addresses, leadership workshops, panel discussions, research paper presentations and a distinctive fireside storytelling evening.
Renowned thought leaders such as Navi Radjou, Dr Prasad Kaipa, Prof Vasanthi Srinivasan, Prof Arup Varma, Prof David Hillier and Dr Joseph Marianus Kujur, S.J. shared insights on frugal innovation, values-based leadership, AI ethics, tribal economies, inclusive development, mental health and wellbeing, and women’s leadership. A major highlight was Radjou’s call to use jugaad and frugal innovation responsibly to create greater value with fewer resources for the common good, alongside Dr Kaipa’s emphasis on moving “from smart to wise” through inner reflection and ethical self-awareness.
Deeply grounded in Indian realities, the conference addressed tribal economies, community-based leadership, gender equity, workplace mental health and grassroots models of inclusive development, while retaining strong global relevance. More than 100 research papers were received, with 22 papers presented across thematic tracks. Best Abstract Awards were conferred on Arpita Sahu, Pankaj Kumar, Dr Abhijit Roy, Anoushka Agnihotri and Amit Kumar Modak.
Around eight invited speakers and over 80 participants joined the conference in hybrid mode.
A special fireside storytelling session, conceptualised by Dr Fr Joseph Mathew, S.J., blended art, music and reflective dialogue, while an exhibition of products made by tribal women’s self-help groups showcased ethical entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods.
In his closing reflections and vote of thanks, Dr Fr Joseph Mathew, S.J. reaffirmed XLRI’s enduring mission to nurture ethical, socially conscious leaders and promote management scholarship that serves the greater good.
The Third International Ethics Conference 2026 emerged as a powerful testament to the centrality of ethics in shaping future-ready leadership and innovative business models anchored in compassion, responsibility and human dignity.
