In this article, The Australian's Alan Kohler questions why in a financial services industry of 400,000 people, less than one percent have taken the Oath, presenting a great case for why there really is no excuse for not supporting this important ethics initiative. John Laker (pictured) is Banking and Finance Oath chairman. Photo: Adam Yip

Broker Magazine: Trust is the Foundation of my profession

Friday 8 February 2019

By Jodi O'Callaghan, Executive Officer, The BFO: 'Trust is the foundation of my profession'. These are the powerful opening words of The Banking and Finance Oath (The BFO) and for finance professionals, they're words you want to be able to say with pride. But how do those words translate when trust is top of mind for customers, given some of the abhorrent cases being revealed in the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry.

Banking royal commission: Hayne will make culture check as common as the audit

Thursday 7 February 2019

By Fahmi Hosain: Much of the initial reaction to Commissioner Kenneth Hayne's final report has been that it is lighter than expected.

Banking royal commission: Can Commissioner Kenneth Hayne solve the culture conundrum?

Monday 4 February 2019

Illustration by David Rowe: In the AFR's Chanticleer column this week, James Thomson poses a pointy question and puts the focus on culture and individual accountability: Can Commissioner Kenneth Hayne solve the culture conundrum?

More compliance won't solve the advice woes: think tank

The issues likely to be at the core of the Hayne royal commission final report will not be properly addressed by simply ramping up compliance, according to a think tank.

A Question of Trust - Post-Truth Paradigms and the Challenge to Financial Regulation

Thursday 25 May 2017

Trust in institutions is falling at an alarming rate, the cause and consequence of democratic rejection of strategies to deal with the Global Financial Crisis. Irrespective of whether rule or principles based forms of regulation were privileged, each failed to address the erosion of core normative anchors. Blindsided by the factors that led to the GFC, the policy response, based largely on technical solutions, has done little to restore trust.

Thinking creatively, flexibly and collaboratively: Q & A Tony Golsby Smith

Tony Golsby-Smith presented a keynote at the BFO conference 8 June. He was interviewed about his ideas of how we can adapt to work in the future.

60 seconds with Cris Parker

Wednesday 10 May 2017

InFinance interviews Cris Parker, The BFO Executive Officer about what drives her to do the role.

Banking and the limits of Professionalism

Friday 5 May 2017

Much criticism of banking over the last decade has included the recommendation that it become "more professional". What does that mean in the context of an industry already heavily government regulated? Professor Dimity Kingsford-Smith, Professor Thomas Clarke and Justine Rogers have conducted extensive research and produced 'Banking and the limits of Professionalism'

Corporate Culture:Evidence from the field

This body of research draws on interviews and unique survey tools used to look at the evidence of culture in over 1,300 North American organisation. Overwhelmingly executives linked culture to ethical choices.

Killing Conscience: The Unintended Behavioral Consequences of 'Pay For Performance'

Tuesday 23 August 2016

It is often argued that incentive programs providing large material rewards are the best and possibly the only way to motivate corporate executives and other employees to serve their firms' interest. Science dis agrees.

Culture Matters

Sunday 26 June 2016

"Culture, more than rule books, determines how an organisation behaves" - Warren Buffett. Erica Salmon Byrne, Executive VP Governance and Compliance at The Ethisphere Institute, recognises that there are many organisations with formal systems that say one thing and cultures that promote another. This article looks at the advantages of measuring culture and suggests ways to do it.

Integrity, without it nothing works

Reflecting on the 2008-09 finance crisis, Professor Michael Jensen says that putting the economic system back in order is deceptively simple: "people have to start honoring their word. If they do, trust will materialize almost instantly."

Corporate Culture

Sunday 19 June 2016

Leaders who build trust and help their companies recover are often the ones who authentically look at their company and their company's actions. It is during this recovery that the culture creates the obligations needed for a good company to become great. When this happens, it's not compliance that saved the day, but rather, culture and ethics, a much more powerful force.

Corporate Culture and Duties of Directors

Sunday 5 June 2016

Dr Simon Longstaff reflects on the emergence of the modern corporation and expands on the role of boards and the accountability of directors within corporate culture.

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Bankers: take the Banking and Finance Oath