Jamshedpur, January 15, 2026: 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 9 to 11 January 2026, on the theme “Reimagining Business and Leadership: Ethics, Sustainability, and the Future of Responsible Growth.” The three-day international conference 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 in the context of India and other emerging economies.
The conference opened with a warm welcome by Dr Fr Donald D’Silva, S.J., Dean (Administration & Finance), and a formal inauguration by Dr Fr George Sebastian, S.J., Director, XLRI, who highlighted 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 of the JRD Tata Foundation for Business Ethics, welcomed and facilitated all the chief speakers of the conference, setting a reflective and collaborative tone for the proceedings. In a pre-conference panel on “Reimagining Leadership for Human‑Centred and Ethical Organisations,” moderated by Ms Soni Sinha, Chief Ethics Counsellor, Tata Steel, distinguished speakers including Shri Anil Sachdev, Prof Vasanthi Srinivasan, Prof Arup Varma, Dr Joseph Marianus Kujur, S.J., Mr Navi Radjou and Ms Pritha Dutt examined how ethics, inclusion, and sustainability must shape leadership in the next decade, and what concrete signals reveal genuinely human-centred organisations.
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Across 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 unique fireside storytelling evening. Renowned thought leaders such as Mr Navi Radjou, Dr Prasad Kaipa, Prof Vasanthi Srinivasan, Prof Arup Varma, Prof David Hillier and Dr Joseph Marianus Kujur, S.J., offered insights on frugal innovation, wise and values-based leadership, AI ethics, tribal economies, inclusive development, mental health and wellbeing and women’s leadership. A highlight was Mr Radjou’s call to use “jugaad” and frugal innovation responsibly to create greater value with fewer resources for the common good, and Dr Kaipa’s emphasis on moving “from smart to wise” through inner reflection and ethical self-awareness.
Grounded strongly in Indian realities, the conference addressed tribal economies, community-based leadership, gender equity, workplace mental health, and local models of inclusive development, while maintaining global relevance. Over 100 research papers were received, with 22 presented in thematic tracks, and best abstract awards recognising emerging scholarship by Ms Arpita Sahu, Mr Pankaj Kumar, Dr Abhijit Roy, Ms Anoushka Agnihotri, and Mr Amit Kumar Modak; in all, around 8 invited speakers and more than 80 participants joined in hybrid mode. A special fireside storytelling session, conceptualised by Dr Fr Joseph Mathew, S.J., wove together 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 form ethical, socially conscious leaders and to promote management scholarship that serves the greater good. The Third International Ethics Conference 2026 stood out as a compelling testimony to the centrality of ethics in shaping future-ready leadership and innovative business models anchored in compassion, responsibility and human dignity.
