NYU Stern EMBA • Course Reflection

Professional Responsibility

What I learned from Whistleblowers? How ethics shows up in real organizations—and how individual choices connect to systems, incentives, and outcomes.

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Course Focus

• Role of business in society and stakeholder lenses.
• How governance, incentives, and design shape ethical outcomes.
• Building speak-up cultures and safe reporting channels.

What I learned

This course reshaped how I think about the role of business in society and my own responsibility as a professional. I came away with a clearer understanding of how ethics plays out in real organizations and how individual choices connect to systems, incentives, and outcomes.

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I can explain different views of what business is for and how organizations can be designed to serve that purpose.

I learned to use a stakeholder lens, especially through sustainability and human rights.

I can spot how business models and market failures can create harm or value for society and firms.

I built a practical foundation in business law, accountability, and the responsibilities of executives.

I understand how good intentions can still lead to ethical blind spots and “ethical fading.”

I learned what ethical leadership looks like in practice, and how to evaluate values-driven companies.

Key takeaways

Recognize issues early: watch for euphemisms, shifting standards, and routine corner-cutting.

Speaking up is a skill: be specific, document carefully, and use escalation paths with intention.

Ethics is built into systems: incentives, governance, procurement, metrics, and oversight often matter more than slogans.

Stakeholders are real: communities, workers, and customers absorb the costs of weak safeguards and poorly designed models.

Why whistleblowers matter

Reduce blind spots by revealing what dashboards and reports miss.

Create deterrence: when people believe misconduct will be reported, misconduct becomes riskier.

Protect stakeholders and long-term value by forcing earlier course correction.

Test culture: how leaders respond to bad news is the true values statement.

Why do people stay silent

Silence drivers

Fear of retaliation (career damage, isolation, job loss).

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What companies can change to support an ethical voice

Multiple reporting channels (manager, skip-level, ombuds, hotline) with clear confidentiality rules.

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Additional resources

Ethical Voice & Reporting Channels Design (canvas + instructions)(opens in new tab)
Stripe primer on compliance and security(opens in new tab)
SEC Whistleblower program overview(opens in new tab)
ICCR investor guidance on whistleblowing(opens in new tab)

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