Verizon-Sponsored Lecture Series Focuses on Business Ethics and Privacy in the Digital Age

NEW YORK - Verizon will sponsor a lecture series on business ethics at Bentley College in Waltham, Mass., focusing on changes in the field of information technology and its impact on privacy.

The series, presented by Bentley's Center for Business Ethics, will feature a public lecture by Thomas I. White, the Hilton professor of business ethics and director of the Center for Ethics and Business at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

White will speak at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 12, at the Wilder Pavilion in the Adamian Academic Center as part of the Verizon Visiting Professorship in Business Ethics and Information Technology.

During his lecture, titled "Data, Dollars and the Unintentional Subversion of Human Rights," White will argue that one of the unanticipated consequences of some recent decisions in the IT industry is a disregard for the importance of privacy as a fundamental human right.

During the week, White will visit classrooms and spark discussions with students about business ethics. He also will meet with college faculty members to develop ways to blend business ethics into their curriculum.

"In the rapidly evolving, hyper-networked global environment in which companies now compete, relationships with customers and business partners have become increasingly digitized," said Mike Hoffman, executive director of the Center for Business Ethics at Bentley College.   "With information technology now such a dominant feature of firms' interactions with each other and the public, their decisions in this area can have significant ethical implications.

"For more than nine years, Verizon's support of the CBE's Visiting Professor Program has brought thoughtful debate about issues such as these into the public domain, helping business to bring ethical consistency to an ever-changing environment," said Hoffman.

Gregory Miles, director of Verizon's Office of Ethics and Business Conduct, said, "Consumer privacy is a critical issue for our customers and our company. That is why for more than a decade Verizon has taken a leadership role on the issue and was one of the first companies to develop and publish on its Web site a set of privacy principles designed to protect consumer privacy. Verizon's commitment is also reflected by our decision to appoint a chief privacy officer to ensure that privacy is properly considered and addressed as we conduct business."

Bentley College is a business university renowned for its educational leadership in information technology.

Verizon was the first recipient of the Business Ethics Award from the Center for Business Ethics and is a sponsoring partner of The Ethics Officer Association.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 59 million customers nationwide.  Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which operates one of the most expansive wholly owned global IP networks, and Verizon Telecom, which is deploying the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network to deliver the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services to customers.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon has a diverse workforce of approximately 242,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $88 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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