Learning for Integrity: Governance, Ethics, and the Values That Shape Decision-Making - Nigel Paine

The scale and pace of organisational change today means that decisions are increasingly made in complex, ambiguous conditions. Yet many organisations struggle to articulate what should guide those decisions, what criteria justify them, and how responsibility is defined when outcomes are uncertain.

In this session, Nigel Paine argues that ethics and governance are two of the most critical topics organisations consistently fail to address in meaningful ways. When decisions are made without a clear ethical framework or shared values, the consequences can be unintentionally harsh, inequitable, or damaging to trust. Governance, in this sense, is not simply about control or policy, but about providing clarity and coherence in how choices are made.

The session explores how learning plays a vital role in making ethics actionable rather than theoretical. Nigel examines five core values that enhance the impact of learning while extending far beyond it, shaping organisational structure, decision rights, and everyday behaviour. Attendees will be challenged to rethink ethics as a living system that informs action, supports accountability, and strengthens organisational culture, especially as AI and automation complicate traditional notions of responsibility.

Key Topics Include:

• Why ethics and governance are now central to organisational decision-making
• The dangers of operating without explicit ethical frameworks and shared value
• How governance can enable better judgement rather than restrict action
• Five values that strengthen learning impact and shape organisational culture
• The relationship between ethics, learning, and organisational structure