معرفی
Kendy Hess is the Brake-Smith Associate Professor of Ethics and Social Philosophy at the College of the Holy Cross, where she teaches in the Philosophy department within the College of Arts and Sciences. She holds a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Colorado, Boulder, an MA from Northwestern University, and a JD from Harvard Law School. Prior to her academic career, Hess practiced as a corporate environmental lawyer for 15 years, first as a partner at Altheimer & Gray and later as of counsel at Greenberg Traurig.
Her research focuses on competing conceptions of the firm and the institution of business as a whole, with particular attention to their normative implications. Hess has developed a distinctive, liberal-arts based approach to business ethics pedagogy, which was recognized with a National Endowment for the Humanities grant. She frequently travels to present at conferences and leads workshops on her approach to business ethics education.
Hess has served as a Senior Research Fellow at Oxford Saïd Business School (2024-25), where she taught ethics across finance, law, and business programs. She currently holds leadership positions as treasurer for the Society for Business Ethics (member since 2014) and Vice Chair of the Board for the Native Plant Trust, where she leads initiatives on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access.
Her scholarly work demonstrates consistent engagement with questions of corporate moral agency, the political nature of firms, and the ethical implications of business structures. She has published extensively in top philosophy and business ethics journals, with recent work focusing on corporate moral responsibility versus social responsibility, the political community nature of firms, and defending corporate agency against common critiques.
- National Endowment for the Humanities grant for liberal arts approach to business ethics pedagogy
Hess actively referees for academic journals and engages with various organizations to address issues regarding the moral and political obligations of firms, especially concerning environmental matters. Her interdisciplinary background bridges philosophy, law, and environmental studies, informing her unique perspective on business ethics and corporate responsibility.
