Corporate Social Responsibility of Big Tech Conference
"Big Tech" companies wield a profound influence not only within the technology sector but also across the global economy, local communities, the environment, and the legal and regulatory landscape. Recognizing the far-reaching implications of their expanding activities, The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law is hosting a full-day conference on November 14, 2025, at its Washington, DC campus. This event is a collaborative effort by the Corporate Responsibility and Compliance (CRC) program, the Law & Technology Institute (LTI), and the Bakhita Initiative for the Study and Disruption of Modern Slavery.
The conference will delve into the corporate social responsibility of "Big Tech" companies, exploring critical issues through engaging speaker presentations and dynamic panel discussions. We will consider the impact of these companies in the following areas and the implications for key stakeholders, including regulators, policymakers, boards of directors, shareholders, non-governmental organizations, and the legal professionals who guide them:
- modern slavery, including forced labor and human trafficking;
- artificial intelligence, privacy, and data protection;
- and sustainability, including the environment, resource management, and social justice.
Agenda
Corporate Social Responsibility of Big Tech Companies
The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law
Room 204/205 • November 14, 2025
- 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Registration and Check-In - 9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
Welcoming Remarks
Stephen C. Payne, Dean, Columbus School of Law
Overview of Conference Program
Speaker TBD - 9:15 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Keynote Speaker
Taylor Black, Director, Institute for AI & Emerging Technologies, The Catholic University of America, and Director of AI & Venture Ecosystems, Microsoft Corporation - 9:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Break - 10:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Panel 1: BIG TECH AS FACILITATOR OF EXPLOITATION
Panelists:
Terry Collingsworth, International Rights Advocates
Danielle Bianculli Pinter, Chief Legal Officer and Director of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) Law Center
U.S. Ambassador John Cotton Richmond, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (retired)
Annick Febrey, Deputy Director, Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking, U.S. Department of Labor
Moderator: Mary Graw Leary, Professor of Law, Columbus School of Law - 11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Break - 11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Panel 2: CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN THE ERA OF AI
Panelists:
Charles Duan, Assistant Professor, American University Washington College of Law
Adam Eisgrau, Senior Director - AI, Creativity & Copyright Policy, Chamber of Progress
Paul Lekas, Senior Vice President, Head of Global Public Policy and Government Affairs, Software & Information Industry Association
Dr. Maryann Cusimano Love, Chair, Department of Politics, The Catholic University of America
Moderator: Meaghan Pedati, Senior Counsel, Mars
- 12:45 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Lunch in Atrium
Luncheon Speaker: Representative Brandon Guffey, South Carolina - 2:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Break - 2:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Panel 3: SUSTAINABILITY: RISK MANAGEMENT IN LIGHT OF CHANGING EXPECTATIONS
Panelists:
David Curran, Co-Chair of the Sustainability Advisory Practice and Executive Director of the Sustainability and Law Institute; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
Brian Downing, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Mississippi School of Law
Erica Lasdon, Program Director, Climate Change & Environmental Justice, Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility
Kevin Tubbs, Vice President, Chief Ethics, Compliance and Sustainability Officer, Oshkosh Corporation (retired)
Moderator: John Polanin, Director of the Corporate Responsibility and Compliance Program, Columbus School of Law - 3:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Closing Remarks - 4:00 p.m.
Reception in Atrium