Holding identity accountable | Patrick Cines | TEDxPSU

Patrick Cines is a Marketing major in the Smeal College of Business at Penn State University. He started a petition in his college called “Stand Up to Altria”, which calls on his business school to drop Altria, the parent company of Philip Morris USA and largest manufacturer of tobacco products, as a corporate partner.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx

When I first stepped foot
on Penn State's campus,

as a high school student,

I fell in love with the people;

I fell in love with the community

and the campus.

But looking back on it now,
what I had fallen in love with

was Penn State's identity.

I fell in love with what it means
to be a "Penn Stater".

As a business student

and a member of the Smeal College
of Business community,

from day one we are taught what is
arguably the foundation of our college.

And that is our honor code.

Our code states that we,
the Smeal College of Business community,

aspire to the highest ethical standards

and will hold each other
accountable to them.

We will not engage
in any action that is improper,

or creates the appearance
of impropriety in our academic lives,

and we intend to hold this
in our future careers.

This is Smeal's identity.

And it's an identity
that is on every wall of our building.

It's an identity that our professors
uphold and preach,

and it's an identity
that we all sign onto and make our own.

Unfortunately, every year,
a company called Altria

donates thousands
of dollars to my college.

In return is given the title
of corporate partner.

Altria is the parent company
of Philip Morris, USA.

The largest manufacturer
of tobacco products in this country.

Last year alone, 480,000 people
died from smoking.

And about 42,000 people died
from second-hand smoke.

With one in every five
deaths in this country

caused by tobacco-related products,

I realized that this company's identity
didn't align with my college's identity;

that while we're able to hold our students
accountable to our honor code,

we aren't able to hold
ourselves, our institution,

and our partners accountable.

A couple of weeks ago,
while I was studying for an exam,

in a mandatory class about business ethics
and corporate social responsibility,

I realized that something had to be done;

that I had to stand up for my
college because it's college.

I started a petition called
"Stand Up to Altria",

that requests that my dean

not allow Altria to renew
their corporate partnership,

and reject any type
of donations from them.

It also stops them from receiving

any type of elevated branding
or support from my college.

That's what they receive
now as a corporate partner.

But the one key thing
that it doesn't stop them from doing

is from recruiting on campus.

Because I believe
that at the end of the day,

it should be left up to each and every one
of my fellow students and classmates

to make the ethical decision on their own

if they want to work
for a company like Altria.

In the past couple of days,
I've received a ton of support.

Hundreds of students
from the business college

and across the Penn State community

have signed my petition,
from professors to faculty,

and even the staff
that maintain our buildings.

They have all said
that they do not want Altria's money,

and that Altria's identity
does not align with Smeal's identity.

But with the support that I've received,
I've also had much push-back.

A lot of people have said
that because we are a business college,

and because Altria
fundamentally creates a product

that is demanded by the public,

that it shouldn't matter
that we're partnered with them.

Others have said
that this is a slippery slope;

where do you draw the line
between the companies that you deny

and the companies that you allow?

To which I say it's important to realize
that cigarettes have no safe use.

That while banks,
while they were complicit

in the financial crisis, have a safe use.

And defense contractors,

while they do create weapons,
are necessary for national defense.

I've chosen to take a stand against Altria
because I fundamentally believe

that their identity does not align
with my college's identity.

I've come here to TEDxPSU today

not to ask you to sign my petition,

and not to ask you to come and join me
in collecting more signatures.

But I've come here today because
I believe that it's important

to think about who we are,
and what we stand for.

What is your identity?

And do the values
that you uphold and believe in

align with the organizations
and institutions that you care about?

If they don't, speak up
for what you believe in.

Speak up for your identity.

I've chosen to hold my college
accountable because it's my college.

It's my identity.

Thank you.

(Applause)