The conversation series presents a wonderful opportunity for us to better understand the diverse faith perspectives represented in our U of A community. This event will explore atheism – a perspective held by many of our fellow faculty, staff and student body – and will help attendees feel more comfortable engaging in conversations regarding atheism and agnosticism in the workplace and educational environment. The majority of the webinar will include a discussion Professor Jon Johnson.  Jon will discuss his own faith perspective and answer questions. Please note that this event is part of a series and will include new and different information from past sessions. 

Supervisors, managers, and the campus community play a role in ensuring that all individuals, no matter their background, feel welcome and that no aspect of their identity will mean that they feel as though they aren’t included. The University strives to encourage an environment where employees bring their “full self” to work, where they feel comfortable, willing, and able to talk about what is most important to them. As such, the workplace can play a critical role in breaking barriers and encouraging increased intercultural understanding and communication. 

Jon Johnson Jonathan (Jon) Johnson is the Walton College Professor of Sustainability in the Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas, where he has been on the faculty since 1996.  He graduated with a BS in zoology and an MBA from the University of Arkansas before earning a Ph.D. from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.  His research focuses on corporate governance, social network theory, and corporate sustainability. Jon teaches strategy, organization theory, research methods, innovation and sustainability.

In addition to his research and teaching, Jon has led several sustainability initiatives at the University of Arkansas, including founding the Applied Sustainability Center (ASC) in 2007 and The Sustainability Consortium (TSC) in 2009.  TSC is an international multistakeholder initiative with corporate, NGO, government and academic members who have collaboratively created a scientifically grounded sustainability measurement and reporting system for consumer goods.  Jon currently serves as Chairman of the Board of TSC.

Jon served as the inaugural Department Chair for the Department of Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Venture Innovation (SEVI) from January, 2020 to August, 2021, when he began serving as faculty lead for a grant funded project to create an Outdoor Products and Services program (OPS). The OPS program will offer undergraduate, graduate and non degree seeking programs to support the emerging cycling and outdoor economy in Northwest Arkansas.