We started off by asking: how can corporate governance make big businesses financially, environmentally and socially sustainable? Nobody doubts that publicly listed companies can have a big impact, whether it is for good or for bad. The way they are governed is therefore key for sustainable development and social justice. Dysfunctional governance structures can lead companies to egregious misconduct, and have serious impacts on their workers, the environment, taxpayers, the communities in which they operate, and consumers. Civil society groups use a range of methods to try and positively influence corporates’ behaviour.
This roundtable explored how changes to corporate governance rules and behaviour could expedite this work. It also showed the connection between corporate governance and many critical social issues such as inequality, sustainability and poverty.
The event aimed at initiating a conversation amongst leading civil society organisations concerned with the impact of corporations on people and the environment and to explore opportunities for advocacy in this field.
A summary of the event is available here, as well as a video of the event:
Useful resources:
We have put together a short guide to corporate governance. The publication provides civil society organisations and responsible businesses with an introduction to corporate governance, an overview of potential corporate governance models and potential avenues for future policy reform. Not to be cited without prior permission. All comments are welcome. The guide is available in PDF.
