An integral feature of sustainable entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility is ensuring that the resources required to establish and operate the business are sourced in a responsible manner that does not impair the integrity and reputation of the company. While transparency regarding sources of funding...
A discussion paper on board adoption and oversight of corporate sustainability prepared by The Global Compact LEAD included the following observation[1]: “Sustainability is increasingly recognized as a strategic imperative for businesses globally. Far more than when the Global Compact was launched in 1999, companies recognize that...
We have previously discussed the role and responsibilities of chief responsibility officers; however, many companies refer to that position as the chief sustainability officer, or CSO. In a 2007 White Paper on the changing role of the CSO, Heidrick & Struggles noted that for many...
Lawai et al. provided a summary of research that was relevant to identifying the key determinants of successful sustainable entrepreneurship[1]: According to Koe et al., attitudinal factors (i.e. sustainable attitude) and perceptual factors (i.e. perceived desirability and perceived feasibility) were important in influencing a person’s...
Rangan et al. argued that well-managed CSR creates social and environmental value, while supporting a company’s business objectives and reducing operating costs, and enhancing relationships with key stakeholders and customers.[1] Rangan et al. joined others in recommending that companies establish an independent full-time position to...
An interesting, and highly controversial, illustration of corporate social responsibility (“CSR”) commitments was the introduction in 2010 of Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan, referred to as the “USLP”. The USLP was conceived and driven by Paul Polman, who began serving as the CEO of Unilever in...
Berge discussed the concept of a “social enterprise” including the following description: “A social enterprise’s primary objective is to ameliorate social problems through a financially sustainable business model, where surpluses (if any) are principally reinvested for that purpose”.[1] According to Fury, the elements of a...
As interest in CSR and corporate sustainability has grown, companies have found that they are subject to heightened scrutiny and that the traditional disclosure practices that focused primarily, if not exclusively, on financial information and performance and related risks are no longer adequate. Companies must...
Interest in CSR and corporate sustainability among institutional investors has logically been accompanied by a sharper focus on whether and how companies are adopting the long-term perspective necessary for committing resources to projects that will likely have the highest value to the business at some...
While corporate social responsibility, or CSR, is generally associated with ensuring the corporations contribute to sustainable economic development at the macro-level, the concept of corporate sustainability can be seen as primarily concerned with the survival, or sustainability, of the corporation itself, something that is necessary...