Sustainability Matters: Why and How Corporate Boards Should Become Involved

The Conference Board Research Report No. R-1481-11-RR

92 Pages Posted: 4 Apr 2012

See all articles by David Vidal

David Vidal

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Archie B Carroll

University of Georgia

Kareem M. Shabana

Central Connecticut State University - Management & Organization

Janet E. Kerr

Independent

Matteo Tonello

The Conference Board, Inc.

John Peloza

Simon Fraser University (SFU)

Jingzhi Shang

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Katherine N. Lemon

Boston College - Department of Marketing

John Roberts

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Priya Raghubir

University of California, Berkeley - Marketing Group

Russell S. Winer

New York University (NYU) - Department of Marketing

Shuili Du

Simmons College

C. Bhattacharya

Boston University

Sankar Sen

City University of New York (CUNY) - Allen G. Aaronson Department of Marketing & International Business

Baruch Lev

New York University - Stern School of Business

Christine Petrovits

College of William and Mary - Mason School of Business

Suresh Radhakrishnan

JSOM, University of Texas at Dallas

Date Written: March 31, 2012

Abstract

Corporate sustainability can be broadly defined as the pursuit of a business growth strategy by allocating financial or in-kind resources of the corporation to a social or environmental initiative.

Today, more than ever, corporate sustainability has risen to the status of strategic business matter and demands supervision from the top. However, despite the extensive body of literature available on corporate governance and sustainability as separate areas of research, minimal attention has been paid to the interaction between the two. In particular, there is limited knowledge of the role that should be performed by the board of directors in designing, endorsing, and overseeing the implementation of a corporate sustainability program.

The publication highlights a series of issues for a pragmatic boardroom discussion on the subject. Chapters include:

- The business case for corporate sustainability. - The legal case for corporate sustainability. - Emerging board practices in corporate sustainability oversight. - Sustainability and customer value. - Sustainability performance assessment. - Sustainability communication. - Sustainability and corporate philanthropy.

Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility, corporate governance, sustainability, board of directors

Suggested Citation

Vidal, David and Carroll, Archie B and Shabana, Kareem M. and Kerr, Janet and Tonello, Matteo and Peloza, John and Shang, Jingzhi and Lemon, Katherine N. and Roberts, John and Raghubir, Priya and Winer, Russell S. and Du, Shuili and Bhattacharya, C. and Sen, Sankar and Lev, Baruch Itamar and Petrovits, Christine and Radhakrishnan, Suresh, Sustainability Matters: Why and How Corporate Boards Should Become Involved (March 31, 2012). The Conference Board Research Report No. R-1481-11-RR , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2032230

David Vidal

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Archie B Carroll

University of Georgia ( email )

Athens, GA
United States

Kareem M. Shabana

Central Connecticut State University - Management & Organization ( email )

United States

Janet Kerr

Independent

Matteo Tonello (Contact Author)

The Conference Board, Inc. ( email )

John Peloza

Simon Fraser University (SFU) ( email )

8888 University Drive
Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6
Canada

Jingzhi Shang

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

Katherine N. Lemon

Boston College - Department of Marketing ( email )

Fulton Hall 450D
140 Commonwealth Ave
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
United States
617-552-1647 (Phone)
781-862-9704 (Fax)

John Roberts

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Priya Raghubir

University of California, Berkeley - Marketing Group ( email )

Haas School of Business
Berkeley, CA 94720
United States
510-643-1899 (Phone)
510-643-1420 (Fax)

Russell S. Winer

New York University (NYU) - Department of Marketing ( email )

Henry Kaufman Ctr
44 W 4 St.
New York, NY
United States
212-998-0540 (Phone)
212-995-4006 (Fax)

Shuili Du

Simmons College ( email )

300 The Fenway
Boston, MA 02115
United States

C. Bhattacharya

Boston University

595 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
United States

Sankar Sen

City University of New York (CUNY) - Allen G. Aaronson Department of Marketing & International Business ( email )

One Bernard Baruch Way, B12-240
New York, NY 10010-5585
United States

Baruch Itamar Lev

New York University - Stern School of Business ( email )

40 West 4th Street, Suite 400
New York, NY 10012
United States
212-998-0028 (Phone)
212-995-4001 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.baruch-lev.com

Christine Petrovits

College of William and Mary - Mason School of Business ( email )

P.O. Box 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
United States

Suresh Radhakrishnan

JSOM, University of Texas at Dallas ( email )

Mail Stop SM 41
800 West Campbell Road
Richardson, TX 75080
United States
972-883-4438 (Phone)
972-883-6811 (Fax)

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