Can Purpose Deliver Better Corporate Governance?

Organisers

John Almandoz, IESE; Marco Becht, Solvay Brussels School and ECGI; Jordi Canals, IESE; Fabrizio Ferraro, IESE; Mireia Giné, IESE and ECGI; Colin Mayer, University of Oxford and ECGI; Joan Enric Ricart, IESE; Paola Sapienza, Kellogg School of Management and ECGI.

About this event

The notion that companies should have a corporate purpose or mission that goes beyond financial performance has been considered in the fields of management, organisational behaviour, law and the economics of organisations for a long time. But the increasing weight of ESG dimensions in corporate governance and asset management, the call for positive societal impact, and the competition to attract and retain top talent -among other factors- draws us firmly closer to a deeper consideration of corporate purpose. At this turbulent time, ‘Corporate Purpose’ has galvanised a global movement that promises to restore trust in companies, to produce goods and services without doing harm, while providing a fair return to employees and shareholders.

Many of the world’s most valuable companies already have a clear purpose. With a swelling of public discourse, the markets have joined the movement calling on businesses to make a positive contribution to society and to refocus corporate governance around a multi-stakeholder perspective. As businesses in turn, reflect on their purpose, they must also consider the questions that complicate the implementation of a vision or purpose and make it meaningful.

This conference focused on the connection between purpose and governance. It brought together leading scholars, including Nobel Laureate Bengt Holmström, from the fields of strategy, organisational theory, organisational economics, finance and corporate law to address these important questions with thoughtful business executives, corporate lawyers, asset managers and board directors from a variety of sectors. The event encouraged a dynamic interaction between scholars and corporate leaders. 

Contact

For queries, please contact Félix Sánchez, IESE CCG Manager: ieseccgconference@iese.edu

Participants

John Almandoz (IESE); Marco Becht (Solvay Brussels School, ECGI and CEPR); Patrick Bolton (Columbia University and ECGI); Jordi Canals (IESE); Fabrizio Ferraro (IESE); Jill E. Fisch (University of Pennsylvania Law School and ECGI); Caroline Flammer (Boston University’s Questrom School of Business); Claudine Gartenberg (The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania); Mireia Giné (IESE and ECGI); Jordi Gual (CaixaBank); Rebecca Henderson (Harvard Business School); Bengt Holmström (MIT and ECGI);  Sophie L’Hélias (LeaderXXChange and ICGN); Baroness Denise Kingsmill (Inditex and IAG) ; Juvencio Maeztu (CEO of IKEA); Colin Mayer (Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, British Academy and ECGI); Paul Polman (former CEO of Unilever); Joan Enric Ricart (IESE); Henry Tricks (The Economist); José Viñals (Chair, Standard Chartered); Xavier Vives (IESE Business School and ECGI); Ernst-Ludwig von Thadden (University of Mannheim and ECGI); Luigi Zingales (University of Chicago Booth School of Business and ECGI) 

Supported by: