ECGI launches new blog platform to provoke critical thinking
Brussels - 8 February 2022. The European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI), known globally for its academic credentials, published the first in a series of articles today on ‘Responsible Capitalism’. It opens a research debate that seeks to explore the tension between the beneficial outcomes of capitalism, and the unequal consequences which are not aligned with democratic societies and the future of the planet. The concept is defined by ECGI as ‘an economic system that accommodates private ownership and the pursuit of market opportunities while achieving societal goals’.
The first article, “Capitalism’s shortcomings” by Herman Daems, ECGI Chair and Chair of the Board of BNP Paribas Fortis, affirms that “stimulating capitalism to act more responsibly is an effective way to make markets, companies and governments respond to today’s ESG challenges while safeguarding creativity, innovation, and climate-compatible growth.” Professor Daems has long advocated for businesses to act responsibly (Coalition for Inclusive Capitalism, 2015) and will oversee the direction of the Institute, as Chair for the coming years.
The second article, by René Stulz, ECGI Fellow and the Everett D. Reese Chair of Banking and Monetary Economics and the Director of the Dice Center for Research in Financial Economics at the Ohio State University, provocatively asks “Can capitalism be responsible?”. Professor Stulz argues that an “economy with a well-functioning price system with the right kind of taxes and restrictions and where managers follow Friedman’s dictum that firms should maximize shareholder wealth will likely achieve a more responsible outcome than one where some investors and managers (but not others) try to achieve responsible outcomes.”
The third article, by Jennifer G. Hill, ECGI research member and the Bob Baxt AO Chair in Corporate and Commercial Law, Monash Law School, Australia, explores “The journey from corporate rights to corporate responsibilities”, usefully concluding that “growing calls for ‘responsible capitalism’ serve as a reminder that corporate governance is not static; nor is it exclusively a private law problem about misalignment of interests between shareholders and managers.”
The articles were published on the new ECGI Blog which was announced by the Institute last week, under the leadership of Professors Wei Jiang (Columbia Business School and ECGI) and Dan Puchniak (National University of Singapore and ECGI). Future issue's will continue on the theme, with opinions and recommendations from Professor Mark Roe (Harvard University and ECGI), Ron Gilson (Stanford University, Columbia Law and ECGI) and and Paul Davies (University of Oxford and ECGI). The Blog will not only feature views from academics, but also from experienced business leaders. Michele Crisostomo (Chair, Enel) will be among those interviewed on the topic. The interview, which will feature in the initial series, is conducted by Professor Guido Ferrarini (University fo Genoa and ECGI).
The launch of the new Blog platform facilitates more timely scholarly reflection without the often long lead-in time and caveated restrictions associated with the publication of academic research. This will complement the already successful ECGI Working Paper Series which is a reliable source of knowledge pertaining to the ecosystem and governance of the corporation, relating to law, finance and economics.
Commenting on the launch of the ECGI Blog, Dan Puchniak, Co-Editor-in-Chief said; “With ECGI celebrating its twenty year anniversary in 2022, it remains more relevant than ever. Corporate governance is evolving and it is so much more than words on a page. How corporations and financial markets are governed will shape the future of humanity. Therefore, we must think creatively, act ethically, and respond globally. The ECGI Blog will leverage the global network of the Institute and the combined knowledge across regions, disciplines and industry to help shape a better world.”
The ECGI Blog will focus on selected themes with global interest and will spotlight a new theme every two months.
Contact:
Carla Speight
Senior Communications Manager
Carla.speight@ecgi.org
+353 838203124
www.ecgi.global
Professor Marco Becht
Executive Director
Marco.Becht@ecgi.org
+32478406156
The ECGI Blog aims to be a global voice on corporate governance, corporate responsibility, and stewardship. Through comment and analysis from the ECGI network and beyond, the Blog will enhance the wider understanding of related research, igniting, provoking, and influencing global debate. The ECGI Blog will focus on selected themes with global interest and will spotlight a new theme every two months. The Blog will also encourage responses to published articles, from all audiences. Blog articles will be shared with ECGI subscribers twice monthly and all published articles will be featured on the ECGI website.
Submissions to the Blog are welcome at all times. Notwithstanding the quality of writing, Editors are likely to prioritise submissions that have not already been published on other platforms, and are received by ECGI Fellows and research members. Submissions are welcome from other ECGI member categories and also non-members with relevant expertise in corporate governance and stewardship. Submissions from undergraduates are not accepted. Submissions of strong current interest which fit with the Blog themes may also have priority. 'Letters to the Editor' are also welcome through the same submission process. Due to the limited number of article publications in each issue, unfortunately many articles will not be selected for publication. To increase the likelihood of acceptance, it is suggested to adhere to the informal style of the blog and to keep within approximately 800 words.
Before submitting, please review the Submissions Guidelines carefully along with the ECGI Blog FAQ section. It may also be useful to review the ECGI Blog Style Guide. Each newsletter will include a link to submit articles. Queries can be submitted to blog@ecgi.org
Editorial Team
The ECGI Blog operates with the generous support of a number of volunteers from the ECGI network. There are two Editors-in-Chief, from the law and finance fields, who together with two Associate Editors, provide editorial guidance and direction for the Blog. An Editorial Board and an Advisory Board each advise and guide the Blog team, reviewing standards, discussing trends, and identifying articles and ideas for the Blog. Members of the Boards are identified from ECGI’s appointed research network and institutional members.
Editors in Chief:
Wei Jiang
Arthur F. Burns Professor of Free and Competitive Enterprise
Columbia Business School
Dan Puchniak
Associate Professor
National University of Singapore, Faculty of Law
Associate Editors:
Dionysia Katelouzou
Reader in Corporate Law
Dickson Poon School of Law, King's College London
Philipp Krueger
Associate Professor of Finance
University of Geneva & Swiss Finance Institute
EDITORIAL BOARD
Vicente Cuñat
Associate Professor
Department of Finance
London School of Economics
Daniel Ferreira
Professor of Finance
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
Nadya Malenko
Associate Professor of Finance
University of Michigan, Ross School of Business
Mariana Pargendler
Professor of Law
FGV Law School in São Paulo
Enrichetta Ravina
Senior Economist
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Wolf-Georg Ringe
Professor of Law & Economics
University of Hamburg
Umakanth Varottil
Associate Professor
Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore
Marco Ventoruzzo
Head of Department and Professor of Corporate Law
Paolo Baffi Center on Financial Regulation, Bocconi University Law Department
Susan Watson
Dean, University of Auckland Business School, Professor of Law, University of Auckland Faculty of Law
University of Auckland
Fei Xie
Chaplin Tyler Professor of Finance & Iannaccone Faculty Fellow
University of Delaware, Lerner College of Business and Economics
Advisory Board
Lucian Bebchuk
James Barr Ames Professor of Law, Economics, and Finance
Harvard Law School
Marco Becht
Professor of Finance
Université libre de Bruxelles
Herman Daems
Chair, ECGI
Chair, BNP Paribas Fortis
Paul Davies
Senior Research Fellow
University of Oxford
Guido Ferrarini
Professor of Business Law and Capital Markets Law
University of Genoa
Julian Franks
Professor of Finance
London Business School
Ronald Gilson
Professor of Law and Business
Stanford Law School, and Columbia Law
Jonathan Haynes
Senior Consultant
Oxera Consulting LLP
Michael Hilb
Chair
International Board Foundation
Jennifer G. Hill
Bob Baxt AO Chair in Corporate and Commercial Law
Monash University
Klaus Hopt
Emeritus Professor
Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law
Hideki Kanda
Emeritus Professor
University of Tokyo and Gakushuin University Law School
Kon Sik Kim
Emeritus Professor
Seoul National University
Rui Pereira Dias
Professor of Law
IPCG
Nicoletta Pollio
Legal Counsel
Enel
Isabella Porchia
Legal Associate
Latham & Watkins
Paolo Rainelli
Associate Professor of Business Law
Politecnic University of Turin and Cleary Gottlieb
Mark Roe
David Berg Professor of Law
Harvard Law School
René Stulz
Everett D. Reese Chair of Banking and Monetary Economics
The Ohio State University
Cristiana Tudor
Professor
CECCAR
Michael Viehs
Head of ESG Integration
Federated Hermes
Alexis Wegerich
Economist
Norges Bank Investment Management