Breakout Session: Corporate Behavior and the New Sustainability Regime

A range of companies have pursued sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) related initiatives as voluntary measures for decades. Even the terms themselves have several different meanings in corporate governance parlance. CSR and sustainability have become mandatory strategic consideration for issuers and their boards. In recent years, shareholders expect boards to understand and exercise more diligent oversight over the environmental and social impacts of a company’s activities. Investors have begun to agitate for structural governance reforms to address these matters more effectively, including the development of special committees for sustainability and the addition of board members with relevant expertise. This session will discuss this new reality and highlight constructive strategies that boards can use to affirmatively address these emerging trends.