IESE Insight - Corporate Governance

Do we need corporate purpose to improve corporate governance?

Jordi Canals In recent years, the debate over purpose has reemerged and gained traction. Is a clear sense of purpose what's needed to make companies more effective and socially responsible? Here are three discussions that may lead us closer to the answer.

Having a clear purpose drives performance

IESE Insight A corporate purpose beyond profit maximization is associated with better firm performance under certain conditions, according to recent research by Wharton professor Claudine Gartenberg.

Can boards afford purpose and sustainability during the pandemic?

Fabrizio Ferraro While in crisis mode, some may doubt that companies can continue to focus on improving their environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance. But there's good reason to believe that ESG is an astute indicator of corporate resilience.

How to plan an orderly return to work

Philip Muller; Joan Fontrodona As lockdowns are lifted, companies are getting back to their businesses riddled with uncertainty. Drawing from experiences after natural disasters and terrorist attacks, Joan Fontrodona and Philip Muller offer a series of guidelines to organize "operation return."

Female board members wanted: Spain is still far from gender parity

Atrevia ; IESE Female representation on the boards of Spain's listed companies continues to grow, but still trails behind the 2020 objectives.

4 ways family firms are letting outside investors in

Jeroen Neckebrouck; Miguel Meuleman; Sophie Manigart More family businesses are opening up to external investors these days. IESE's Jeroen Neckebrouck maps out four main scenarios, based on two key questions, and points to their governance implications.

How to talk it out: shareholder dialogue that leads to change

Fabrizio Ferraro; Daniel Beunza By analyzing interactions between socially responsible shareholders and major corporations, Fabrizio Ferraro and Daniel Beunza present a model for creating common ground that can lead to real social change.

Are Spanish companies just paying lip service to gender equality?

Nuria Chinchilla; Esther Jimenez; Marc Grau Grau Although most Spanish companies say they are committed to equal opportunities between men and women, only 16% have established incentives to promote them.

Corporate culture and values: How can the board set the tone?

Jordi Canals There is a growing awareness about the importance of corporate culture. However, creating a positive culture cannot be addressed with a "check the box" compliance approach. This article provides some guidance on how boards can tackle this challenge.

Paul Polman: "We need to serve multiple stakeholders"

Jordi Canals Paul Polman, member of IESE's International Advisory Board and until recently CEO of Unilever, reflects on corporate governance, the work of the CEO and board of directors, and the need to manage for the long term.