IESE Insight - Corporate Governance

Don't just look into the future: script it

Miquel Lladó Life is uncertain and therein lies a great part of its beauty. Miquel Lladó's new book recommends putting your projection of the future down on paper, not just pondering it. The act of writing is key for Lladó's "strategy on a page."

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.

Corporate governance for company continuity

Josep Tàpies A good corporate governance system should make sure a company remains competitive going forward. In the case of family businesses, that may mean asking: Under what circumstances are we willing to bring in a partner to our company or even sell some shares?

Spain lags behind Europe in terms of women on boards

Atrevia ; IESE There were a few more female directors on the boards of Spanish companies last year, but women's representation continues to fall short of European averages and 2020 objectives.