Course content
The course investigates the relationships of corporations with sustainability governance, whether in the context of governmental or non-governmental (e.g., multi-stakeholder initiatives) policies. It uses the framework of Corporate Political Responsibility to extend CSR into the political roles of corporations. This is important because whilst we are more familiar with the economic and social roles of corporations, their political roles are less well-understood. Moreover, sustainability debates often under-estimate the importance of governance questions, focusing on the substantive Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs), for example, to the neglect of SDGs 16 and 17 which address ‘strong institutions’ and ‘partnerships for the goals’.
The modules investigate corporate ‘making, taking and breaking’ of sustainability governance in order to reveal some positive contributions as well as some activities which raise questions about corporations’ responsibility, accountability and sustainability. This includes investigation of corporate roles and relationships in, for example: climate change regulation, supply chain governance, community responsibility, humanitarian aid, environmental and human rights regulation, and also includes a practitioner presentation on a sustainability governance topic.
The course concludes with consideration of different ways of evaluating and enhancing the responsibility, accountability and sustainability of corporations’ sustainability governance roles using the concepts of ‘corporate purpose’, ‘democratic regulation’ and ‘corporate citizenship’.
Whilst it focuses on the governance roles of corporations with homes in democratic systems, the course includes attention to these corporations’ governance activities in other places. It is designed to be of particular interest to students with interests in CSR, sustainability, and business and politics.
See course description in course catalogue