Listen up! Shareholder value no longer everything for big business

  • 📰 smh
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 47 sec. here
  • 2 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 22%
  • Publisher: 80%

Canada News News

Canada Canada Latest News,Canada Canada Headlines

Comment: Whether through conviction or pragmatism, business leaders are redefining the role of their corporations and the nature of capitalism, writes Stephen Bartholomeusz

When a local chief executive pops up to talk about social issues, they inevitably attract fierce criticism from commentators and some shareholders who believe CEOs should only talk about operations and profits.

They stressed that the long-term interests of all stakeholders, which included customers, employees, suppliers, communities as well as shareholders, were inseparable, pointing to issues such as diversity, social inclusion and the environment.

When Andrew Mackenzie talks about BHP’s commitment to reducing its carbon emissions, it's pragmatism.Market capitalism is under attack everywhere, from a wave of populism, nationalism and protectionism that is, in part, a reaction to the growing inequality that has accelerated through the post-financial-crisis era.

While there might be an element of altruism in its commitment to decarbonisation, or improving the lot of indigenous communities and supporting the Uluru statement, or committing to gender equality, they are also extremely pragmatic positions to hold if BHP wants to protect those licences in the face of rapidly-evolving community expectations.

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.
We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 6. in CA

Canada Canada Latest News, Canada Canada Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Mysterious explosion none of your business, Russia tells nuclear monitoring groupRussia's foreign ministry tells an international organisation set up to verify a ban on nuclear tests that handing over radiation data on a military accident in northern Russia is entirely voluntary. This feels like an Onion headline. How depressing... In Russia it means internal business. What a bloody business. gabrielenguard
Source: abcnews - 🏆 5. / 83 Read more »