
Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate Sustainability at a Crossroads
MIT SMR and BCG’s 2017 sustainability research report offers eight lessons for sustainable business.
Sustainability remains a frequently discussed opportunity for business differentiation. Heralded as “the primary moral and economic imperative of the 21st century,” by Mervyn King, former governor of the Bank of England, it is considered to be “one of the most important sources of both opportunities and risks for businesses.”
MIT SMR and Boston Consulting Group recently completed an eight-year collaboration on the topic of sustainability. Over the course of the program, the partnership produced cutting-edge research on business adoption of sustainable practices and the integration of sustainability into business strategy. We developed detailed analyses of the business cases for sustainability, sustainability-related profitability, and issues around collaboration and investment.
The intersection of sustainability and another powerful market influence, digitalization, however, represents largely unexplored territory. Each has spawned a massive set of research about how it will change management practice, and more broadly, business and society. MIT SMR intends to build on its research on corporate sustainability and digitalization, and is currently looking for a partner to join our research effort.
MIT SMR and BCG’s 2017 sustainability research report offers eight lessons for sustainable business.
Lessons from the golden age of Black business can teach today’s leaders how to help Black entrepreneurs prosper.
While ESG gets buffeted by the winds of political theater, the work of sustainability continues.
Research shows that a company’s confessions to past wrongs enhances people’s perception of its corporate responsibility.
Transparency about how minerals are sourced advances environmental justice and climate protection.
The lack of transparency in corporate philanthropy doesn’t serve companies or their stakeholders.
In an era of complex ethics algorithms and DEI/CSP/ESG checklists, simpler is better.
Once leaders address their company’s historical transgressions, they can work to create a more positive legacy.
Companies must be prepared to respond strategically to state and federal policies that conflict with stakeholder values.
Developing products using materials from biological sources can yield more sustainable business models.
Strategy experts weigh whether companies should expect monetary returns from diversity, equity, and inclusion investments.