Corporate boards can play a vital role in assuring the longevity and success of their companies.
This role is becoming more complex as companies are increasingly being held accountable for their non-financial policies and activities. Evidence indicates that environmental and social performance today can affect a company's future reputation, brands, the ability to attract talent and other important intangibles that ultimately affect share value. Nelson is Director of Business Leadership and Strategy at IBLF, Singh is a Coordinator at IBLF, and Zollinger is SustainAbility's Executive Director. The writers acknowledge that as corporate boards already face enormous complexities and time constraints, most directors would not welcome additional duties. Our research confirms that only when cross-connections between sustainable development and a board's existing core functions are made do companies make real progress.