The Cambridge Handbook of Corporate Law, Corporate Governance and Sustainability

Description

The emerging field of corporate law, corporate governance and sustainability is one of the most dynamic and significant areas of law and policy in light of the convergence of environmental, social and economic crises that we face as a global society. Understanding the impact of the corporation on society and realizing its potential for contributing to sustainability is vital for the future of humanity. This Handbook comprehensively assesses the state-of-the-art in this field through in-depth discussion of sustainability-related problems, numerous case studies on regulatory responses implemented by jurisdictions around the world, and analyses of predominant strategies and potential drivers of change. This Handbook will be an essential reference for scholars, students, practitioners, policymakers, and general readers interested in how corporate law and governance have exacerbated global society's most pressing challenges, and how reforms to these fields can help us resolve those challenges and achieve sustainability.

Beate Sjafjell is a law professor at the Universitetet i Oslo Faculty of Law. She heads the Faculty's Research Group Companies, Markets and Sustainability, and coordinates international research projects and networks. Her other publications include the co-edited volumes Creating Corporate Sustainability (Cambridge, 2018) and Company Law and Sustainability (Cambridge, 2015). Christopher M. Bruner is the Stembler Family Distinguished Professor in Business Law at the University of Georgia School of Law. His previously published books include Corporate Governance in the Common-Law World: The Political Foundations of Shareholder Power (Cambridge, 2013), and his articles have appeared in numerous law and policy journals.

'Bringing together an impressive group of global scholars, this book weaves together insights and analysis of almost every manageable corporate sustainability issue resulting in a thorough and essential guide to corporations' ability to address sustainability challenges. A tour-de-force, this book is essential reading for scholars and corporations alike.' Barnali Choudhury, University College London 'Sustainability - of corporations themselves, and of the wider society and environment to which they are inescapably linked - is reshaping managerial discourse and the practice of finance itself. New paradigms and methods are emerging in the academic disciplines associated with the study of the corporation. This Handbook, with 50 chapters by leading scholars from around the world, marks a seminal contribution to this reshaping of the field.' Simon Deakin, University of Cambridge 'The Handbook investigates an under-explored but critical area: the relation of corporate law and corporate governance to sustainability. With a discussion of case studies from across the world and potential drivers for change, this Handbook will be an indispensable resource for anyone interested in exploring how corporations could contribute to a sustainable future.' Surya Deva, City University of Hong Kong 'This Handbook is an essential reference for anyone working on one of today's most pressing challenges, which is the transition to a climate-neutral and sustainable economy. It is high on Europe's political agenda. Yet nobody should underestimate the implications and scale of such a transformation. It is cross-cutting by nature and requires a transdisciplinary policy approach.' Valdis Dombrovskis, The European Commission's Vice-President for the Euro and Social Dialogue, also in charge of Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union 'It is increasingly clear that business must play a central part - even a leadership role - in addressing our global sustainability crisis. The challenges are profound, and Sjafjell and Bruner have marshaled many of the world's greatest experts to help identify ways to move ahead. Having this book on your desk is like having those experts on call.' Kent Greenfield, Dean's Distinguished Scholar, Boston College, Massachusetts 'Global business may shape the world more than government, yet government may still have instruments to give guidance. This handbook brings all three together, condensed into the three-partite title and structure - scope (sustainability), governance of firms and political guidance (actually well beyond 'corporate law' solely). This handbook gives us Hercules at labour - but rather at his seventh task than at his first.' Stefan Grundmann, European University Institute and Humboldt University, Berlin 'Two leading international corporate law scholars, Beate Sjafjell and Christopher M. Bruner, have done a great job in bringing together a group of scholars from all over the world to write on one of the most important issues in corporate law - namely, corporate governance and sustainability. The book is to be commended for including in one place such a comprehensive range of subjects.' Andrew Keay, University of Leeds 'This is an important and comprehensive volume on a topic that is of immense importance for academics, policymakers and practitioners. The editors have brought together the leading researchers in the field to produce a volume that provides profound insights into the intersection of corporate governance, law and sustainability. It deserves to be widely read and referenced.' Colin Mayer, Peter Moores Professor of Management Studies, University of Oxford 'This magisterial volume brings together a comprehensive collection of chapters treating law, legal theory, and law reform possibilities. Especially valuable is the impressive array of country-specific case studies from around the world. Essential reading for anyone interested in the crucially important question of the impact of business activity and corporate law on sustainability.' David Millon, J.B. Stombock Professor of Law, Emeritus, Washington and Lee University 'This book is a monumental work of scholarship. In terms of substantive scope, geographic reach and diversity of insight it is quite simply staggering. Its analysis of the contemporary financial, environmental and social challenges facing global business corporations is unsurpassed in originality and rigour. This timely collection will be an essential cornerstone of every corporate governance scholar's book collection for many years to come.' Marc T. Moore, University College London 'Humanity is at a new juncture. Deep into the Anthropocene we are now forced to consider the risk of destabilising the entire planet. What we need, and what this Handbook addresses in a comprehensive, convincing and state-of-the-art fashion, is to operationalise 'strong sustainability' in corporate law and governance. This book is a key contribution towards this transformation.' Johan Rockstroem, Director Potsdam Institute Climate Impact Research, University of Potsdam 'At their best, corporations have been invaluable tools for solving big societal challenges - from building early America's roads, bridges and railways, to curing disease, to bringing electricity to the masses. This impressive collection of scholarship explores what it will take to focus corporations on solving today's grandest challenges: environmental, social and economic sustainability.' Judith Samuelson, Executive Director, The Aspen Institute Business and Society Program 'An increasing number of political and business leaders are realizing the urgency of a fair transition to a sustainable economy and the depth of the challenges this poses to our ways to do and regulate business. When looking for effective answers, they will be well served by this most timely Handbook.' Frans Timmermans, First Vice President of the European Commission 'This book, with its comprehensive coverage and impressive list of preeminent contributors is a must-read for scholars, practitioners and policy makers concerned with the impact of the corporation on society. It provides in-depth analysis of the role that corporate law and corporate governance plays in the sustainability crisis, and persuasively argues that they must therefore figure centrally in any resolution.' Michelle Welsh, Monash University 'Sjafjell and Bruner's book is a brilliant contribution to the most pressing questions of corporate law and governance today. It challenges the 'trade off mentality' that construes ecological and social issues as of corporate concern only if they pose financial risks to the firm. This book provides an extremely important basis for re-conceptualizing how we think about corporate obligations.' Cynthia A. Williams, Osler Chair in Business Law, York University, Toronto For the full list of advance praise, see under Resources.