The social impact of excessive executive pay
Companies know excessive executive compensation has moved beyond a governance consideration to become a big contributor to inequality. But are they ready to act? by David Rutherford Last March, when dozens of CEOs announced pay cuts in solidarity with workers impacted by the COVID-related economic shutdown, there was much applause. In fact, as Just Capital has reported, 70% of people [...]
When Larry Fink talks, people listen
BlackRock’s CEO is good at getting people’s attention. That opens the door for committed responsible investors to deliver their message by David Rutherford Every January, the New Year is kicked off with another ‘thou shalt’ moment from Larry Fink, the CEO of BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager. This year, Fink’s annual letter to CEOs again riffed on the theme [...]
The Pandemic has Increased Trust in Business
With Apologies to Naomi Klein, This Changes Everything by David Rutherford The latest Edelman Trust Barometer, the PR firm’s annual global survey on trust and credibility, is out. It reveals that there’s yet more fuel on the fire in terms of the public’s demand for corporate purpose. Two key findings stand out: Business is the only institution seen as both [...]
Not too little, but definitely a little late
The reaction of Big Tech to the assault on the U.S. Capitol reinforces the longstanding need to address human rights risks When hundreds of rioters assaulted the U.S. Capitol building in Washington on January 6, all fingers pointed to President Trump as the instigator. We can be sure that Trump’s role in this insurgence will be confirmed through history. Spoiler [...]