What I expect will happen by the end of 2012...
- Social entreprenuers will form a broad international network to help each other with the complex legal, financial and business issues;
- A new hybrid corporate form will be recognized on a national level granting tax incentives for CSR for-profit corporations and allowing CSR non-profit companies the ability to attract private investors;
- Corporate codes in the US and abroad will be modified to accommodate (and provide financial subsidies) for CSR corporations;
- The definition of "business purpose" will evolve from a purely economic bottom line to a broader concept which takes into account stakeholder interests;
- The idea of a "social business" will be clearly defined and thereby distinguishable from non-profits and for-profits in the US and in Europe.
Projects/Initiatives
Initial Research Projects
- Comparing hybrid organizational models in the US and in France (working draft as of 2011)
- Existing U.S. laws affecting Fourth Sector organizations (working draft as of 2009)
- U.S. and International Fourth Sector Activity (working draft as of 2009)
- Development of the essential characteristics for the Fourth Sector archetype
(working draft as of 2009)- Effectively Enforcing Corporate Social Responsibility Norms in the European Union and the United States
Ongoing Initiatives
- 2011- Virtual workshops for social entreprenuers who are interested in receiving legal training on the corporate structures available for CSR initiatives in the US and in France
- The April 29, 2009 CSR Forum on Promoting Effective Methods to Ensure Adequate Enforcement of International CSR Principles: This brief CSR Forum brought together attorneys, legal scholars and investors to discuss the main methods to effectively enforce binding CSR norms on international corporations. I organized this conference in order to start a network of scholars and experts who are working on projects regarding the enforcement oflegally binding norms on international corporations. During the Forum, participants were introduced to the main projects on enforcing CSR principles on an international level and discussed the most effective method for enforcement. For the CSR Forum Agenda click here. For a list of the Project Summaries, click here.
- The July 17, 2008 Meeting on Establishing New Legal Forms for Fourth Sector Organizations: This meeting brought together attorneys, legal scholars and social entrepreneurs to explore the limits on Fourth Sector organizations under existing law and examine possible characteristics of new hybrid forms (report forthcoming). I helped organize the conference in collaboration with Allen Bromberger and gave a twenty minute presentation on international Fourth Sector Activity. To download my power point presentation, click here.
Building the Future of Socially Responsible Corporations...
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