Not Good Enough: Efforts to Support Ethical Corporate Purpose

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“… A wise man once said that you should never believe a thing simply because you want to believe it.” – Tyrion Lannister, Game of Thrones
In an era dominated by the pressing concerns of climate change and sustainability, the notion of corporate purpose has become a battleground of opinions. Academic research on corporate purpose has sprouted like mushrooms after rain, creating a cacophony of arguments and theories (Bainbridge, 2020). Anecdotal evidence is even worse, with public opinion questioning the moral responsibilities of corporations with such vehemence that it rivals the intensity of religious zealots. Often mixed with a strong dosage of activism, doomsday scenarios are becoming the go-to point, unless corporations are held responsible for their impact and take immediate actions to address the climate crisis. Or so the story goes.
Easier said than done. The road to corporate responsibility is paved with complexities and contradictions that deter progress. Even those who agree that action should be taken find themselves entangled in fierce debates over the degree and the mechanisms of such action. The parties bicker and squabble with one another with the same fervor that they agree with the following statement: whatever corporations are doing, it is not good enough and they should be doing more.

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