While companies and consumers are becoming more aware of their social responsibilities, South Africa still faces huge, un-met challenges. And although philanthropy plays a vital role in the development of communities, is not enough to bring an end to poverty. GreaterGood South Africa, through its SA Social Investment Exchange (SASIX), is pioneering new ways of giving people and communities access to the capital they need to lift themselves out of poverty.

In 2002 Mark Goyder wrote "Lessons from Enron". It was a story about the culture of fear and greed at the top of the company, and how Enron's non-execs, who were there to hold them to account, failed to restrain it.  In this article Mark looks at the similarities between Enron's corporate culture and that of News Corp, in the light of recent events. He asks what lessons can be learned from these failings and spells out the need for a greater measure of stewardship throughout the investment chain.  

Building on his previous article 'Stewardship Lessons from News Corp' Tomorrow's Company Founder Director Mark Goyder assesses the lessons that can be learned from the appearance of Rupert and James Murdoch in front of a Parliamentary Select Committee.  

In 2008 Tomorrows Company published “Tomorrow’s Owners – stewardship of Tomorrow’s Company”. This was a review of the principles of good ownership from private equity and family business to institutional investment in listed companies. The report concluded that shareholders had four roles – being a member, a provider of finance, a trader of shares and a steward, but that in listed companies it was this fourth role that was being neglected. The publication of this report coincided with the failure of the banks in October 2008. Sir David Walker picked up the theme of stewardship in his 2009 report for the UK government on the governance of banks and other financial institutions. Here we set out Tomorrow’s Company’s definition of stewardship and the four principles that make up effective stewardship.    

What difference do sustainability reports make to business strategy?