Boards are operating in ever more complex and challenging business environments. At the same time, their behaviour and standards are coming under increasing external scrutiny, for example through the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) and Walker Reviews in the UK. This publication champions the concept of a ‘mandate’ which sets out the ‘essence’ of the ‘character’ and distinctiveness of the company. We believe that this ‘working charter’ can help boards navigate their way through increasingly choppy waters by facilitating more effective strategic engagement: primarily between executive directors and NEDs to improve board effectiveness, but with the associated benefit that it drives communication externally with the key stakeholders, including investors, government and regulators, and society at large. Accompanying this document is a 'tool-kit' which provides an agenda for board discussions. Please download this here.  A series of case studies illustrating how the board mandate may,...

Integrating strategies for corporate responsibility and evaluating their impact, both sociallyand environmentally, is becoming increasingly critical to business. Companies are seekingways to successfully put their strategies on sustainability into practice - strengthening theconnection between corporate responsibility and global competitiveness. This paper summarises the key discussion points from a high level roundtable discussionorganised by CIMA and Tomorrow’s Company, where senior business decision makers met with experts in sustainability. Anant Nadkarni, Vice President, Group Corporate Sustainability, Tata Council for Community Initiatives (TCCI) presented the Tata Index to the group.  This has been captured on video and can be found here.

This Briefing Document, by Tomorrow’s Company, summarises some of the frameworks that have been established in various countries to support the transition to green, low-carbon economies.  Whilst each have followed their own path the importance of governments and business working together to establish effective frameworks is shared, as are the positive returns both economically and environmentally that are being generated.  This is not intended to be a comprehensive briefing - rather it provides indicative examples. The Tomorrow's Company Briefing Documents are intended to provide the reader with a comprehensive introduction to a particular topic. You can find the full list of Briefing Documents on forceforgood.com here.

 This Briefing Document, by Tomorrow's Company, summarises the steps taken by Interface, a global carpet manufacturing company, to eliminate its environmental impact on the planet by the year 2020. This project, ‘Mission Zero’ is amongst the most ambitious of its kind. Ray Anderson, chairman of Interface and ex-Chief Executive, set Interface on this path to becoming fully sustainable and since his ‘epiphany’ in 1994, Interface have led the way in sustainable business, achieving superb environmental results as a consequence. The Tomorrow's Company Briefing Documents are intended to provide the reader with a comprehensive introduction to a particular topic. You can find the full list of Briefing Documents on forceforgood.com here.

This report presents full analysis of the research ?ndings. It includes results from a UK-  wide survey of 1,500 managers and ten case studies based on interviews conducted among a range of organisations in different sectors. It also provides key conclusions and recommendations, drawn from the research, to help individual managers and organisations adapt to the challenges they face. This research has been led by the Chartered Management Institute in partnership with the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the UK Business Council  for Sustainable Energy, supported by EDF Energy and the Association of Chief Police Of?cers, Cymru. The Centre for Environmental Strategy at the University of Surrey was the research partner.