Corporate governance, risk and social responsibility

Corporations have a significant impact on the world that we live in, our communities and sustainability. In this unit, we consider how a corporation’s existence as a separate legal entity brings benefits as well as risks. Current issues of global significance such as environmental risks and social responsibility have increasingly been recognised as problems that corporations should address. The unit explores the regulations and governance mechanisms aimed at promoting corporate responsibility and mitigating risks. We examine regulations that require directors to act responsibly and with integrity, maintain mechanisms for internal monitoring of risks such as audit committees, and promote transparency. Case studies involving corporate failures and controversies are used to develop applied knowledge of corporate governance regulations.