Publications

22 May 2012
First Look

First Look: May 22

approach. Finally, we show that the relation is driven by both the social and the environmental dimension of CSR. Download the paper: http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/11-130.pdf The Impact of a Corporate Culture of Sustainability on... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

November 29, 2011
Article

The Role of The Board in Creating a Sustainable Strategy

By: Robert G. Eccles, Ioannis Ioannou and George Serafeim

While conceptually elegant, the belief that a corporation's role is to maximize value for shareholders is under increasing challenge as society's expectations for companies change. An equally elegant new concept that takes account of these dual pressures has yet to... View Details

Keywords: Value Creation; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Corporate Strategy; Business and Shareholder Relations; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Performance Expectations; Governing and Advisory Boards; Management Practices and Processes; Decisions; Risk and Uncertainty; Cost vs Benefits; Information

2010
Working Paper

Sustainable Cities: Oxymoron or the Shape of the Future?

By: Annissa Alusi, Robert G. Eccles, Amy C. Edmondson and Tiona Zuzul

Two trends are likely to define the 21st century: threats to the sustainability of the natural environment and dramatic increases in urbanization. This paper reviews the goals, business models, and partnerships involved in eight early "ecocity" projects to begin to... View Details

Keywords: Communication Technology; Investment; City; Infrastructure; Business and Government Relations; Environmental Sustainability; Urban Development; Information Technology; Green Technology Industry; Real Estate Industry

March 2010 (Revised June 2010)
Case

The Greening of DUMBO

By: Robert G. Eccles, Amy C. Edmondson and Abhijit Prabhu

The Brooklyn, New York, neighborhood Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass (DUMBO) has seen a revitalization since the late 1970s. The neighborhood's business improvement district (BID) is charged with supplementing New York City's efforts in several areas, including... View Details

Keywords: Transformation; Local Range; Business and Community Relations; Business and Government Relations; Environmental Sustainability; Wastes and Waste Processing; Urban Development; Public Administration Industry; New York (city, NY)

October 2014 (Revised March 2015)
Case

Integrated Reporting at Aegon

By: Robert G. Eccles, George Serafeim, Sydney Ribot and Michael Krzus

In 2011, Aegon adopted integrated reporting—a corporate reporting approach that sought to present company performance in a holistic light by considering medium- to long-term issues, stakeholder opinions, and the relationship between material financial and nonfinancial... View Details

March 2009 (Revised May 2011)
Case

Addleshaw-Goddard LLP

By: Robert G. Eccles, Amy C. Edmondson and James Weber

Addleshaw-Goddard (AG), the 15th largest law firm in the U.K., is seeking ways to serve larger clients on more important legal matters. Part of this strategy involves its "Client Development Centre (CDC)," an innovative idea and set of services launched by Dr. Jim... View Details

Keywords: Price; Innovation and Invention; Service Operations; Partners and Partnerships; Competitive Advantage; Diversification; Legal Services Industry; United Kingdom

February 2, 2012
Article

Is There an Optimal Degree of Sustainability?

By: Robert G. Eccles, Ioannis Ioannou and George Serafeim

Corporate sustainability is not a one size fits all concept. A successful strategy balances all business pressures. View Details

Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Strategy

Find at Harvard

10 Jan 2012
First Look

First Look: January 10

Robert G. Eccles, George Serafeim, and Beiting ChengHarvard Business School Supplement 112-058 The case describes the challenges that Foxconn faced after a series of suicides... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

February 2010 (Revised December 2011)
Case

Ricoh Company, Ltd.

By: Robert G. Eccles, Amy C. Edmondson, Marco Iansiti and Akiko Kanno

Ricoh, the Japanese copier manufacturer, is committed to reducing its environmental impact to one-eighth of its 2000 levels by 2050. It has already introduced three stages of environmental awareness to its operations, and its recycled copier business broke even in... View Details

Keywords: Environmental Accounting; Financial Reporting; Integrated Corporate Reporting; Investment; Operations; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Environmental Sustainability; Electronics Industry; Manufacturing Industry; Japan

January 6, 2012
Article

Is Sustainability Now the Key to Corporate Success?

By: Robert G. Eccles, Ioannis Ioannou and George Serafeim

Keywords: Success

13 Apr 2010
First Look

First Look: April 13

and environmental NGOs. Purchase this case: http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/product/710027-PDF-ENG Purchase the supplement:http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/product/710028-PDF-ENG Ricoh Company, Ltd. Robert G.... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

2012
Chapter

Sustainable Cities: Oxymoron or the Shape of the Future?

By: Robert G. Eccles, Annissa Alusi, Amy C. Edmondson and Tiona Zuzul

Two trends are likely to define the 21st century: threats to the sustainability of the natural environment and dramatic increases in urbanization. This paper reviews the goals, business models, and partnerships involved in eight early "ecocity" projects to begin to... View Details

Keywords: Environmental Sustainability; City; Urban Development; Infrastructure; Housing; Urban Scope; Business Ventures; Business Model; Green Technology Industry

2015
Chapter

Reliable Sustainability Ratings: The Influence of Business Models on Information Intermediaries

By: Robert G. Eccles, Jock Herron and George Serafeim

A new generation of corporate reporting—integrated reporting—is emerging that will help investors and other key stakeholders such as employees, customers, suppliers, and NGOs develop a deeper and more comprehensive appreciation of corporate performance than what is... View Details

Keywords: Sustainability; Business Models; Business Model

Find at Harvard

28 Feb 2012
First Look

First Look: Feb. 28

Purchase this case:http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/product/612048-PDF-ENG Aviva Investors George Serafeim, Robert G. Eccles, and Kyle ArmbresterHarvard Business School Case... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

Article

Models of Best Practice in Integrated Reporting 2015

By: Robert G. Eccles, Michael P. Krzus and Sydney Ribot

In March of 2015, the authors reviewed the integrated reports of 25 multinational companies that participated in the International Integrated Reporting Council's (IIRC's) Pilot Programme Business Network. Because it was not until December 2013 that companies had any... View Details

Keywords: Integrated Reporting; Integrated Corporate Reporting

Find at Harvard