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Values based and/or responsible leadership for addressing climate change

Values based and/or responsible leadership for addressing climate change

Coulson-Thomas, Colin (2023) Values based and/or responsible leadership for addressing climate change. Effective Executive, 25 (4). pp. 7-29. ISSN 0972-5172

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Abstract

The leadership required to address the impact of human activity upon the environment and global warming raises questions for directors to consider about differing approaches to responsible corporate leadership for sustainability, innovation, combating climate change, issue monitoring, environmental governance, stakeholder relations, energy security, water and waste management, tackling pollution, collaboration and the circular economy. While values per se do not explicitly feature in most of the questions suggested, responsible board leadership should ensure future business models and economic growth are more environment friendly and sustainable. When confronted with existential threats and addressing common environmental challenges, private and public sector responses suggest significant variation in the degree to which different companies, boards and Governments are either value-driven or responsible, as evidenced by their behaviours. Irresponsible responses can lead to protest and boycotts and increase the risk of legal action. In contrast, business leadership behaviour in pursuit of a laudable purpose such as the widely shared goal of collective survival that is also perceived as responsible can garner support and lead to reputational and other benefits.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: leadership; human activity; environmental governance; global warming; sustainability; future business models; environment friendly business models; sustainable growth; existential threats
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences
H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory
H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD61 Risk Management
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group: Faculty of Business
Faculty of Business > Centre for Work and Employment Research (CREW)
Faculty of Business > Centre for Work and Employment Research (CREW) > Leadership & Organisational Behaviour Research Group (LOB)
Last Modified: 29 Apr 2023 06:52
URI: http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/38618

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