On Friday 8 March 2024, R.A.G. Heesakkers will defend the doctoral thesis titled: ‘Towards Social and Ecological Corporate Governance: A theoretical analysis of the position of the board in Dutch corporate law‘.
- Promotor
- Co-promotor
- Date
- Friday 8 Mar 2024, 10:30 - 12:00
- Type
- PhD defence
- Space
- Senate Hall
- Building
- Erasmus Building
- Location
- Campus Woudestein
- More information
The public defence will begin exactly at 10.30 hrs. The doors will be closed once the public defence starts, latecomers may be able to watch on the screen outside. There is no possibility of entrance during the first part of the ceremony. Due to the solemn nature of the ceremony, we recommend that you do not take children under the age of 6 to the first part of the ceremony.
Brief summary on the aim of the doctoral thesis:
The call for the integration of social and ecological interests in Dutch corporate governance is growing. Multiple proposals have been put forward to achieve such integration, both in literature and in legislation. This study provides a theoretical framework capable of evaluating such proposals.
Dutch corporate law largely evolved in a dynamic between two theoretical perspectives of the corporation, viewing corporations either as partnerships or as institutions. This study distinguishes a third perspective, viewing corporations as ecosystems embedded in larger ecosystems. This third perspective allows for the introduction of new insights in Dutch corporate law from other fields of research, such as complex systems theory.
Based on this theoretical approach, this study proposes twelve specific recommendations for the integration of social and ecological interests in Dutch corporate governance. These recommendations include an integrated definition of success, a responsibility for the board to function as an ecosystem steward, and a responsibility for the supervisory board to function as an internal corporate conscience.
