On 1 June 2022, Liesbeth Enneking has been reappointed as Professor of Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability at Erasmus School of Law. The chair succeeds the chair of Legal Aspects of International Corporate Social Responsibility, which Enneking has held since 2017. The chair offers the opportunity to perpetuate and expand the position Erasmus School of Law holds as a scientific legal expertise centre on the boundary of International Corporate Social Responsibility (ICSR) and sustainable business.
ICSR, sustainable business and the law
During her chair focusing on ICSR, Enneking has concentrated on research into the role of (private) law in encouraging ICSR and on the translation of results of this research to policy and corporate practice. Within the new chair, Enneking will focus even more strongly on the impact of her research and include a stronger emphasis on its sustainability aspects.
“The social expectation that companies undertake responsible business has increasingly been translated into concrete legal obligations in this area in recent years. In addition, ICSR is more and more linked to the theme of sustainability, specifically on climate change, exhaustion of natural resources and social-economic inequality. Examples are the decision of the District Court of The Hague in the climate case against Shell and the Commission proposal for a Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. These developments create a great need for interpretation and direction among companies, policymakers and social organisations. The adjusted focus and new design of my chair enable me to meet that need, in collaboration with other experts in this field at Erasmus School of Law, based on the scientific expertise that has been accumulated," according to Enneking.
Building bridges
This chair further strengthens the role of sustainability in the education and research of Erasmus School of Law (for example through the Erasmus Research Platform on Sustainable Business & Human Rights). This way, Enneking will build bridges between research, education, academia and practice.
Thanks to the multidisciplinary approach, the emphasis on positive societal impact and the focus on sustainability aspects, the chair is a perfect fit for the vision of Erasmus School of Law and Erasmus University’s 2024 Strategy.
The Board of Erasmus School of Law congratulates Liesbeth Enneking on her appointment and wishes her all the best with her activities.
- Professor