Of sustainability committees and SACs: From A Better World Inc. by Alice Korngold. Copyright [c]2014 by the author. Published by Palgrave Macmillan (www.palgrave.com).

• Author: Korngold, Alice
• Position: THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS has the legal and fiduciary responsibility to ensure the company's prosperity. As shown in this book, risks in the 21st century include scarcity of resources, high costs of fossil fuels, labor conflicts, community resistance resulting from human rights abuses, and the lack of a qualified workforce for high technology jobs. As also presented in this book, growth opportunities abound for companies that pursue innovative solutions to global challenges. These are boardroom issues.

Since accountability for the company's sustainability strategy rests with the board, it is essential for the board to have a sustainability committee to help facilitate oversight. It is important for the committee to have a clearly defined role, to meet on a regular basis, to be composed of nonexecutive directors with relevant expertise, and to be joined by the CEO or chairman at meetings. The board should receive and review reports from the committee to fulfill its own duties of...