The general counsel’s ability to incorporate moral and ethical matters within her advice, and her accepted role as “wise counselor” to management, well-position her to be an important advisor to board and executive leadership on corporate social responsibility (“CSR”) matters.

By its nature, CSR reflects the confluence of business performance; law and regulation; corporate governance; and social and environmental goals. A company’s ability to respond to CSR depends in part on soliciting a diversity of related perspectives at the executive and board levels. These should logically include the general counsel, whose portfolio extends well beyond technical legal issues, to incorporating moral and ethical considerations in her advice to the corporation.

The managerially progressive CEO, who is sensitive to CSR principles, will support and embrace the regular and active participation of the general counsel in “C-Suite” CSR discussions.

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