The Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu The leading online blog in the fields of corporate governance and financial regulation. Mon, 18 May 2026 11:32:52 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.8 https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/cropped-photography-4-e1706898544564-1-32x32.png Board Considerations for an Uncertain 2021 – The Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu 32 32 Board Considerations for an Uncertain 2021 https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2020/12/11/board-considerations-for-an-uncertain-2021/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=board-considerations-for-an-uncertain-2021 https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2020/12/11/board-considerations-for-an-uncertain-2021/#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2020 14:01:29 +0000 https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/?p=135008?d=20201211090129EST Posted by Holly J. Gregory, Sidley Austin LLP, on Friday, December 11, 2020
Editor's Note:

Holly J. Gregory is partner at Sidley Austin LLP. This post is based on her Sidley memorandum.

In the current “black swan” era of heightened economic turmoil, social unrest, and the COVID-19 pandemic, boards of public companies have had to explore a range of issues in response to rapidly emerging risks. Interrelated trends have emerged, including:

  • Renewed interest in the company’s purpose in society, including its role in providing the goods and services that meet basic needs, as well as in innovation.
  • Shifting emphasis from shareholder primacy to the interests of a broader set of stakeholders.
  • Accelerating interest in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters, particularly the company’s role in addressing social issues, including issues of racial and gender equality and social justice.
  • Enhanced focus on the value of human capital and related changes in the nature of work and the workplace.
  • The potential for significant reconfiguration of industries and business models, which raises concerns about business continuity.

These trends will shape the board’s focus and priorities in 2021. While the specific priorities and their order will vary from board to board based on the unique circumstances facing the company, the key focus areas are likely to include:

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