Can Companies Shape our Societies ?

Every era undergoes relatively abrupt transformations. Companies are always a driving force in the advent of technological change, as they need to innovate in order to survive. Perhaps more indirectly, they also participate in the transformation of values and standards.

What is striking today is that we now expect companies to contribute to developing solutions for the challenges facing society, for which they are held partly responsible. From climate change to increasing inequality, the spheres where companies’ environmental and societal responsibility can apply are legion. But there are also numerous constraints.

How can environmentally-friendly decisions be fostered while satisfying shareholders’ requirements? How can workers’ rights be ensured for the self-employed, particularly those with several part-time jobs? What can and should we expect from companies today and in the future?