Elverding chair
The research theme of the Elverding Chair is to investigate how sustainable, long-term corporate decision making can be enhanced from both a national as well as a European perspective.
In this respect, the research team will examine the following:
- The role of corporate leadership in promoting sustainability
- The relationship between the corporate purpose and sustainability
- Corporate culture and participation of stakeholders such as employees
As part of their research the Chairholders will also consider the relationship between hard law and soft law, the international and comparative dimension of corporate practices and regulation, and the role and influence of institutional investors such as pension funds.
The Elverding Chair is held jointly by Prof. Dr. Rob Bauer and Prof. Mr. Mieke Olaerts, respectively from the School of Business and Economics and the Law Faculty of Maastricht University. This collaboration makes it possible to investigate the research theme from a multidisciplinary angle, using insights from both economics and law.
The research program of the Elverding Chair will particularly contribute to the literature on how to make businesses more sustainable, the role of corporate culture in achieving this, and how boards and management of corporations can be supported (or even nudged) to have a long-term (sustainable) compass.
The Elverding Chair is named after Peter Elverding (1948-2017) who was CEO of DSM and a Supervisory Board member of Maastricht University and the Dutch Central bank. He is remembered and praised for being a sustainability pioneer among business leaders, and as a leading advocate for sustainable, long-term corporate activities.
Elverding Conference 2023
Click here for the summary of our conference on Enhancing sustainable business and corporate regulation in the EU
Rob Bauer: ‘Duurzaam beleggen leidt niet noodzakelijkerwijs tot hoger rendement’
Kiezen voor een duurzame focus heeft ook nadelen, aldus hoogleraar Rob Bauer. Daar moeten pensioenfondsen transparant over zijn. ‘Nu krijgen deelnemers alleen maar het mooie verhaal te horen.’
Elverding student conference: Sustainable business for a sustainable future
Society increasingly expects companies to not only create shareholder value but also to take societal challenges into account. There is emerging regulation at the EU as well as at the national level requiring companies to conduct their activities in a way that is compatible with these societal expectations, taking into account issues such as human rights and the environmental consequences of the business activities.