Corporate Social Responsibility in an Age of Existential Threats

In an age of existential threats for Australia and the world, what does society need from companies and how should companies respond? Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has a leading role to play in answering hese fundamental questions. Yet current Australian and international debate remains stuck in polarised positions on CSR and related topics, including environmental, social and governance considerations (ESG), and diversity, equity and inclusion factors (DEI) for businesses.

In this groundbreaking book, Professor Bryan Horrigan provides a roadmap for navigating the complexity of CSR and the current controversies surrounding it. How is the corporate landscape changing for Australia and the world on corporate diversity, climate disclosures, and social and environmental harms? Do Australian businesses, the professions advising them, and even universities all have social licences to operate? Should they all speak and act publicly on controversial social and environmental issues, or stay out of the arena of partisan politics altogether?

How far should corporate governance standards for ASX-listed companies go in addressing social, environmental and climate issues? Do Australian company directors face legal liability for mismanaging climate risk and disclosure, and what safeguards can protect them? And how does the Trump administration’s war on so-called ‘wokeness’ create ripple effects for corporate Australia, Australian politics and Australian universities?

📘 Published by Monash University Publishing as part of the In The National Interest series. Available from 1 August 2025.

This event is associated with Monash Law's Centre for Commercial Law and Regulatory Studies (CLARS)

Event Details

📅 Date: Wednesday 20 August 2025
⏰ Time: 6.00– 7.15 pm AEST
RSVP: By COB Tuesday 19 August

About the Author

Professor Bryan Horrigan holds a doctorate in law from Oxford University under a Rhodes Scholarship. He is an academic, published author, legal and governmental adviser, and public speaker. He has academic expertise, practical experience and an international reputation in public and corporate law and governance. His book Corporate Social Responsibility in the 21st Century was published internationally in 2010.

Professor Bryan Horrigan