As businesses, governments and communities grapple with climate change, technological disruption, geopolitical uncertainty and widening social inequalities, questions of corporate responsibility and accountability have moved into the centre of public debate. What responsibilities do organisations owe society? How should businesses respond to challenges that extend far beyond traditional notions of shareholder value? And how can leaders make ethical decisions in an increasingly interconnected world? These questions were discussed by delegates at the 12th International Conference on CSR, Sustainability, Ethics and Governance, during one of the hottest weeks of the year where climate resilience felt particularly immediate.
Over the past decade, sustainability has become embedded within corporate strategy, investment decisions and local, national and international public policy. Yet despite the proliferation of ESG frameworks, sustainability reports and net-zero commitments, significant issues remain about whether organisations are achieving meaningful change or merely responding to regulatory and reputational pressures (a.k.a greenwashing). This conference co-hosted by the Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick, Ireland, and the Global Corporate Governance Institute (GCGI), brought together researchers, policymakers, business leaders and practitioners from across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas to examine how organisations are responding to these increasingly complex sustainability and governance challenges.
The conference plenary session addressed how advances in artificial intelligence and digital technologies are creating new ethical dilemmas that challenge existing governance structures. Professor Andreas Georg Scherer (University of Zurich, Switzerland) and Professor Cristina Neesham (Newcastle University, UK and Swinburne University of Technology, Australia), explained how generative artificial intelligence creates “organised immaturity” in management education. Their argument raises a broader concern. As organisations rush to adopt generative AI, are leaders developing the critical judgement needed to govern these technologies responsibly, or simply embracing them because competitors are doing the same?
The conference programme explicitly recognised that sustainability is not solely an environmental issue. Rather, it encompasses broader questions of social justice, governance, inclusion, accountability and responsible leadership. To illustrate, papers presented at the conference examined topics ranging from climate-risk disclosure and sustainable finance to family business governance and green-skills development, highlighting how sustainability concerns increasingly cut across organisational functions, sectors and national borders.
By including perspectives from entrepreneurship, family business, policy and practice, the programme emphasised the importance of multi-stakeholder approaches. Professor Naomi Birdthistle’s (Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Australia) work on family businesses and the Sustainable Development Goals, for example, demonstrated how sustainability can be embedded within organisational purpose and governance rather than treated as a peripheral corporate responsibility initiative. Raquel Noboa’s (sustainability advocate and entrepreneur) contribution focused on a different but equally important challenge: developing green skills across the workforce (www.fiftyshadesgreener.ie). Her approach to guiding business along their sustainability journey reflects a growing understanding that sustainability transitions depend not only on strategy and regulation but also on culture, capability and individual employee action. Beyond the formal presentations, some of the most productive exchanges occurred during coffee breaks, panel discussions, informal networking sessions and on the social programme to the first Sustainable Tourist Destination, in the neighbouring County Clare.
The issues discussed at the conference have far-reaching consequences beyond universities and boardrooms. Whether considering AI, climate adaptation or the transition to more sustainable business models, the underlying questions concern how societies organise power and responsibility. Indeed, many of the challenges discussed in Limerick were fundamentally questions of governance: whose interests are prioritised, whose voices are heard and who bears the costs and benefits of economic activity. The debates and conversations in Limerick did not produce easy answers. Nor should they. Balancing economic performance with environmental stewardship and social responsibility inevitably involves tensions and trade-offs.
Creating spaces where these tensions can be openly discussed remains essential between groups that do not always engage with one another: academics and practitioners, policymakers and entrepreneurs, regulators and business leaders. Such dialogue is increasingly necessary if society is to move beyond polarised debates and develop practical responses to complex challenges. In that respect, the significance of the International Conference on CSR, Sustainability, Ethics and Governance lies not only in providing the collaborative and collegiate event to present cutting-edge, impactful research but the willingness of the participants to engage critically with some of the most pressing questions facing business and society today. Ultimately, the conference demonstrated that sustainability can no longer be treated as a peripheral concern. Whether the issue is artificial intelligence, climate resilience or corporate accountability, the decisions made by organisations increasingly shape outcomes not only for shareholders but for societies on a global stage.
The 13th International Conference on CSR, Sustainability, Ethics and Governance will be hosted by the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland, June 30th– July 2nd, 2027 and more updates will appear on the Global Corporate Governance Institute (GCGI) website https://gcg-csr.org/
