Compliance and Conviction: The Evolution of Enlightened Corporate Governance

The corporate failures of the first decade of the 21st century and the repercussions of these failures, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, certainly have intensified focus on corporate governance. Unfortunately, like for most calls to action, fear was the primary driver, and both stakeholders and corporations sought compliance with the new regulations designed to restore confidence to shareholders. Now that the trepidation has subsided and the financial performances of Corporate America again have reached a reasonably steady state of appreciation, corporate stakeholders are likely to turn their attention to other, more pressing, issues. Many great achievements have flowed from accidental breakthroughs, and many others have been motivated by some kind of fear. Good corporate governance, however, should not be left to chance. Serendipity is a poor surrogate for strategy and never should be considered a foundation for building long-term shareholder value. Nor should corporate governance be driven by fear. In Compliance and Conviction, Dr. Crawford suggests that corporate boards use enlightened corporate governance as a touchstone for delivering sustainable long-term shareholder value.

Corporate directors must remain vigilant in the pursuit of increasing long-term shareholder value and stakeholder appreciation. As the heightened awareness of, and interest in, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 begins to wane, corporate boards must strive to maintain a deliberate focus on compliance and demonstrate a strong conviction for business success. We all have a vested interest in the continued evolution of the governance of the American corporation.