Corporate Political Responsibility

An Emerging Best Practice
For Public Affairs Governance

The socio-political environment for business is increasingly volatile and complex, and is likely to remain so. With the politicization of issue after issue, the need to manage external influences in a consistent, principled and prepared way could not be more pressing.

“Corporate Political Responsibility” (CPR) provides a non-partisan best practice for more integrated governance of public affairs, that can help companies navigate the current landscape in a principled way. CPR is both a necessary practical risk management strategy and a critical enabler of long-term value for business and society, regardless of the political environment.

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The CPR Hub is a dynamic, curated central site featuring practical ways to apply CPR Governance to a company’s unique situation, and compelling materials for exploring why, when and how. 

The socio-political environment for business is increasingly volatile and complex, and is likely to remain so. With the politicization of issue after issue, the need to manage external influences in a consistent, principled and prepared way could not be more pressing.

“Corporate Political Responsibility” (CPR) provides a non-partisan best practice for more integrated governance of public affairs, that can help companies navigate the current landscape in a principled way. CPR is both a necessary practical risk management strategy and a critical enabler of long-term value for business and society, regardless of the political environment.

Showcase

A dynamic repository of CPR resources from across the field, including tools, reports and educational materials.
ArticleBusiness for Social Responsibility (BSR)

This report by BSR explores how a strategic context defined by fragmentation, geopolitical tension, contested information, and uneven economic and social conditions impacts companies' sustainability strategies. As climate impacts, inequality, and technological disruption accelerate, the report argues that sustainability strategies should be sharper, more resilient, and more closely tied to enterprise priorities. 

The authors also argue that business plays a critical role in safeguarding the stable operating environment and bedrock institutions necessary for its success.

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Report

This report is based on interviews with twenty-nine partners and associates from law firms that responded to 2025-26 Executive Orders and other federal challenges with a wide variety of strategies -- from compliance to lawsuits.  

The focus was on the strategic calculations driving decisions by individual lawyers and law firms, regardless of the strategy they took. The report concludes that fear significantly magnifies perceptions of risk, collective action is critical in responding to pressure, and business leaders have a crucial stake in upholding rule of law, for its own sake and as a cornerstone of the free market system.

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ArticleECGI Working Paper Series in Law

This paper revisits the longstanding debate over corporate purpose, examining tensions between shareholder primacy and stakeholder-oriented governance models, with a focus on legal, financial, managerial and political dimensions of this question.

In a thorough discussion of fiduciary duty, Rock argues that there are many misconceptions. For example, he states, "It is simply incorrect to claim that Delaware law requires directors to maximize the short term stock price when they believe that long term projects will be more valuable." Rock also points out that current debates over shareholder primacy arose due to the weakening of other vehicles -- such as legislation or tax policy -- for addressing society's or other stakeholders' interests. 

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WebsiteAmerican Sustainable Business Network (ASBN)

Businesses United in Leading Democracy is a coalition initiative encouraging companies to support democratic participation, civic trust, and institutional resilience through nonpartisan engagement. The initiative promotes collaboration among businesses committed to protecting democratic norms, strengthening civic systems, and encouraging responsible corporate leadership in periods of political polarization and democratic strain. 

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ToolThe Erb Institute CPR Taskforce

Developed with Erb Institute’s Corporate Political Responsibility Taskforce, in consultation with academics and over 40 stakeholder groups from across the political spectrum, the Erb Principles for CPR offer a thought process for non-partisan, defensible decisions in turbulent times.  The principles of legitimacy, accountability, responsibility, and transparency provide actionable and non-partisan approach to weighing when, how and why to engage in political affairs, to manage risk and advance long-term value creation for business and society. 

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As investors increasingly focus on systemic risks, few risks are as consequential as the weakening of democratic institutions and the rule of law -- or today’s once-in-a-generation operational and strategic challenges from AI, an increasingly chaotic political environment, and more.  Yet, as an investor, it can be difficult to translate these systemic risks into concrete actions. Focusing on public affairs governance – how companies make decisions about whether and when to engage in the public sphere, can be one helpful lens.

This new tool from Third Side Strategies helps investors to ask sharper questions—of companies and of themselves. It introduces the concept of CPR Governance (a set of best practices for whether and when to engage in the public sphere) which helps investors in two ways: (i) prompting companies to think more concretely about their public affairs practices and strengthen any areas of weakness highlighted by the questions, and (ii) providing investors the information needed to more effectively manage this systemic risk across their portfolio.

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About the CPR Hub

The CPR Hub helps companies navigate a hyper-political world by strengthening their public affairs governance practices, featuring emerging best practices, practical tools, and compelling materials for discussing why, when and how CPR Governance might be adapted for a specific company. It is published by Third Side Strategies, a non-partisan action-oriented think tank and non-profit advisory firm.

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We know CPR Governance is a journey, unique to each company. Here are a few next steps to consider.

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