Could a Voluntary System Really Make a Difference?

Christine Mahoney of the University of Virginia

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On March 3, 2023, we spoke with Christine Mahoney of the University of Virginia to explore “Better Disclosure: Could a Voluntary Lobby Disclosure Platform Improve CPR While Lowering Reporting Requirements?”

Despite the enormous burden of current reporting requirements on lobbying activity, there is surprisingly little useful information to enable problem-solving or accountability. Meanwhile, companies now face pressure to report in more depth on the issues they advocate for and their positions on key issues. Lawmakers and their staffs struggle to make sense of the policy landscape and cumbersome comment processes, while constituents are demanding more accountability from their elected representatives, amid an environment of declining trust.

In this module, we explore:

• Can a voluntary, public system really make a difference? How would it work today and how it would work?
• What options have you considered for hosting this system, and what are the pros and cons?

The Corporate Political Responsibility Taskforce (CPRT)’s Expert Dialogues are in-depth, recorded conversations with academic experts, stakeholder advocates and business practitioners to provide our members and other CPR champions with the expertise and context they need to develop principled, proactive CPR strategies. We invite those interested in a constructive, non-partisan, principles-based discussion.

Keywords:

#CorporatePoliticalResponsibility #ESG #CPR_Responsibility #CivicInstitutions #Democracy #CPR_Accountability