VideoCorporate Political Responsibility Taskforce

Implications of Limits to Growth for CPR

Video 2 of 2

 

On May 18, 2023,, we spoke with Gaya Herrington of Schneider Electric to explore “Examining the ‘Limits to Growth’ Model: Systems Thinking, Sustainability & CPR”

Today’s debates over sustainability and prosperity hinge on foundational assumptions about the economy, growth and the drivers of human well-being. Since its publication in 1972, the “Limits to Growth” model commissioned by the Club of Rome has been at the center of such debates, raising fundamental questions about whether prosperity is inherently linked to material consumption, and whether “business as usual” models of economic growth will lead to greater prosperity or collapse.

In this module, we explore:

  • How would you define CPR?
  • Where should companies be more involved and why? Where should they reduce their influence or stay out?

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.

Gaya Herrington is the former Director of Sustainability Services for KPMG US, author of Five Insights to Avoid Global Collapse: What a 50-year Old Model of the World Taught Me About a Way Forward for Us Today, based on research that examined updated quantitative information and found that current empirical data is broadly consistent with the 1972 projections and that if major changes to the consumption of resources are not undertaken, economic growth will peak and then rapidly decline by around 2040.

Keywords: #CorporatePoliticalResponsibility, #CPR_Climate, #CPR_Environment, #CPR_Long-term Value, #CPR_ESG, #CPR_Systemic Risk, #CPR_Trends, #CPR_Responsibility, #CPR_Resiliency, #CPR_CivicInstitutions

More Resources

Sort by type
41 – 60 of 308 results showing
ArticleSHRM

Summarizes five key threats based on The Conference Board’s C-Suite Outlook 2025 report, including international rivalries, global political instability, trade disruption, rising nationalism and political polarization in the workplace. Recommends assessing risk and governance, leveraging innovation and digital transformation, and strengthening cybersecurity. 

View Details
ArticleThe New Yorker

Explores how citizens' assemblies—randomly selected groups with active facilitation deliberating on policy—could improve U.S. democratic decision-making, improve trust and reduce polarization. Shares a successful initiative in Oregon to address youth homelessness.

View Details
BookRiverhead Books

This book explores who works for the government and specifically what work do they do. In a time of increased focus on government workers, this book explores the role of government workers through specific examples and stories. 

View Details
ArticleUC Berkeley News

Emerging student groups at UC Berkeley are creating spaces fostering respectful connection across political divides by promoting civil discourse, hosting open debates, and offering courses that equip students with skills to engage diverse perspectives—grounded in the belief that seeking knowledge is the primary mission.

View Details

This toolkit helps B Corps and values-driven companies turn their mission into action through clear steps for engaging in policy advocacy—offering templates, case studies, and guidance on building coalitions, crafting messages, and showing up credibly in the public arena.

View Details
ReportNiskanen Center

This report argues that to meet the demands of democracy, government must be reorganized to effectively carry out the goals set by the people’s representatives, and offers a four-part agenda to rebuild state capacity through hiring reform, procedural streamlining, digital modernization, and stronger feedback systems.

View Details
VideoCorporate Political Responsibility Taskforce
Video Details
VideoCorporate Political Responsibility Taskforce
Video Details
ReportPowell Tate

This survey reveals that while Americans expect businesses to take a stand on important social issues, they want them to steer clear of political involvement. Respondents call on companies to focus on finding shared values and solutions, rather than engaging in partisan debates. 

View Details
VideoCorporate Political Responsibility Taskforce
Video Details
ArticleYale Institute for Social and Policy Studies

This article is a summary of a conversation hosted by Democratic Innovations at Yale's ISPS.  Led by ISPS Director Alan Gerber and ISPS faculty fellows and political science professors Hélène Landemore and Adam Meirowitz, Democratic Innovations serves as a laboratory to identify and test new ideas for improving the quality of democratic representation and governance. It recaps insihgts from the conversation hosted by Landemore and Theophile Penigaud de Mourgues, a postdoctoral associate with Democratic Innovations, and Jonathan Moskovic, advisor in democratic innovation for the president of the French-speaking Brussels Parliament.

View Details
ReportCeres

This action plan outlines 10 clear steps for how insurers can lead on climate, setting it apart by emphasizing science-based targets, underwriting reform, and equitable resilience. It combines strategic, operational, and policy actions to help insurers align with net-zero goals while supporting vulnerable communities and driving systemic change.

View Details
WebsiteCivic Alliance

The Civic Alliance is a nonpartisan coalition of more than 1,300 businesses united by a commitment to a thriving democracy, which they believe depends upon active participation in safe, accessible, and trusted elections.

View Details
VideoCorporate Political Responsibility Taskforce
Video Details
ArticleWe Mean Business Coalition

Recognizing that the right policies enable companies to meet climate targets, this Framework introduces a structure that companies can use to ensure their advocacy efforts align with their climate priorities. 

View Details
ArticleHarvard Business Review

This article draws on the Erb Principles for Corporate Political Responsibility to guide companies in navgating social outrage—urging them to ground advocacy in core values, engage employees early to build legitimacy, and embed ethical deliberation into everyday operations rather than issuing reactive or superficial statements.

View Details
ReportGlobal Reporting Initiative

This report engages more deeply with global stakeholder expectations for lobbying disclosure, detailing calls for transparency not only on spending but also on lobbying positions, trade association memberships, and alignment with sustainability goals. It argues that voluntary disclosures remain inconsistent and insufficient, and recommends standardized reporting frameworks to strengthen trust, accountability, and policy coherence. 

View Details
ArticleHarvard Law School

This report highlights the strong investor demand for transparency in political spending, with lobbying transparency proposals receiving 31% median support in 2024, highlighting pressure for corporate accountability post-Citizens United. 

View Details
ReportCenter for Political Accountability

This report reveals that since 2010, U.S. corporations and trade associations have contributed over $1 billion—more than 40% of total funds—to six influential "527" political organizations, significantly impacting state-level elections and policies, often in ways that conflict with their publicly stated values and pose reputational risks. 

View Details
ToolThe Erb Institute CPR Taskforce

This CPR Decision Tool and Executive Conversation Guide is part of a suite of tools and resources that make it easier for companies to take a principled and responsible approach to a specific public affairs decision. Specifically, it is meant to help them apply the Erb Principles for CPR to weigh whether and how to engage in a specific political scenario.

View Details
Share.

Do you have a resource to recommend for The CPR Hub? Please reach out and we will review it for future updates!

Receive Updates from The CPR Hub

Learn about new tools, insights and events to help you consider how CPR can help your company, clients or members.

Stay in the loop.