GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF BENEFIT CORPORATIONS

BACKGROUND AND GENERAL OBJECTIVE

 In partnership with Assobenefit, the YSBC analyzed characteristics, governance, and reasons that lead for-profit organizations to adopt the legal status of Benefit Corporation.

A theoretical framework useful to study the structure and the organization of the benefit corporations is represented by the Mission-Governance-Accountability paradigm.

The Mission-Governance-Accountability paradigm offers a description of the various corporate forms based on the coherence among the goal pursued (Mission), the governance and coordination of multiple interests (Governance), the control system and the communication of results (Accountability).

WHAT WE DID

Through questionnaires, interviews and focus groups, the YSBC conducted an empirical analysis which involved 226 benefit corporations.

The aim of the analysis was both to understand the reasons that lead businesses to become Benefit Corporation, the characteristic of governance and to study the accountability in terms of social and environmental impact.

The results of this research have been presented at:

  • The annual ASSOBENEFIT Conference held on December 11th 2020.
  • The12th International Social Innovation Research Conference 2020 (ISIRC). Virtual Conference. September 1-3, 2020
  • Social Entrepreneurship Summit 2020 “Innovative solutions for a sustainable tomorrow”. September 9-11, 2020

PUBLICATIONS

  • Bandini F., Boni L. , Fia M, Toschi L. (2022). Mission, governance, and accountability of benefit corporations: Toward a commitment device for achieving commercial and social goal. European Management Review.  http://doi.org/10.1111/emre.12547 OPEN ACCESS
  • Bandini F. ,Fia M., Boni L., Toschi L. (2020) “Mission, governance e accountability delle società benefit” in “SOCIETA' BENEFIT: PROFILI GIURIDICI ED ECONOMICO-AZIENDALI” edited by Egea
  • Bandini F. ,Fia M (2020) “ Mission, governance e accountability delle società benefit “ in Baldarelli M.G. Mattei M.M. (ed) in Liber amicorum per Antonio Matacena, Franco Angeli