Boardrooms must have conscience

Directors, including CEOs, are increasingly expected to speak up in the boardroom. They may do so based on their personal conviction or their understanding of the company's culture or desirable values

Activist CEOs — those that take a public stand on political and social issues unrelated to their company’s bottom line — are in the news. They certainly are in the US, where CEOs are speaking up — over their government’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement or the White House order on immigration or even personal issues like same sex marriage and the morning after pill. Should they be doing so and do companies benefit from their CEOs taking a public stand on issues that fall outside their realm? Is it the company’s view which they are vocalising? And if so,