For immediate release
Contact: Judy Warner (617) 399-3046
(781) 632-6450 (mobile)
BOSTON (February 22, 2008) – Social activists, plaintiff lawyers, and public officials are increasingly targeting the largest companies. Why? Managing Editor Joe McCafferty reports in the February/March 2008 issue of Directorship that the anti-business lobby now focuses on industry leaders – whether merited or not – because they attract such extraordinary media coverage and attention for the attackers. Some observers acknowledge that they are troubled by what they see as selective criticism of big business.
For instance, Wal-Mart gets pilloried for alleged employment practices, while Target is barely targeted, even though it actually provides health-care coverage to a smaller percentage of workers than its larger rival.
Criticism of big business even played a role in the 2008 presidential election, during which former Democratic hopeful John Edwards and Republican Mike Huckabee, who agreed on little else, invoked populist criticisms of “large corporations” in their stump speeches. The lesson to boards and CEOs is simple: be prepared–hindrance is on the way.
The February/March issue of Directorship also features:
• The three former SEC chairs, Harvey Pitt, William Donaldson and Richard Breeden, on the current regulatory environment and what went wrong.
• CalPERS’ CEO Fred Buenrostro sends a tough message to CEOs and boards – get your governance act together and soon.
• A Special Report on Risk Intelligence examines why directors must think about how smart their companies are in assessing risk rather than just monitoring the size of risks.
• Marty Lipton’s “to-do” list for board members.
• When CEO compensation consultants also consult to your company’s benefits program, Congressman Henry Waxman will be looking over your shoulder.
• The three leading proxy advisors preview the 2008 proxy season.
About the publication
Directorship is a bimonthly magazine, daily web site (www.directorship.com), and conference producer for corporate board members and C-level executives. NewsMarkets LLC, a privately held media company in Boston whose mission is to produce the highest quality content, events, and educational programs to support the needs of senior executives, boards of directors, and global leaders, owns Directorship. Content contributors are the business elite and global thought leaders in the areas of management, governance, and strategy.
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