We are currently facing a quadruple crisis – four major problems we are facing are: the financial crisis, the ecological crisis, increasing inequality and a loss of trust in the institutions of governance.
These problems are intrinsically linked to and reinforced by the short-termist shareholder value orientation which dominates our economy. Companies and top managers are primarily concerned with increasing share price, not with helping stakeholders. The Sustainable Company is an alternative to the shareholder value which emphasizes the involvement of stakeholders and in particular workers in the company.
European Works Councils (EWCs) as well as workers board level representation (WBLR) are an important part of the Sustainable Company, as companies with EWCs are more sustainable than companies without EWCs. However, companies will have to radically change before we can get out of the quadruple crisis. EWCs and WBLR will need to take a much more active role to push companies to change.
The brochure of the Conference is available in several EU languages.