February 13, 2025
Time: 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Location: Clayton Hall, University of Delaware, Newark, DE
In-Person Program
Reception to follow
This interactive gathering marks the fourth annual event addressing director duties in light of the ESG movement, hosted by the Weinberg Center at the University of Delaware, led by John W. White of Cravath, Swaine & Moore and Lawrence Cunningham of the Weinberg Center. Our panelists, representing a wide cross section of perspectives, will offer practical advice tailored to corporate directors, and those who advise them, as they perform their roles against a backdrop of a movement that has waxed and waned in recent years.
Rather than focusing on specific ESG rules or challenges to them, this session will explore how directors can fulfill their duties effectively amid a landscape of shifting expectations and mounting criticism, from ESG backlash to “green hushing.” The panels will revisit key themes such as board oversight and the role of corporate leadership in addressing ESG debates, while offering updated perspectives on the growing pushback against ESG initiatives as well as addressing the latest phenomenon of “green hushing.”
Other new topics this year include how directors can reconcile ESG issues with their primary responsibilities of overseeing CEOs and shaping corporate strategy, and where the line should be drawn between board oversight and managerial discretion on ESG topics. An underlying theme: even as debate over ESG continues, directors’ fundamental functions and duties remain stable. Our goal is to empower both directors and their advisors with the insights they need to excel
More information on this event will be forthcoming.
For any questions, please contact the Weinberg Center at nrich@udel.edu