Corporate Political Responsibility

An Emerging Best Practice
For Public Affairs Governance

The socio-political environment for business is increasingly volatile and complex, and is likely to remain so. With the politicization of issue after issue, the need to manage external influences in a consistent, principled and prepared way could not be more pressing.

“Corporate Political Responsibility” (CPR) provides a non-partisan best practice for more integrated governance of public affairs, that can help companies navigate the current landscape in a principled way. CPR is both a necessary practical risk management strategy and a critical enabler of long-term value for business and society, regardless of the political environment.

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The CPR Hub is a dynamic, curated central site featuring practical ways to apply CPR Governance to a company’s unique situation, and compelling materials for exploring why, when and how. 

The socio-political environment for business is increasingly volatile and complex, and is likely to remain so. With the politicization of issue after issue, the need to manage external influences in a consistent, principled and prepared way could not be more pressing.

“Corporate Political Responsibility” (CPR) provides a non-partisan best practice for more integrated governance of public affairs, that can help companies navigate the current landscape in a principled way. CPR is both a necessary practical risk management strategy and a critical enabler of long-term value for business and society, regardless of the political environment.

Showcase

A dynamic repository of CPR resources from across the field, including tools, reports and educational materials.

As investors increasingly focus on systemic risks, few risks are as consequential as the weakening of democratic institutions and the rule of law -- or today’s once-in-a-generation operational and strategic challenges from AI, an increasingly chaotic political environment, and more.  Yet, as an investor, it can be difficult to translate these systemic risks into concrete actions. Focusing on public affairs governance – how companies make decisions about whether and when to engage in the public sphere, can be one helpful lens.

This new tool from Third Side Strategies helps investors to ask sharper questions—of companies and of themselves. It introduces the concept of CPR Governance (a set of best practices for whether and when to engage in the public sphere) which helps investors in two ways: (i) prompting companies to think more concretely about their public affairs practices and strengthen any areas of weakness highlighted by the questions, and (ii) providing investors the information needed to more effectively manage this systemic risk across their portfolio.

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ToolConvergence Center for Policy Resolution

Convergence Compass is an online learning program for business, government, higher education and civic actors that teaches the psychology of division, dialogue strategies, and collaborative problem-solving. Developed from the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution's innovative methods, it equips participants to build trust, bridge divides, engage constructively on contentious issues, design effective processes —even when stakeholders hold strongly divergent views.

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ArticleCommonwealth Climate and Law Initiative (CCLI)

This CCLI guide explains how U.S. directors’ fiduciary duties intersect with climate risk, disclosure, and evolving sustainability standards. It highlights legal expectations under SEC rules and emerging case law, urging boards to integrate climate oversight into corporate governance, strengthen transparency, and align decision-making with long-term value creation and the stability of the systems business depends on. 

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ReportJournal of Democracy

This article by the former President of the American Enterprise Institute explores the erosion of civic norms, institutional trust, and public-spirit in the United States, arguing that a decline in public honesty and civility is undermining free markets and trust in democratic institutions.  It reflects how corporate actors operate in a context of systemic fragility and how their behaviors can either mitigate or exacerbate institutional decline. Rather than laws, he explains that it is the is the role of civic virtue which restrains advantage-taking by people who might otherwise derive special benefit from social, political, and legal systems.  

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ReportOxford Martin School, University of Oxford

This publication frames AI safety as a critical global public good, highlighting challenges in balancing innovation with robust safety measures, ensuring international cooperation, and promoting equity so AI benefits align with sustainable development goals. It calls for clear accountability alongside shared responsibility through collaborative governance to manage AI risks worldwide

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ToolThe Erb Institute CPR Taskforce

Developed with Erb Institute’s Corporate Political Responsibility Taskforce, in consultation with academics and over 40 stakeholder groups from across the political spectrum, the Erb Principles for CPR offer a thought process for non-partisan, defensible decisions in turbulent times.  The principles of legitimacy, accountability, responsibility, and transparency provide actionable and non-partisan approach to weighing when, how and why to engage in political affairs, to manage risk and advance long-term value creation for business and society. 

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About the CPR Hub

The CPR Hub helps companies navigate a hyper-political world by strengthening their public affairs governance practices, featuring emerging best practices, practical tools, and compelling materials for discussing why, when and how CPR Governance might be adapted for a specific company. It is published by Third Side Strategies, a non-partisan action-oriented think tank and non-profit advisory firm.

Engage

We know CPR Governance is a journey, unique to each company. Here are a few next steps to consider.

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