Policy Practicum: Corporate Performance Standards on Racial and Economic Equity

Catalog description

This policy lab practicum focuses on corporations and racial and economic equity. Students will work closely with the instructor and a client called PolicyLink (https://www.policylink.org/), which co-founded the Corporate Racial Equity Alliance (https://corporateracialequityalliance.org/). Corporations have a critical and essential role to play in advancing racial and economic equity given their tremendous influence over economic, political, social, and cultural dimensions. Additionally, there is significant stakeholder demand for companies to stop perpetuating racial and economic inequalities. Establishing a common language and framework for businesses to advance racial and economic equity is a critical and urgently needed component of the transformation toward a just, equitable, and healthy society for all of us. Current corporate standards do not offer a clear or sufficiently comprehensive path on how to approach, measure, report, and motivate the achievement of racial and economic equity. PolicyLink and others in the Corporate Racial Equity Alliance are developing new corporate performance standards to address this gap. These standards are on track for publication in early 2024. Students will research the current reporting landscape (e.g., SEC disclosure rules) and map them to the standards. The results of their research will be reflected in the published corporate standards. This policy lab will give students an opportunity to learn about corporate governance, public disclosure rules, business practices, and the role of corporations in advancing racial and economic equity. Prior experience with business or corporate law is welcome but not necessary. Students will meet weekly to discuss research progress as well as related topics (e.g., ESG). This policy lab seeks students from law school and is also available for cross-registration from students in graduate and…