The announcement from Harvard University that it will launch a new corporate responsibility course aimed at executives looks on the surface to be a sign that corporate responsibility is becoming mainstream. But the interest in corporate responsibility, even at such an elite level, may mean just the opposite.

It might be an indication that the concept of corporate responsibility is becoming serious when such an institution such as Harvard’s Business School expects leading business executives to shell out $6,000 for a three-day course on the topic. If nothing else, this suggests there is a need for more expertise in the area and that companies are prepared to pay for it.

However, the details of the course and the nature of corporate responsibility education might temper any enthusiasm. According to the marketing blurb, Harvard’s course seeks to “provide insights into achieving superior strategic corporate social responsibility and enhancing firm value”. An appropriate goal, you might think, but hang on, isn’t corporate responsibility really about something more than “value” and “strategy”?

Upcoming Ethical Corporation conferences & events:
How to manage Social & Environmental Risk in the mining, oil & gas, steel and other heavy industries
London, 22-23 March 2010 The Responsible Business Summit 2010
Novotel West Hotel, London, 4th – 5th May 2010 The Inaugural Ethical Corporation Awards
Novotel West Hotel, London, Evening of 4th May 2010
The Awards will be held at the Responsible Summit -
on the evening of the first day
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