Corporate Sustainability and Sustainable Development Goals: innovation to fight against corruption
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Abstract
Modern social responsibility has undergone lots of transformations, since Bowen’s defined it. Simultaneously, the concept of sustainability is no longer just an environmental concept. Consequently, corporate sustainability is a notion that joins financial, social and environmental aspects, while still recognizing the importance of corporate governance as the key to the entire business development. Some empirical studies have actually shown that corporate governance is essential to achieving corporate sustainability. This leads us to study the responsibility of senior management in the implementation of social responsibility policies. Within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), technological innovation (SDG 9) may reduce the risks of corruption, increase commitment to transparency, and encourage a work culture of accountability (SDG 16). Reports and statistics from different organizations show that the more innovative countries are the less corrupt. In this context, corporate governance can achieve corporate sustainability through the innovation provided by new technologies. Automation process can be used for better decision making, preventing fraudulent activities as well as analysis of big data that would provide search of patterns, correlations or anomalies, social networks and information and communication channels. Besides, it can reduce the risks associated with corruption, increasing accountability. Increasing investment in innovation and enabling synergies through public-private collaboration —possibilities outlined in SDGs 9 and SDG 17— can make it possible to achieve the specific goals of SDG 16: decrease corruption, increase transparency and improve accountability in organizations.
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