“It is not more surprising to be born twice than once; everything in nature is resurrection.”

-Voltaire

“Build back better” is a mantra that we’ve heard repeated over the past 18 months. As we enter yet another phase of our new normal—given everything we’ve experienced, learned, and changed—what will we as corporate citizenship professionals bring with us?

One trend that will undoubtedly continue is the rising importance of the “S” in ESG—the social aspects of a company’s environmental, social, and governance investments—among investors, employees, and customers. In 2020 and beyond, many disruptions were rooted squarely in the “S”— as equity and inclusion, employee health and wellness, and political instability took center stage. As we know, companies took an excep­tionally active role in responding to these social issues, and continue to prioritize them with their corporate citizenship initiatives.

On the horizon, we see increasing expectations of corporate citizenship account­ability and reporting. Regulators across the globe are laying groundwork for increased ESG reporting requirements for corporations. From the SEC and Treasury Departments in the U.S. to the European Commission, public comment is being sought and recommendations are being prepared that may require companies to assess and disclose risks related to climate change, human rights, and other risks that were previously considered “non-financial.”

In our newest issue of the Corporate Citizen, we’re focused on helping you navigate the new normal. In these pages you’ll find stories of resilience ranging from Wells Fargo—convener of the 2021 International Corporate Citizenship Conference—leading a dialogue with some of the most pre-eminent civil rights leaders in the U.S., to how member companies have engaged key stakeholders on environmental and STEM initiatives during periods of remote work and social distancing. Read on, too, for a story from CEMEX and Microsoft on how each company adapted its programming while holding fast to strategy during times of disruption.

I thank you for all of the good you have achieved in the world in the past year and commend you for your leadership in helping your employers to understand how business value and social value are inextricably interwoven. We are privileged to support your work. Thank you for being part of the BCCCC community!