This lecture offered a fresh perspective and ethical grounding for the reform of Company Law. Drawing on Catholic Social Thought, Mark Hayes proposed a natural right of membership in a company through work as part of a community of enterprise. He translates theological principles into practical proposals for change in the law and practice governing listed companies; such changes are necessary if companies are to move beyond shareholder value to the pursuit of the common good as their corporate purpose.
Dr Mark Hayes is St Hilda Reader Emeritus in Catholic Social Thought and Practice, in the Centre for Catholic Studies at Durham University. He was formerly a Fellow and Director of Studies in Economics at Robinson College, Cambridge; the principal founder of Shared Interest, the credit co-operative financing Fair Trade; and an investment manager with 3i.
The talk took place in Romero House, London, on the 21st on November 2016, a recording, as well as slides and the text of the presentation are below.