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Yes, sustainability is high on the agenda of most managers and directors. But how serious and concrete is it? By expressing social and ecological issues financially, their size and importance become more visible and they can become central to the business strategy.

Clawback clauses stipulate that an employee must repay (part of) his variable remuneration if it turns out in retrospect that it should not have been paid out. Prof Dr Michael Erkens is Professor of Corporate Reporting at Nyenrode Business University and examined what these clauses must meet to be effective. He also looked at what the consequences were of effective versus ineffective clawbacks. The outcome of the study resulted in the mandatory implementation of effective clawback clauses in the United States.

Credit ratings do not always provide an accurate or complete picture of the risks of a financial product, according to Vivian van Breemen, who will be obtaining her doctorate at Nyenrode Business Universiteit today. Van Breemen’s research shows that an inaccurate assessment of credit risks in the capital market poses a significant threat to international financial stability.

Small and medium-sized businesses, also known as SMEs, represent an important part of the economy. However, international auditing standards have not been not well tailored to this business category. Niels van Nieuw Amerongen, holder of the Kreston Netherlands SME Accountancy chair at Nyenrode Business University, analyzed with a research team stakeholder roundtable discussions focused on an international auditing standard for less complex entities. He summarized the findings in two international publications.

The way companies report on sustainability is not sustainable, states Professor of Corporate Reporting Michael Erkens in his inaugural lecture. “We need to work globally towards a unified framework for sustainability reporting, so that we can better compare companies' sustainability performance and efforts.”

Researcher Henriëtte Bout studied how organizations deal with moral issues and how knowledge transfer contributes to this. 'More and more organizations want to learn about this, but how can this be done in a sustainable way so that it benefits the entire organization?' Today Bout will receive her doctorate from Nyenrode Business University. In her research, Bout mainly focused on the factors that support or hinder learning about moral issues in organizations. The research offers insights for organizations that want to institutionalize moral insights and provides guidance on how to create a working environment in which moral issues can be discussed.

When dealing with major social issues, an entrepreneurial mindset is essential. This is the conviction of Henk Kievit, Professor of Entrepreneurship & Ecosystems, which he addressed in his inaugural speech. The findings of his research provide insight into the mentality that is required to realize innovative and sustainable solutions. “By focusing on collaboration with multiple parties, organizations contribute to a resilient and future-proof society.”

The world benefits from financial stability. Vivian van Breemen, PhD student at Nyenrode Business University and supervisor at the European Central Bank[1] and Dennis Vink, Professor of Finance & Investment at Nyenrode Business University, put together an international expert research team that focuses on analyzing systemic risks in the capital market. And with success: the research sheds light on numerous new risks that could pose a threat to financial stability.